Hyderabad, October 29, 2025: The Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO), a wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), hosted a thought-provoking session titled Invisible Selves – Insights into Mental Health at ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet.
The conversation featured Mrs Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust and founder of Mpower, in conversation with Ms Shoma Choudhury, an award-winning journalist and founder of Lucid Lines.
YFLO Chairperson Ms Pallavi Jain opened the session, emphasising that “mental health is not a luxury anymore – it’s a necessity.” She highlighted Mpower’s achievements, including sensitising over 6 lakh educators on mental well-being.
Reflecting on her journey, Mrs Birla shared how her daughter’s struggle with mental illness inspired her advocacy for the 200 million Indians affected by mental health issues. Citing that 1 in 4 teenagers in India face such challenges, and 16% of Indians overall are affected, she underscored that “illness doesn’t discriminate,” referencing her own recurring experience with post-partum depression.
Discussing early warning signs, Mrs Birla urged parents to stay emotionally present and connected to their children to detect issues triggered by bullying or online abuse. She also emphasised the need to make the “invisible illness” visible through awareness and infrastructure—particularly for women navigating emotional and hormonal transitions.
Speaking about Mpower, Mrs Birla said, “At Mpower, we have seen a marked rise in women from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana seeking mental health support through our helpline, reflecting growing awareness and self-prioritisation.
In association with FICCI FLO, Hyderabad, we aim to advance the conversation around the perimenopause and menopause phases, which have a profound impact on women’s emotional well-being yet remain underdiscussed. By normalizing these dialogues and positioning mental health as a cornerstone of empowerment, we can help women navigate these transitions, with strength, confidence, and dignity, inspiring a societal shift towards empathy and inclusion.”
The event concluded with a lively audience Q&A on women’s hormonal and emotional health, children’s mental health, and the burden of guilt women often carry. Mrs Birla closed with her vision of “creating an environment and ecosystem of care and empathy,” followed by a vote of thanks from Ms Rupal Bansal.