New Delhi: On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Friday announced the appointment of Deepika Padukone as the first-ever Mental Health Ambassador.
The actor took to her Instagram handle to share a picture — where she’s seen with Union Health minister J P Nadda, and Health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava — and express that she was ‘deeply honoured.’
“On World Mental Health Day, I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s first-ever Mental Health Ambassador. Led by our Hon. Prime Minister @narendramodi, our nation has taken meaningful steps to place mental health at the heart of public health. Through my own journey and work we’ve done at @tlllfoundation over the past decade, I’ve seen how much is possible when we come together to build a mentally healthy India. I look forward to working under the guidance of Shri. @jpnaddaofficial and the @mohfwindia to strengthen India’s mental health framework further,” Deepika wrote alongside the picture.
“Renowned Indian actress Deepika Padukone has been appointed as the first-ever Mental Health Ambassador of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. She expressed her deep honor in taking up this role and emphasized her commitment to supporting India’s ongoing efforts under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. With this collaboration, she aims to contribute to strengthening the nation’s mental health framework, building on the significant strides India has made in prioritizing mental well-being,” MoHFW stated.
“This partnership marks an important step towards raising awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting mental health across the country,” the Health ministry added.
Congratulatory messages came in thick and fast, with husband Ranveer Singh commenting, “So proud of you 👏🏽 ❤️.”
Deepika, who admitted to have sought professional help to deal with depression in the past, founded The Live Laugh Love Foundation in 2015 to raise awareness about mental health problems.
On the work front, Deepika was last seen in Singham Again. Helmed by Rohit Shetty, the film also stars Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Kareena Kapoor, and Arjun Kapoor in key roles. The film collected ₹372 crore worldwide at the box office. The actor, who recently embraced motherhood, will be seen next in Shah Rukh Khan’s King, and Allu Arjun’s next with Atlee.
