Pune,
May 01, 2026 : The first meeting to
launch the Pune City Chapter of the Policymakers’ Forum on Mental Health was
convened at the ILS Conference Room, ILS Law College, bringing together leaders
from government, public health, academia, and civil society. Organised by the Centre
for Mental Health Law & Policy (CMHLP) and ETI Services, the convening
marked a key step toward building a city-led model for mental health action.

The
session was led under the guidance of Smt. Vandana Chavan, former Member of
Parliament and former Mayor of Pune. She welcomed the Honourable leadership and
dignitaries of the Pune Municipal Corporation, elected representatives, and
stakeholders, while acknowledging Dr. Mohan Agashe for his contributions in the
mental health space as a former advisor to the Government of Maharashtra.

The
meeting was also attended by Shri Naval Kishore, (Municipal Commissioner, PMC),
Shri Shrinath Bhimale (Honourable Chairman, Standing Committee, PMC), Shri
Sanjiv Wavare, Assistant Medical Officer of Health, Pune Municipal Corporation,
whose leadership was central to bringing the conversation together, Dr. Mohan
Agashe (Former Advisor, Govt. of Maharashtra on Mental Health Education and
Service) along with many representatives from civil society and technical
experts.  The session included a
presentation by Mr. Arjun Kapoor (CMHLP) and Dr. Sukriti Chauhan (ETI
Services), outlining the data landscape, policy frameworks, and actionable
pathways for Pune.

Shri
Naval Kishore, Municipal Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation, in his
address said:

“The
social environment we build shapes how people think and respond. Mental health
is not limited to hospitals; we must strengthen ecosystems both within and
beyond them. This is an area where the PMC is committed to act.”

Shri
Shrinath Bhimale, Chairman, Standing Committee, Pune Municipal Corporation
added:

“We
are working on initiatives such as ‘Pink Rooms’ for adolescent girls and
improving the quality of government hospitals. We are committed to supporting
efforts that advance suicide prevention and mental wellbeing in the city.”

Smt.
Vandana Chavan addressing the gathering threw light on how;

“Pune,
as a city of young people and institutions, is uniquely positioned to lead this
effort. While India has made progress, the challenge before us is to translate
policy into coordinated, on-ground action. This meeting aims to bring the power
of local leadership together to shape practical solutions to the issue at hand
today,” she said.

Speaking
at the event, Dr. Mohan Agashe, Former Advisor noted:

“What
institutions need is strong motivation and sustained effort. Mental health
policy must remain independent of political cycles. Education and health
require long-term commitment, and every individual has a right to access care.”

Dr.
Sukriti Chauhan, CEO, ETI Services, emphasised:

“We
are no longer dealing with isolated incidents, this is a systemic crisis
unfolding across our schools, institutions and communities. If we don’t embed
mental health into everyday governance now, we risk failing an entire
generation asking to be heard and supported.”

Arjun
Kapoor, Co-Director and Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Mental Health Law
& Policy, Indian Law Society mentioned

“Youth
mental health and suicide prevention in schools, colleges, workplaces and the
broader community requires cross-sectoral interventions and action. With its
vibrant youth population, Pune has become an economic and educational hub. In
collaboration with city leadership and wider civil society, the city stands to
become national model of effectively embedding mental health in all aspects of
social, health and economic development.”

The
discussion focused on feasible, city-level interventions, including awareness
campaigns, strengthened counselling systems, school-based programmes, and
cross-sector partnerships. The Pune Chapter aims to serve as a pilot for a
scalable model, demonstrating how municipal leadership can drive integrated
mental health action across systems.