Manotsava: National Mental Health Festival

We are delighted to share that Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, in partnership with NIMHANS and NCBS, is hosting the second edition of Manotsava, the National Mental Health Festival on 8–9 November at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru.

The festival brings people together to explore everyday mental health through conversations on parenting, screen-time, childhood stress, caregiving, loneliness, intergenerational ties, wellbeing at work, and growing older with dignity, through talks, workshops, art, and experiential spaces.

And guess what?! Bachpan Manao will be there too!

Whether you are a practitioner, parent, policymaker, educator, student, or simply curious about how care shows up in our everyday lives, we would love to meet you there.

Festival Highlights

The line-up features leading voices in mental and emotional wellbeing, including:

Dr Richie Davidson (Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin–Madison)

Dr Prabha Chandra (NIMHANS)

Prof Vidita Vaidya (TIFR)

Dr Kaz De Jong (Médecins Sans Frontières)

Rahul Roy (Filmmaker)

Prof Surya Dolla (IIT Bombay)

Dr Amit Malik (Amaha)

Keynote Conversation: Rohini Nilekani will be in conversation with Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Nikhil Kamath

The festival is free and open to everyone.

Step into the Bachpan Manao Zone

At Manotsava this year, the Bachpan Manao Zone is a space to pause and reconnect with the worlds of children, through play, imagination, and everyday care.

It is an open corner for:

Remembering childhood as relationship, not just a stage of life

Noticing how safety, comfort, and belonging shape a growing mind

Exploring how play becomes expression, regulation, and meaning-making

Reflecting on the link between care, childhood environments, and mental health

You will find prompts, small playful interactions, and reflective corners that invite you to look at mental health through the lens of early experiences, and not only interventions.

This is a space for anyone working with, caring for, or simply curious about children, across education, health, parenting, youth work, community building, or early childhood systems.

If this sounds intriguing, come join us at the Bachpan Manao Zone. Slow down and step into a child’s pace.

What’s inside the Bachpan Manao Zone?

A collective of beautiful experiences – each one exploring childhood and mental health in its own unique way:

Bachpan Manao

This stall invites visitors to soften their burdens and step into the overflowing spirit of childhood. Childhood is not a memory locked in the past, but a wellspring of imagination, laughter, and wonder that lives within us. By moving from heaviness to lightness, the stall reminds us of all that childhood holds, mischief, colour, curiosity, and play, and how much of it still belongs to us. It is a celebration of that abundance, and an invitation to carry a little of it back into everyday life.

Artreach India

Step into Visual Voices, a vibrant showcase of how art empowers children to share their stories. Featuring unique artworks and animations from child care institutions, low-income schools, and community programs, this stall highlights how creative expression fosters joy, focus, confidence, and connection. Explore how art supports emotional wellbeing, skill-building, and mental health for children facing adversity.

Bookworm Goa

Take a break at the Calm Corner, a cozy space with books and sensory toys for children. Join the Collaborative Art Station to express emotions through guided art activities, or enjoy an engaging Read Aloud session, complete with discussions and activities before and after the story.

Funky Rainbow

A bookstall featuring a curated selection of children’s books that help young readers explore emotions, relationships, and life’s complexities — all in a language that feels real and relatable to them.

Pratham Books

An interactive book corner, “A Little Corner for Big Feelings,” featuring three stations that explore mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL) through children’s picture books. Station 1 uses wordless books with “feeling stickers” to track emotions, Station 2 showcases SEL books in Indian mother tongue languages with reflection prompts, and Station 3 encourages self-reflection through a mirror installation and affirmations. A QR code guides visitors to a short reflection form.

Sva-Hitha Child and Adolescent Well-Being Centre

Step into a world where play sparks growth! More than just fun, play is how children express themselves, solve problems, and build confidence. Explore hands-on activities and interactive displays to see how play therapy and everyday play help young minds thrive: boosting creativity, empathy, and positive relationships along the way.

Vazhai Foundation

Try traditional games like Pallankuzhi, Gilli Danda, and Uriyadi alongside brain and sensory games. Fun and hands-on, the space celebrates cultural games while sparking creativity and joy for all ages.