Thank you for being a part of Day 1 of Manotsava!

Click here to see the programme for Day 2!

Welcome Address by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
Performance by Childrens Choir, Bhoomija

Opening Remarks:
Dr Pratima Murthy, NIMHANS
Prof. LS Shashidhara, NCBS
Rohini Nilekani, Philanthropist

Inspired by generations of maternal figures sharing bedtime stories, Shahi Tukra is an immersive, multi-sensory journey which delves into themes of tenderness, caregiving, sacrifice, and wellbeing.

Through simple, raw stories of the earth, playful objects, tactile materials, scents, and an immersive audio narrative, this experience invites participants to be curious, imaginative, and empathetic toward the world around you.

This experience has been conceptualised & directed by Nitish Jain, and was commissioned for the Serendipity Arts Festival 2024.

Given the intimate nature of this experience, slots are limited and by invite only.

Whether it is from the internet, from families and friends or from themselves, mothers are also under constant pressure to provide the best care possible and to always make the right decisions for their child. However what they really need for their mental health—from pregnancy through postpartum and beyond—is specialized attention and support. This panel brings together mothers (both clinicians and advocates) to break stigmas around maternal mental health, and imagine what better support systems for mothers at all stages looks like.

Navigate the complex world of genetic testing for neurological and psychiatric disorders. From Huntington’s disease to bipolar disorder, explore the ethical dilemmas, family decisions, and societal implications of genetic knowledge. Featuring geneticists, clinicians, ethicists, and a caregiver’s lived experience, this panel examines how genetic information shapes our understanding of normalcy, choice, and human value in modern healthcare.

Just like being physically in shape means regular exercise, supporting one’s emotional well-being begins with a training program – for the mind. In this talk, world renowned neuroscientist— Prof Richard J. Davidson — discusses the scientific concept of neuroplasticity and how research in the lab confirms that well-being is a skill that can be taught. By learning and practicing the skills associated with awareness, connection, insight, and purpose – anyone can have a healthier mind despite their external circumstances. Based on four decades of contemplative neuroscientific research, Prof Davidson outlines a path to well-being for anyone in this highly relevant talk.

Discover how dance and movement can support mental health and emotional wellbeing. Participants explore how moving your body helps process feelings, understand yourself better, and manage daily stress. Through guided movement activities, individuals learn new ways to care for themselves and develop simple practices they can use regularly to feel more balanced.

An interactive exploration of how sexuality impacts mental health and wellbeing. Through personal stories and group activities, participants examine societal values around sexuality and their effects on mental health. The session creates a safe space for open dialogue, helping individuals recognize personal biases while fostering empathy and understanding around diverse sexual experiences.

Whether it’s capturing the pulse of young people through storytelling or bringing vulnerable conversations to global audiences, Youth Ki Awaaz & Yuvaa, have both carved unique spaces where youth voices truly matter. This session at Manotsava invites young participants to engage with them in an open, interactive space — to ask questions, share experiences, and listen to personal journeys around themes of mental health, loneliness, gender, and what it means to be a young person in India today.

Discover how picture books open doors to conversations about identity, grief, and difficult emotions. This interactive bilingual workshop shows parents and children how stories build resilience, self-esteem, and emotional understanding—creating meaningful connections through the power of literature.

Students entering India’s premier institutions—those who topped their schools and cleared entrance exams—often face mental health crises for the first time when they encounter failure, overwhelming choice, and the pressure to excel not just academically but in every dimension of campus life. Yet the challenges extend beyond elite institutions: across higher education, students navigate a massive life transition involving autonomy, self-discovery, and developmental changes. This panel examines mental health in higher education through multiple lenses exploring how academic difficulties intersect with broader life challenges, what institutions are doing (and should do differently), and how this critical developmental period shapes young adults’ wellbeing.

Who cares for the carer? Many of us are unprepared for the role of caring for family members with mental health conditions, disabilities or those nearing end of life.This act of love, duty or necessity often places enormous emotional and psychological burden on caregivers and may occur at the expense of their careers and families. Bringing together both clinical and lived experience this panel examines the often-overlooked mental health needs of caregivers, exploring strategies for sustainable caregiving, preventing burnout, and building support networks for those in caring roles.

