Veteran journalist Ritu Bhardwaj launches digital mental health platform

New Delhi : Veteran journalist Ritu Bhardwaj has launched Connected Minds, a digital platform aimed at expanding access to mental health support across India. The initiative seeks to transform a seven-year-old grassroots community into a structured national ecosystem, providing early emotional support before distress escalates into crisis.

According to the World Health Organization, more than one billion people globally live with mental health conditions. Anxiety and depression are now among the leading causes of long-term disability, with women disproportionately affected. Suicide remains a leading cause of death among young people, claiming an estimated 727,000 lives in 2021.

Connected Minds began as a safe, moderated space for conversations around emotional wellbeing, growing organically into a 10,000-member community built on trust, lived experience, and peer support. Rather than technology, the platform was shaped by real human need, reflecting Bhardwaj’s belief that effective mental health care must start at the community level.

After experiencing depression during pregnancy, Bhardwaj realised the scarcity of support available before individuals reach a breaking point. She said, “After experiencing depression myself and witnessing how little support exists before people reach a breaking point, I realised storytelling alone wasn’t enough, we needed accessible pathways to healing. Connected Minds represents 7 years of listening, learning, and building trust with our community. This platform transforms that grassroots movement into scalable impact through technology, without losing its human core.”

The platform offers mental wellbeing assessments, guided self-help tools, confidential video or audio consultations with qualified mental health professionals, and crisis support features. It also provides structured wellbeing programmes for workplaces and educational institutions addressing stress, burnout, and emotional safety.

Clinical oversight is provided by Ashita Mathur, a clinical psychologist specialising in mental health and corporate wellbeing. The platform is further supported by an advocacy and advisory group including Richa Anirudh, Vijay Vikram Singh, Saroj Dubey, Ankur Sharan, and mental health professionals Rashmi Saha, Karishma Mehra, and Bharti Rakheja.

As India grapples with rising mental health challenges and limited access to professional care, Connected Minds aims to bridge awareness and action through a combination of community trust, clinical expertise, and technology. By formalising a people-first movement, it seeks to deliver timely, compassionate support and reduce the burden of untreated mental health conditions.