{
  "id": 2600255,
  "title": "India on the cusp of redefining mental healthcare: experts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/india-on-the-cusp-of-redefining-mental-healthcare-experts",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-22T15:40:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/india-on-the-cusp-of-redefining-mental-healthcare-experts/article71378301.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Experts at a recent webinar argued that India is nearing a significant transformation in its approach to mental health care, incorporating a combination of modern medicine, traditional knowledge, and alternative therapies. The Centre is actively promoting this integrative approach, aiming to blend the strengths of various healthcare systems for a holistic healing journey. Dr. B.N. Gangadhar, a scientist at the Ministry of AYUSH and a former Director-VC of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, emphasized that while the goal is not to force integrated therapies on patients, it is about providing them with a comprehensive care system during their recovery process.\n\nThe National Health Policy 2017, Medical Education Commissions, and the National Education Policy 2020 have all acknowledged the importance of integrating modern science with traditional Indian knowledge systems. People are increasingly seeking solutions beyond the scope of modern medicine, as they desire a more personalized and comprehensive approach to their well-being. Experts emphasized that integration is not about replacing one system with another but rather about merging the advancements in neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, and digital technology with yoga, Ayurveda, and other traditional therapies.\n\nBehavioural Neurologist and Neuropsychiatrist Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy stressed that the brain does not recognize boundaries between specialties, making integrated healthcare essential for enhancing the quality of life, behavior, sleep, and digestion. He further highlighted that technology plays a crucial role in assessment and logical endpoints, while techniques such as yoga and tai chi build relationships and motivate individuals to maintain wellness. Dr. Krishnamoorthy also noted that the brain is not confined by specialty boundaries, and integrated healthcare empowers patients by placing them at the center of their care.\n\nThe Central government is actively promoting integrative medical care by co-locating AYUSH facilities within public health centers and establishing collaborating departments in major hospitals such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences and NIMHANS. Psychiatrist and professor at NIMHANS, Shivarama Varambally, spoke about the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of yoga, emphasizing its role in nurturing physical strength, mental resilience, and emotional balance for a healthier future. Varambally called for a more open and accepting attitude among people towards both modern and traditional medicines, advocating for regularized integration under a common structured form with safeguards and protocols. Collaboration between different systems of care is vital, he added.",
  "summary": "The development of evidence-based pluralistic healthcare in India is not far away, and it is a work in progress, say experts at webinar on ‘The Future of Integrative Mental Health’",
  "key_points": [
    "India is on the verge of transforming its mental healthcare approach.",
    "Central government is co-locating AYUSH facilities in public health centers and hospitals."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}