Technology increasingly mediates mental healthcare, from AI chatbots to brain training apps, yet the pace of innovation outstrips our understanding of benefits and harms. This panel examines what makes ethical mental healthcare, distinguishing therapeutic elements that technology can assist with versus those requiring human connection. Featuring clinical, technological, and philanthropic perspectives, panelists explore where digital tools genuinely help, cultural context in innovation, and the urgent need for interdisciplinary collaboration and regulation.

A participatory arts workshop exploring dementia across multiple dimensions—brain function, identity, relationships, and socio-economic impact. Participants engage in guided conversations with experts followed by collaborative art-making to develop nuanced understanding of dementia. The session creates visual art pieces that can support future awareness campaigns while fostering compassionate dialogue between caregivers, healthcare professionals, and the public.

Parenting is beautifully complicated—and adoption brings its own unique layers of joy, questions, and reflection.

From the early days of welcoming your child to watching them grow into their own understanding of their story, adoptive parents navigate complex emotions that aren’t always easy to name or share. Yet safe spaces to talk openly about these experiences are rare.

This sharing circle offers exactly that: a peer space for honest dialogue, mutual support, and collective wisdom. Come share your stories, listen to others, and explore what helps us care for ourselves and our families with greater compassion and understanding.

A continuation of last year’s popular creative writing workshop, providing participants with guided poetry exercises to process emotions and build resilience. Through structured prompts and supportive group sharing, participants discover poetry as a powerful tool for self-expression, emotional healing, and personal growth in a safe, encouraging environment.

Join Dr. K.S. Chaitra for a delightful storytelling session exploring emotions through beloved children’s books in Kannada! Through interactive read-alouds of Angry Akku, Stage Fright, and Surki Ani Tirki, young listeners discover that all feelings—anger, fear, worry—are normal and manageable. A warm, engaging space where stories help children understand their big emotions.

Co-created with Pratham Books.

A century of advances in science, medicine, and public health have resulted in longer lifespans, fueling the rapid demographic shifts taking place globally. Nowhere is this felt more profoundly than in India, where by 2047, approximately 300 million individuals will be age 60 years and older. As the global megatrend of population aging will transform every aspect of society, ensuring policies and programs are in place to promote healthy aging for all individuals will be the defining challenge and opportunity of our time. This panel will provide a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of healthy aging and longevity in India, highlighting the demographic, health, and societal shifts accompanying an aging population. From rising rates of chronic disease, changing family dynamics, and rapid urbanization, the implications are vast and intersect across all sectors. Drawing on perspectives from leaders in medicine, philanthropy, and civil society, the panel will highlight current pain points and discuss the promising programs, partnerships, and community-driven solutions to support individuals as they age. Additionally, speakers will recommend the cross-sector actions necessary to build a future where longer lives are not only possible but healthier, more equitable, and more fulfilling.

Despite the decriminalization of homosexuality, LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face social stigma, family alienation, and challenges in expressing their sexuality. This panel addresses the ongoing mental health struggles within queer communities, examining the gaps between legal progress and lived experiences while highlighting pathways to acceptance and wellbeing.

The gut-brain axis has become a popular wellness topic, with claims ranging from “”heal your gut, heal your mind”” to specific diets promising to cure mental health conditions—yet the science is still in its infancy, and much of what circulates online oversimplifies or misrepresents what we actually know. Your gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria living in your digestive system—does communicate with your brain through multiple pathways, but these connections are complex, highly individual, and affected by everything from medications to stress levels, not just what you eat. This panel brings together microbiologists, nutritionists, and researchers studying Indian populations to separate evidence from hype, explain what the gut-brain connection actually means for mental health, and provide practical guidance without false promises.

