New Delhi [India], March 17 (ANI): A first-of-its-kind initiative in India, where a leading healthcare facility that has a fully integrated inpatient mental health facility, has partnered with Sitar for Mental Health, an advocacy platform founded by neo-classical musician and sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, to promote greater awareness and dialogue around mental health.

This collaboration marks the first time the leading hospital chain has introduced a music-centred well-being program into a clinical care environment, blending evidence-based mental healthcare with the transformative power of music.

The partnership aims to foster greater awareness, encourage open dialogues and promote acceptance around mental health. By combining clinical expertise with the emotional resonance of music, the initiative aspires to cultivate empathy, strengthen community-level approaches to mental well-being, and create innovative, immersive experiences that connect patients and communities through sound and reflection.

As part of the collaboration, Adayu will integrate music created by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma at its centre, including a dedicated room where patients can experience the therapeutic benefits of music firsthand. Beginning this April, the partnership will launch a nationwide school outreach program across India, aimed at helping young people understand emotional balance, resilience, and the role of creativity in preventive mental health. Over the coming year, the initiative will also include digital awareness campaigns and community-led engagements designed to normalise conversations around mental health and reach wider audiences through meaningful, creative platforms.

Dr Samir Parikh, Chairperson, Mental Health Programme, Fortis Healthcare and Adayu states, 'Mental health deserves prioritisation. Despite growing awareness, stigma continues to affect millions, leaving many to suffer in silence. When a next-generation icon like Rishab Rikhiram Sharma champions mental health, it sparks crucial conversations and encourages communities to seek help without fear or judgment. Collaborations like these help us reach a wider demographic while fostering greater openness and empathy around mental health.'

Rishab Rikhiram Sharma states, 'Music has always been a deeply emotional and spiritual experience for me, but over time I realised it can also be a powerful tool for healing and connection. Through Sitar for Mental Health, I have intended to use the language of music to open conversations about emotional well-being and help people feel less alone in their struggles. By joining hands with mental health experts at Adayu and Dr. Samir Parikh, we hope to create spaces where people can pause, reflect and feel supported. If music can help even one person feel understood, calm, or encouraged to seek help, then it has served a purpose far beyond performance.'

This collaboration represents a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, where a leading hospital chain is embracing music as a complementary tool for mental health. By combining clinical expertise with Rishab Rikhiram Sharma's global advocacy, the partnership sets a new benchmark for integrating arts, creativity and healthcare, whilst underscoring the growing recognition of music as a catalyst for emotional healing and preventive mental health worldwide.

Sitar for Mental Health is a multi-sensory, immersive advocacy platform that blends Indian classical music with mindfulness, breathing exercises, guided reflection and open conversations about emotional well-being. What began as intimate live sessions on social media during the pandemic has grown into a global movement, touring multiple countries including India, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, South America and the Middle East, drawing tens of thousands to live concerts and reaching hundreds of millions online through videos, livestreams and community engagement.

Adayu, a Fortis Healthcare initiative, is the group's first dedicated in-patient mental health facility and the first in a planned series of mental healthcare centres. Purpose-built to integrate advanced clinical care, cutting-edge technology, and evidence-based therapeutic programs, the facility provides end-to-end care alongwith a multidisciplinary team - including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counsellors, arts-based therapists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, and yoga practitioners - to deliver comprehensive, holistic mental healthcare. (ANI)