Hello dear reader,
Earlier this week I caught myself making an assumption: that my Indian clinical network didn’t seem as interested in AI and its implications for the future of the field.
But as the week went on, I was proven wrong. Gladly wrong.
Today’s piece is a collection of signals that AI in mental health is already here in India.
This one’s for clinicians who, like me, may have doubted, and for colleagues who still feel AI isn’t urgent enough to matter in their practice.
The signals are piling up.
Let’s walk through them.
Indian Public Mental Health Services Are Turning To AI And Tech
- AIIMS Delhi, Bhubaneswar, and IHBAS (Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences), Shahdara launched Never Alone, an AI-based app for student mental health.
- The Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS Delhi is running a five-year DHR-funded Digital Psychiatry Research Mentorship program to build national capacity in AI for mental health research.
- TeleMANAS (National Tele Mental Health Programme) is already live across states and union territories, offering 24/7 digital counseling; the largest program of its kind, and a possible foundation for the next slab of AI-augmented services.Indian public mental health services are turning to AI and tech.
Growing Number Of Startups Building AI For Mental Health
At TinT, we’ve identified more than 40 startups across India working on:
- Practice management software with AI integrations
- AI-informed self-help chatbots
- AI companions for emotional support
- AI-powered journaling tools
- AI-driven diagnostics
- AI-enabled therapist–client matching
- AI-augmented multilingual workplace support
Big Tech Is Backing Indian MH-AI
- IWILL launched IWILL GITA, a Hindi-speaking AI mental health companion, funded by Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility program.
- Wysa rolled out its Hindi conversational AI for underserved Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, co-funded by ACT Grants, British International Investment, and USAID.
- LISSUN acquired Being Cares, a company with nearly a million users and an AI engine mapping over 2,500 behavioural triggers.
Research from India Is On The Rise
- IIIT Delhi researchers formed AI4MH, publishing actively in AI and mental health.
- IIT Delhi’s Laboratory of Computational Systems has over 20 papers in this space.
- IIT Bombay’s Koita Centre for Digital Health hosts the AIDE Lab, pushing forward AI in digital health research.Research from India is on the rise.
Published Literature Is Expanding
- Susmita Haldar (Dean, Xavier’s Kolkata) published book ‘Navigating AI in Mental Health Care: Innovations, Ethics, and Future Trends’.
- Sharmishtha Chatterjee, Prof Azadeh Dindarian, and Usha Rengaraju co-authored book ‘Revolutionizing Youth Mental Health with Ethical AI’.Published literature is expanding
Even Popular Culture Is Tuned In
- Hindi film CTRL (loosely based on the TV show Black Mirror) explores relational challenges of AI
- Malayalam film Monica: Oru AI Story follows a boy and his AI “woman” companion.Even popular culture is tuned in
Our Observation Has Been That
- Clinicians are increasingly consulting for tech startups on product features, communities, and design.
- More clinicians are organising events on AI in psychology education.
And finally, the biggest signal of all:
AI teams are actively seeking collaboration with therapists to help train and refine their models.
Case in point: Behetar Foundation, an NGO founded by People+AI’s Project Sukoon alumni, is looking for clinicians to join their projects. Interested? Reach out to Tanisha Sheth.
This is by no means an exhaustive list.
But it illustrates an important truth: the evidence is piling up, all pointing in the same direction.
How will we evolve?
Time will tell.
A Personal Note
I get that the AI-MH discourse is repetitive, slow, alarming and simultaneously exhausting. However, it takes time for ideas to sit, simmer, and then spin out into meaningful things.
Until then, drink water, shut your laptop often, perhaps look out the window or go for a walk. It's a long road, take care of yourself.
I'm grateful for your patience and participation.
Have a lovely week ahead,
Harshali