This workshop will explore how lived experience can meaningfully shape neuroscience research in India, bringing together scientists, clinicians, individuals with lived experience, and caregivers to engage in dialogue and co-learning around psychiatric and neurological illnesses. Participants can register for one of four thematic sessions designed to introduce key concepts of PPIE and provide hands-on opportunities to collaborate with researchers studying diverse psychiatric conditions. Each session has specific participation criteria, and attendees are encouraged to review them before registering.

Rooted in the principles of Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement (PPIE), this initiative highlights the active participation of people with lived experience (PwLE) in all stages of research – from design to dissemination. This ensures that scientific inquiry remains inclusive and grounded in real-world needs. By joining, participants will contribute their lived expertise to a growing movement toward participatory research in India, aimed at enhancing the accessibility, impact, and relevance of brain and mind research.

This workshop requires prior registration. Click here to know more.

An immersive exploration of mental distress through classical Indian art forms and mythological narratives. Using stories like Yashodha’s maternal anxieties and Vasudeva’s parental dilemmas, participants experience Bharatanatyam, vocal music, and flute performances. Following the cultural presentations, audiences reflect on emotions using familiar expressions from their own languages, opening conversations about how individuals experience distress differently.

Come on a walk to explore how bodies and minds have co-evolved with natural ecosystems. This guided nature experience uses sensory activities and storytelling for participants to discover how direct engagement with nature opens routes to self-understanding. The session addresses climate concerns while creating living metaphors to replace mechanical descriptions of mental states.

This session is for 16 years and above.

Join us for an enchanting story session where emotions come alive!

Children will be immersed in a carefully chosen tale about feelings, brought to life through interactive storytelling. Together with the Bookworm team they will explore the story through thoughtful conversations before and after the reading—providing children a safe space to share their own experiences and connect with others. The magic continues with a hands-on creative activity inspired by the book, where children can express themselves through art and play.

Conflict surrounds us—from war zones to climate disasters to the collective trauma of COVID-19 —yet we rarely discuss its cumulative psychological toll. This panel examines how victims, frontline workers, journalists, and the public experience conflict differently, how social media algorithms feed us graphic content creating vicarious trauma and learned helplessness, and what happens when we avoid naming difficult realities. Beyond articulating the mental harm caused, panelists explore resilience mechanisms and what individuals can actually do to maintain hope in these difficult times.

Being trans doesn’t inherently create mental distress—systemic barriers, discrimination, and lack of safety do. This panel explores trans mental health through lived experience and professional expertise: from residential programs combining shelter with therapy to corporate inclusion work creating dignified employment, from therapists specializing in queer and trans care to community-driven support systems. Beyond crisis narratives, panelists share how trans people are building not just survival strategies but pathways to thriving—and what allies, families, and institutions can do to help.

What does it cost to be a man? Modern masculinity exists in paradox—men hold societal privileges yet face rising suicide rates, digital violence, and restrictive gender norms. This panel examines how masculine expectations shape men’s wellbeing from adolescence through adulthood, exploring workplace pressures, online personas and why men have fewer spaces to express emotion. Experts from across disciplines come together to articulate the need for healthier models of manhood in families, media, and society.

This workshop invites participants to explore the human voice as a living bridge that connects the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions of the self—where science meets art, and the individual meets the collective. Rooted in the emerging Atlas of the Self framework—developed by Dalal Abu Amneh PhD and Dr. Richard J. Davidson—and its new branch, The Atlas of the Human Voice, the session presents an integrative approach to understanding how vocal expressions mirror and transform the inner architecture of human experience.

Through collective singing, embodied vocal practices, experiential inquiry, and neuroscientific reflection, participants will explore how the voice can act as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool—revealing inner distortions and guiding us toward coherence, authenticity, and well-being.

This participatory exploration is part of an ongoing scientific and contemplative inquiry into how sound can become a universal language for self-understanding and human flourishing.

Dalal and Richie will be supported in the workshop by Swami, a beloved Bengaluru based artist and percussionist.

