World Mental Health Day: Nadda launches Tele MANAS app upgrades; Deepika Padukone named Mental Health Ambassador
On World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2025, Health Minister J P Nadda launched new Tele MANAS app features — 10 regional languages besides English and Hindi, a chatbot and an emergency module — and named Deepika Padukone Mental Health Ambassador.
Summary
On World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2025, Union Health Minister J P Nadda launched new initiatives for the National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS). The Tele MANAS app now has a multilingual interface in 10 regional languages — Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Odia and Punjabi — in addition to English and Hindi, along with a chatbot, accessibility features and an emergency module. Nadda said actor Deepika Padukone has been designated Mental Health Ambassador to raise awareness about mental health services. He said Tele MANAS has handled around 28 lakh calls since its inception, with counsellors working in more than 20 languages, and about 4,000 people reach out every day.
Key facts
- Occasion
- World Mental Health Day, 10 Oct 2025
- Programme
- Tele MANAS — National Tele Mental Health Programme
- App upgrades
- 10 regional languages + English, Hindi; chatbot; emergency module
- Ambassador
- Deepika Padukone
- Reach
- ~28 lakh calls; 20+ languages; ~4,000 callers a day
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Who was designated Mental Health Ambassador by the Union Health Ministry on World Mental Health Day 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Deepika Padukone
PIB: J P Nadda said Deepika Padukone has been designated as the Mental Health Ambassador for raising awareness about access to mental health services.
After the October 2025 upgrade, the Tele MANAS app is available in how many regional languages in addition to English and Hindi?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 10
PIB: the Tele MANAS app will now be available in 10 regional languages in addition to English and Hindi.