The event known as Manotsava – National Mental Health Festival is an India-wide public-engagement platform that aims to bring mental health science, lived experience and community voices together in a festival format.
The organisers describe the intent as bridging the gap between research and everyday life, and making mental-health conversations accessible to many.
The second edition of Manotsava (2025) is scheduled for 8–9 November 2025 at The LaLiT Ashok Bengaluru, Bengaluru.
It follows the first edition in 2024 (26–27 October) at the same city.
Manotsava is organised collaboratively by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies (RNP) through open calls inviting researchers, community groups, artists and the general public.
The festival invites students, parents, healthcare professionals, clinicians, researchers, artists and civil-society members.
Conversations and panel-discussions covering mental health topics: e.g., lived experience, technology in mental health, inclusive community models, ageing, parenting, gender & more.
Workshops and interactive sessions designed for public engagement and knowledge-sharing.
Art installations, creative expressions and community-led sessions aimed at de-stigmatising mental illness and enabling open dialogue.
A focus on inclusion and openness in the 2025 edition as a central theme for mental-wellbeing discussion.
Manotsava’s model reflects a shift in mental-health awareness in India: moving from purely clinical or academic discourse to more public, participatory platforms. The open-call nature (with 2025 receiving over 700 proposals) indicates increased public interest and engagement.
By bringing together science, community, art and lived experience, the festival aims to demystify mental-health conditions and promote a culture where seeking help is normalized.
Mental health includes not just absence of illness, but well-being, resilience, connection and meaningful engagement.
Events like Manotsava help by creating spaces where questions about emotional distress, mental disorders and coping strategies can be asked openly and supported.
If you or someone you know faces stress, anxiety or emotional difficulty, such community-based festivals can provide information, peer-support and access to professionals.
Manotsava 2025 is a two-day national festival in Bengaluru on 8-9 November that combines scientific, artistic, community and public health perspectives on mental well-being. Organised by NIMHANS, NCBS and RNP, it invites broad participation and seeks to foster inclusive discourse on mental health in India.
(Rh/TL)