A sharing circle for siblings to share their unique experiences within families, including those with neurodivergent family members. Participants explore the joys and challenges of sibling relationships, discovering common ground and celebrating the diversity of their journeys. This safe space validates individual experiences while building awareness around the often-overlooked emotional needs and perspectives of siblings in all types of family systems.

Come explore emotions through magical wordless pop-up books! Children learn to identify and locate feelings in their bodies through interactive storytelling and hands-on pop-up bookmaking. Parents discover gentle ways to spark emotional conversations, making feelings less mysterious and more manageable.

Experience the thrill of traditional Kho-Kho while exploring how we all express emotions! This energetic workshop uses sport as a springboard for conversations about feelings, teamwork, and breaking stereotypes. Through playful movement and reflection, come discover that everyone—regardless of gender—experiences the full spectrum of emotions, and that play creates wonderful opportunities for empathy and understanding.

What does it mean to live with—and through—madness? Three writers share their intimate journeys with severe mental illness, moving beyond clinical language to the raw, messy, and sometimes surprising realities of conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Through poetry, memoir, and conversation, they explore how we find language for experiences that defy words, challenge stigma with unflinching honesty, and discover unexpected forms of resilience, creativity, and meaning amid chaos.

Marriage and intimacy problems are as common as mental health issues—affecting significant portions of the population across all socioeconomic strata—yet shame keeps people silent, suffering, and unaware that help exists. Intimacy issues in India are profoundly shaped by cultural expectations, family dynamics, and the gap between perceived Western “sex positivity” and conservative ground realities. This panel aims to normalize these conversations, reduce stigma, and explore the complex interplay between relationships, sexuality, and mental health.

Physical inactivity among young people has reached alarming levels in India, compounding an undiagnosed mental health crisis—yet research shows that simple daily movement can have effects comparable to anti-anxiety and anti-depressive medications. Sports and physical activity hold tremendous potential for mental wellbeing, yet mainstream narratives focus narrowly on competition and winning, often excluding marginalized communities who could benefit most from it. This panel explores how we can reimagine sports and movement as tools for healing, community building, and joy, while addressing the infrastructure gaps, policy barriers, and intentional inclusion needed to make this accessible to everyone.

What would your obituary say? This immersive workshop invites you to write yours—not as an ending, but as intentional living. Through grounding exercises, shared agreements, and reflective writing, you’ll envision what you wish to be known for, then record it. Your voice becomes part of a growing “tree” installation where you can listen to others recordings as well. Death literacy meets art, technology, and community—an ongoing invitation to engage with mortality meaningfully.

A comprehensive session combining personal storytelling with expressive arts therapy for adult survivors of sexual abuse. Participants learn practical tools for rebuilding relationships with their bodies, understanding trauma patterns, and moving from survival to thriving. The session includes group sharing using movement, music, and painting to support emotional processing and healing in a safe, supportive environment.

Note: This circle is only for those aged 18 yrs and above.

A reflective workshop that invites you to revisit your own school experiences—the moments of joy and the moments of pain—and reimagine what education could become.

Through memory, creative exploration, and collective conversation, participants uncover how emotions and systems shaped their learning journeys. Together, we’ll dream up bold new possibilities for transforming schools into spaces where every child truly thrives.

A safe space for everyone to explore emotional responses to environmental change and climate challenges. Beginning with storytelling circles about personal experiences, participants engage in creative expression activities to process feelings of environmental concern, grief, and hope. The session ends with a collaborative “tree of resilience” where participants contribute hopeful messages and action commitments.

Parenting teenagers in today’s world presents unique challenges. With Generation Alpha growing up in an increasingly tech-saturated environment, how can parents foster better dialogue with their teens? This panel explores the evolving mentalities of young people, the benefits and risks of digital engagement – particularly video games, and strategies for building stronger parent-child relationships in our rapidly changing world.

India faces an alarming 59% burnout rate among workers—up from 38% just years ago—with millennials and Gen Z bearing the brunt of a workplace culture that celebrates 90 hour workweeks and ties identity to productivity. Yet beneath the statistics lies a deeper tension: while organizations offer EAP services and empathy training, workplace well-being remains a peripheral HR program rather than a strategic priority that addresses power dynamics and extractive growth models. This panel examines burnout’s individual and systemic dimensions, exploring how different generations navigate workplace mental health, what organizations truly committed to change look like, and how individuals can recognize and respond to their own breaking points.

