Sakshi Katyal, Executive Director, Procurement, Capacit'e Infraprojects Ltd sheds light on Mental Health Is Health: Why India Needs More Spaces of Care, Compassion &Dignity. In India, conversations around health are evolving, but there is still much to be done to ensure mental health receives the attention it deserves. There are improvements in the physical health infrastructure, but mental healthcare still lacks the necessary funding, better design, and easy access. Recent surveys have shown that a very large proportion of the population, approximately 96% of the people surveyed in large cities, are aware of at least one mental health condition. However, the public understanding of the symptoms, help-seeking, and support availability is still uneven and stigma exists. For millions of families, this challenge goes beyond stigma; it is a daily struggle to find care that is respectful, dignified, and available when needed.

This reality is especially visible in urban centres like Mumbai, where the scarcity of well-designed psychiatric care facilities is a lived experience for many. Mental health conditions are not rare, and they are not a sign of weakness. They are medical conditions that deserve the same seriousness, compassion, and infrastructure as any physical illness.