Deepika Padukone Appointed India’s First Mental Health Ambassador by MoHFW

Deepika Padukone, actor and founder of the Live Love Laugh Foundation, has been named India’s first-ever Mental Health Ambassador by MoHFW on World Mental Health Day.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda said the partnership will help spread awareness about mental health issues across India, normalize conversations to reduce stigma, and highlight mental health as a crucial aspect of public health.

The appointment comes as the Live Love Laugh Foundation marks its 10th anniversary, having supported over 21,931 people with mental illness and their caregivers through its Rural Community Mental Health Program across 15 districts in eight states, according to reports.

However, the announcement faced criticism from some social media users, particularly from right-wing circles, who argued that a professional from the medical or psychology field would have been a more suitable choice.