Mpowering Minds Summit 2025 addresses escalating youth mental health crisis

The Mpowering Minds Summit 2025, an initiative by Mpower under the Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET), convened experts from Harvard Medical School, World Economic Forum, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia and distinguished psychiatrists, psychologists, educators, policymakers, to address the escalating youth mental health crisis. The summit underscored the urgent need for cross-sector intervention to combat what has now become a public health emergency in India—a country whose economic future is intrinsically linked to the well-being of its youth.”

A major highlight of the summit was revealing the: Unveiling the Silent Struggle: Mpower Research report –  to address youth mental health and well-being, correlating loneliness, insomnia, and stress in college students across India by Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust, alongside Dr Vijay Bhaviskar, Director, Mental Health Services, Government of Maharashtra. 

The Mpower report highlights rising mental health challenges among youth, with 50 per cent of conditions emerging by age 14 and insufficient early intervention. Key findings include: 38 per cent of students face academic anxiety, 50 per cent report declining performance, 41 per cent experience social isolation, and 47 per cent struggle with sleep issues, disproportionately affecting female students. Alarmingly, 9 per cent face severe sleep difficulties, 8.7 per cent have contemplated suicide due to academic pressure, and only 2 per cent seek professional help. The study also reveals a strong link between loneliness and sleep disturbances (35 per cent correlation) and stress (47 per cent correlation), emphasising the urgent need for systemic mental health reforms.

Birla announced the establishment of the Global Mental Health Consortium, a collaborative initiative with a vision to drive systemic change in the mental health landscape in India. Focusing on policy transformation, early intervention models, and cross-sector capacity building, the initiative aims to ensure that mental health is prioritised as an essential pillar of public health and societal development.

Speaking on the urgent need for action, Birla stated, “Our vision for Viksit Bharat 2047 is to cultivate a resilient, productive, and happy youth who will drive India’s progress. The Mpowering Minds Summit 2025 is a crucial step in transforming this vision into action by uniting experts to address youth mental health and create lasting impact—fostering Acceptance, Action, and Advocacy to shape policies, increase funding, strengthen capacity building, and establish a sustainable mental health framework in India. As a catalyst for change, Unveiling the Silent Struggle is our research report highlights the urgent need to address youth mental health challenges, driving to reduce suicide rates as a collective responsibility. Establishing the Global Mental Health Consortium further reinforces this commitment, ensuring long-term impact in the mental health space.”

Dr Shekhar Seshadri, Former Professor, NIMHANS said, “I thank Mrs Neerja Birla for creating this platform to unite experts and drive action in youth mental health. Today’s youth face challenges that require early intervention from educators, parents, and policymakers. Strengthening response systems and fostering collaboration can prevent severe crises and ensure every young person receives support.”

Dr Blaise Aguirre, Founding Medical Director, 3East McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School said, “Globally, adolescent mental health is in a state of crisis. Here in India solutions to the worsening mental health of her vast youth population, are hindered by stigma and systemic gaps. The Mpowering Minds Summit, led by Mrs Neerja Birla, is a critical and welcome first step toward ensuring timely support to minimise tragic outcomes. The time for action is now.”

Dr Shyam Bishen, Head, Centre for Health & Healthcare, World Economic Forum explained, “Mental health transcends healthcare—it is a basic human right and a cornerstone of social and economic wellbeing. At The World Economic Forum, we foster a transformational vision: seeding mental wellness into public health and economic policy through global multi-stakeholder partnerships. From grooming children and youth to spearheading wellbeing at workplaces, mental health must be the foundation at every level of society.”

The Mental Health Summit unites academic leaders, clinical professionals, wellness experts, public health officials, and social impact advocates to address youth mental health. This diverse mix fosters collaboration across education, policy, clinical practice, advocacy, and lived experiences, creating a platform for meaningful solutions and cross-functional learning.