New Delhi, The Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion (CSSI) and Office of the Dean, Academic Affairs, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in collaboration with COTO (Come Together), an organisation for global mental health and wellness platform, yesterday organised a workshop on ‘Mental Health : Breaking Stigma and Promoting Social Inclusion’.
Eminent dignitaries, bureaucrats and mental health experts graced the one-day workshop which was held under the auspices of Mental Health Week 2025. They highlighted the significance of mental well-being and the need to overcome the stigma attached with it and to promote social inclusion holistically. The workshop was conducted with the aim of raising awareness about mental health among a wider audience and its inclusion in daily life, under the direction and support of the Hon’ble VC and patron, Prof. Mazhar Asif, and the Registrar, and co-patron, Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi. Prof. Tanuja, the Dean, Academic Affairs, and Offg. Director of CSSI, spearheaded and conceived this initiative.
The inaugural session started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran followed by Jamia Tarana along with visual display of CSSI’s achievements and felicitation of all dignitaries along with renowned academician Professor Michael from University of Vienna.
In her inaugural speech, Prof. Tanuja highlighted the 2025 Supreme Court judgement which upheld mental health as an integral part of Right to Life under Article 21 and also stressed on accepting, normalising and overcoming mental health issues. It was followed by an address by the Registrar Prof Rizvi who spoke of the significance of mental health in general and in educational institutions in particular and the role of community in acting as a support system.
The keynote speaker for this event was former Union Minister Shri Alphons Kannanthanam. In his speech, he stressed on the fact that every individual carries a little insanity and that is what makes everyone unique and special and to dare and to dream.
The Chief Guest, Her Excellency Ms. Katharina Wieser, Ambassador of Austria to India spoke of mental health being a global issue and the need for seeking support and professional help to deal with it and enrich and improve our lives.
In the Presidential Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mazhar Asif pointed the power of human mind and the concept of ‘self-love’ and the capability and worthiness of every single individual to bring in a change. This was followed by the book release of the seminar proceedings of 12 Sept 2024 Conference on ‘Green and Clean Delhi’ published jointly by CSSI and Haryali Centre for Rural Development. The inaugural session was conducted by the Convenor, Dr. Shaikh Mujibur Rehman.The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Sabah Hussain followed by the national anthem.
The next session resumed with resource person of COTO, Ms Pragya Arora, clinical behavioural therapist from University of Melbourne with 6 plus years of experience conducting an ice breaker session with activities and highlighting the overall well being of mind, body and soul. Dr Mona Gujaral, award winning counselling psychologist and teenage parenting coach spoke about social inclusion and ‘self inclusion’ and the concept of ‘mask in, mask out’ and being vulnerable to identify issues and overcome them. A vocal interactive session with Q&A with students followed. The Chairperson, Prof. Samina Bano, Head of Deptt. of Psychology, JMI brought in her decades of experience and spoke about breaking the stigma attached with mental health issues and advised students to avail Jamia’s counselling facility at Jamia and the importance of meaningful social relations. The session was conducted by Dr. Sabah Hussain and the vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Sheikh Md. Farhan.
The third session begun with Mr. Mohammad Yusuf, Executive Director, Haryali Centre for Rural Development, pointing out the alarming rise of mental health issues about women and amongst the rural population. The valedictory talk of the workshop was delivered by Dr. Majid Ahmed Talikoti, world renowned cancer surgeon and Honorary Health Commissioner, India-GCC Trade Council who asserted that like major physical ailments, mental health issues too are treatable and curable and the need for empathy. The Chairperson of this session, Professor Sheema Aleem, Department Of Psychology, JMI spoke of JMI’s Mental Health Promotion Unit and the efforts undertaken to raise awareness about mental health in campus.
This event attracted over 500 online registrations and it was physically attended with a jampacked hall. The programme conducted under the guidance of senior faculty Dr. Shaikh Mujibur Rehman and Dr. Arvind Kumar and the unfaltering support of the team of teaching faculty, Mr. Sheikh Muhammad Farhan, Dr. Sabah Hussain, Dr Jyotirupa Rout, the research assistants Mr Abu Faizan and Ms Sufia Nizami, office staff, Mr Maiz and Mr Azhar, research scholars and students volunteers, was successful in reaching out to the target audience.