Closed Doors Event: Participation by invite only.

Come join an intimate conversation on young men navigating questions of love, commitment, and identity. Participants in the inner circle share personal stories about marriage pressure, changing gender roles, and relationship uncertainty. The outer circle witnesses silently before reflections are invited. This creates space for complexity and tenderness around masculine norms and relationship expectations.

Life after 50 is often overlooked, yet it is one of the most formative phases for identity, relevance, purpose, and emotional meaning-making.

This circle explores what it means to age with agency, navigating shifting roles, bodies, and priorities while shaping legacy and reinvention.

We also ask what these decades mean for the wider social fabric, opening an intergenerational conversation and reimagining longevity as a space for possibility, not invisibility.

Join author and philanthropist Rohini Nilekani for a special read-aloud of her heartwarming story about Shaunat, who’s afraid of balloons, and his friend Chimi, who’s scared of animals. Through their friendship, the children discover that fears are something we all carry—and that we can support each other through them. A gentle story about courage, empathy, and overcoming what scares us most.

In India, persons with disabilities are twice as likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to the general population, yet those who needing mental health services don’t often receive them. When disability and mental health intersect, challenges compound in ways policy rarely captures—from veterans excluded from disability protections to inaccessible workplaces creating daily stress. This panel examines how incomplete laws and insufficient support systems prevent people with disabilities from reaching their full potential, exploring the psychological impact of systemic barriers and the urgent need for comprehensive inclusion policies.

How do we make sense of suicide when it touches our lives? This panel moves beyond clinical frameworks to explore suicide as a cross-sectoral crisis shaped by social determinants, adverse experiences, and systemic failures. From peer support platforms to government programs, this panel explores what actually prevents suicide. We’ll examine the social factors beyond mental health diagnosis, who’s most at risk, and what each of us can do—moving from individual tragedy to collective responsibility and, critically, towards hope and actionable change.

What is our imagination of a city? Whether born in one or moving to one – we all have our rose tinted ideas of what living in a city will feel like. However the reality of this experience is quite different. Research has shown that urban living affects mental health in complex ways. With 57% of the global population in cities—rising to 68% by 2050—urban stressors like density, isolation, and environmental degradation contribute to higher rates of depression and anxiety. Panelists will explore the role of public spaces and urban commons, inequalities in how different communities experience the city, and actionable steps for individuals, communities, and institutions to create mentally healthy urban environments.

Psychedelics are emerging as promising treatments for conditions like treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and OCD—yet remain largely inaccessible for research in India despite growing clinical need. This panel examines what classical psychedelics actually are and what science shows about their therapeutic potential. Moving beyond “drugs of abuse” stigma and unrealistic hype, panelists explore what responsible clinical use would require and whether India’s regulatory landscape can evolve to meet patients’ needs.

This workshop will explore how lived experience can meaningfully shape neuroscience research in India, bringing together scientists, clinicians, individuals with lived experience, and caregivers to engage in dialogue and co-learning around psychiatric and neurological illnesses.

Participants can register for one of four thematic sessions designed to introduce key concepts of PPIE and provide hands-on opportunities to collaborate with researchers studying diverse psychiatric conditions. Each session has specific participation criteria, and attendees are encouraged to review them before registering.

Rooted in the principles of Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement (PPIE), this initiative highlights the active participation of people with lived experience (PwLE) in all stages of research – from design to dissemination. This ensures that scientific inquiry remains inclusive and grounded in real-world needs. By joining, participants will contribute their lived expertise to a growing movement toward participatory research in India, aimed at enhancing the accessibility, impact, and relevance of brain and mind research.

This workshop requires prior registration. Click here to know more.

Closing Remarks by Rohini Nilekani, Philanthropist
Musical Dialogue by MD Pallavi