Startups bridging India's mental health gap through tech-led innovations

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) Mental health-tech startups are emerging as one of the fastest growing in the segment in the country, with experts warning that India is in the grip of a deepening mental health emergency.

According to the India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA), a staggering 200 million Indians have diagnosed mental health conditions but receive no adequate treatment, leading to a treatment gap as high as 95 pert cent in some areas.

India is home to nearly 450 mental health-tech startups, which are using digital innovations to improve access to therapy, promote early intervention, and provide emotional support to those who remain outside the formal care system.

Platforms such as Evolve and Atman -- supported by the ACT, a tech-first venture philanthropy organisation -- are among those leading the change by making mental health care more accessible, inclusive, and stigma-free.

"The gap between accessibility and affordability is too large to keep up with, given the slow generation of competent resources and the exponential increase in both awareness, help seeking behaviour as well as prevalence of mental health challenges," said Dr Kavita Arora, child and adolescent psychiatrist and founding cohort member of the IMHA, on World Mental Health Day.

Traditional systems are buckling under the weight of demand and a new generation of health-tech innovators are stepping in as critical lifelines, harnessing technology to deliver mental health care that is more inclusive, affordable, and capable of reaching those long left behind, she said.

With 10.6 per cent of adults in India experiencing mental disorders and only 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 population, far below the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation of three, India's mental health crisis has reached critical levels.

The Economic Survey 2024-25 called for expanding digital mental health services, strengthening the government's Tele-MANAS platform, and integrating AI-based mental health solutions into national programmes -- signalling a policy shift toward technology-enabled care.

This growing focus on digital solutions has found strong alignment in India's vibrant startup ecosystem.

Rohan Arora, Co-founder of Evolve, said the platform was designed to make mental wellness approachable for anyone, anywhere.

"We were tackling the general inaccessibility of mental health care and the complete lack of mental health solutions for the LGBTQIA+ community, who are three to four times more likely to experience mental illness.

"Yet, most therapists aren't queer-affirmative, and there are limited digital solutions addressing the community's specific needs," he said.

To bridge this gap, Arora and his team built Evolve -- a safe, inclusive digital space where members of the queer community can access support without fear or stigma.

Designed to bring empathy, accessibility, and cultural relevance into mental health care for those who have long been overlooked, the platform combines inclusive wellness resources, peer-led support, and queer-affirmative therapy to help users manage 'minority stress' and build emotional resilience.

Other health-tech startups are tackling the roots of emotional well-being much earlier -- inside classrooms across India.

Atman is helping children talk about emotions before they turn into crises.

"We found teenagers could talk endlessly about exams and social media, but go quiet about feelings," Madhavi Jadhav, Co-founder of Atman, said.

"In most government and rural schools, there's no counsellor, and at home the subject is still uncomfortable. Atman was our way to break that silence. If we can teach math and science in class, we can also teach stress management, self-esteem, and healthy relationships," Jadhav said.

Atman combines digital modules with counsellor-led sessions and is currently operational in over 400 government schools, having reached more than 3.5 lakh students. Its content is available in Hindi, English, Telugu, and Kannada.

Early results are promising -- 62 per cent of students reported improved emotional well-being, and 20 per cent of teachers observed greater openness among students to discuss their mental health.

Experts said such models can normalise conversations and democratise access to care.

Dr Arora added, "Any tools that overcome these obstacles should be seen as an expansion of resources. However, it is essential to define and regulate the help AI can provide. Making AI resources freely available without monitoring is likely to lead to inappropriate use, increasing the risks rather than only providing helpful tools." As India marks World Mental Health Day, these initiatives reflect a quiet but significant shift -- where technology, empathy, and inclusion come together to bridge the country's mental health gap. PTI PLB ARI