The Story
Behind Manotsava
In July 2023, the Rohini Nilekani Centre for Brain and Mind was launched, a result of a landmark INR 100 Crore grant to NCBS and NIMHANS to support long-term research and capacity-building pertaining to five mental disorders: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and dementia.
Along the way, the need for a shared platform became clear, one that could connect cutting-edge research with everyday life and bring science closer to society.
With this in mind, the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, NIMHANS, and NCBS came together to create Manotsava, a first-of-its-kind National Mental Health Festival designed to spark dialogue, build community, and make mental health research accessible to all.
Neuroscience Symposium
To support deep scientific exchange, a dedicated symposium alongside the festival is held at NCBS exclusively for researchers and scientists, focusing on the latest in neuroscience research, interventions, and emerging technologies.
Community Driven Programming
Every year, Manotsava is co-curated through an open Call for Proposals, inviting ideas that reflect the needs, interests, and lived experiences of the public.
Manotsava 2024 received over 250 proposals from across the country. In 2025, that number nearly tripled, with more than 700 submissions, reflecting a rising public interest in mental health and a strong desire to contribute to the festival’s evolving conversations.
Through the invaluable prowess and collaborative efforts of our partners, we co-curate a festival program designed to ensure depth, inclusivity, and meaningful engagement. This collaborative approach ensures a vibrant space where community voices are at the heart of the conversations.
Festival Program Team
Anjali Marar
NCBSAnushka Banerjee
NIMHANSDr Biju Viswanath
NIMHANSDr Reeteka Sud
NIMHANSDr Shriya Palchaudhuri
NCBSHema E
NCBSKadambari Patil
NIMHANSMadhushree Kamak
RNPNatasha Joshi
RNPNisha Raghavan
NCBSProfessor Raghu Padinjat
NCBSProfessor Y.C. Janardhan Reddy
NIMHANSRupsy Khurana
NCBSSahana Jose
RNPShruti Sundaresan
RNPVaishnavi Sridhar
NCBSExpert Advisory Panel
Anjali Marar
NCBSDr Anish Cherian
NIMHANSDr Bhagyalakshmi MS
NIMHANSDr Eesha Sharma
NIMHANSDr Harshini Manohar
NIMHANSDr Himani Kashyap
NIMHANSDr Jayant Mahadevan
NIMHANSDr Latha K
NIMHANSDr PT Sivakumar
NIMHANSDr Reeteka Sud
NIMHANSDr Shanthala Hegde
NIMHANSDr Shriya Palchaudhari
NIMHANSDr Suhas Ganesh
NIMHANSDr Veena
NIMHANSProfessor Geetha Desai
NIMHANSProfessor Meena Iyer
NIMHANSProfessor Sanjeev Jain
NIMHANSDesign and Event Partners
