Mental Health Research in India Challenges and Practical Considerations

Bidisha Banerjee is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. Bidisha’s research focuses on mental health promotion, illness narratives, social and community psychology,  and maternal health. Her research projects have been funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research and Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani. Through her work, she aims to understand and promote mental well-being among diverse populations, particularly focusing on the experiences of family carers and marginalised groups. In addition to her research, Bidisha teaches courses on qualitative research methods, social psychology, conflict management, and mental health literacy.

Amrita Deb is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Liberal Arts at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India. Amrita conducts research in the area of psychological resilience and well-being. She is specifically interested in risk and protective factors that stem from individual, social, and cultural components. Some of these research investigations have been funded by Indian Council of Medical Research, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, and Indian Council of Social Science Research. Amrita’s research attempts to identify the wide range of positive outcomes in the aftermath of adversities such as childhood trauma and mental illness. Her teaching interests cover courses on positive psychology, psychological resilience, and mental health covering the history and background of positive psychology and resilience research and their applicability in different domains in the contemporary world.