It wasn't until Dr Mamta Shukla, a UP-based physician, began interviewing people on the streets of Lucknow about epilepsy, that she realised how little they knew about the condition. "Some did not know of its existence," she says. "And, the ones who did, considered it the curse of God." Her experience was far worse in the villages. In a hamlet near Rae Bareilly, she met a 14-year-old girl whose family had stopped sending her to school because she suffered fits. "The fact that she was deprived of education broke my heart." The interactions were recorded on video and uploaded on YouTube. Until now, Shukla, with the help of her team, has created close to 100 videos. But her job has only just begun.

She is a member of Ioncure, an alliance of like-minded professionals who are working towards spreading awareness about the neurological disorder. Formed last November, the non-profit has 300 members from all over the world, including scientists, engineers, physicians and researchers. According to the World Health Organisation, epilepsy is a chronic non-communicable disease of the brain that affects around 70 million people worldwide. It is characterised by unprovoked seizures. "Although we formed the group last year, it has been in the planning for two years," she tells us over a call from Lucknow. In the next phase, the team plans to organise talks, art exhibitions, street plays, and develop posters and board games as part of an outreach programme.