Experts say India nears integrative mental health reform
A webinar highlighted a push for evidence-based pluralistic mental health care in India, merging modern science with traditional practices. Government and academic leaders cited policy recognition and ongoing co-location efforts as steps toward integrated care.
Key takeaways
- A webinar described a developing model of mental health care in India that merges modern medicine with traditional knowledge and alternative therapies.
- Government and academic leaders cite policy recognition of integrating modern science with traditional knowledge as a foundation for this approach.
- Co-location of AYUSH facilities in public health centers and collaboration departments in major hospitals are part of ongoing implementation.
What Happened
Experts gathered for a webinar titled The Future of Integrative Mental Health, where they described a developing model of mental health care in India that blends modern medicine with traditional knowledge and alternative therapies. A key speaker from the Ministry of AYUSH noted that research over time has shown lifestyle practices, particularly yoga, can support mental fitness. The discussion emphasized that the aim is to offer integrated care rather than force a single system on patients.
The conversation referenced government policy directions, including recognition in major policies that modern science should be understood alongside traditional Indian knowledge systems. Speakers described a convergence of neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, and digital technology with yoga, ayurveda, and other traditional therapies. They argued that recovery involves more than symptom reduction and that combining modalities can enhance overall quality of life, behavior, sleep, and digestion.
Additional points from the forum included the government’s approach to integrative care through co-locating AYUSH facilities in public health centers and creating collaborating departments in large hospitals such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and NIMHANS. A speaker from NIMHANS spoke about yoga’s potential to improve physical strength, mental resilience, and emotional balance, calling for more regularised, structured collaboration across care systems. Another NIMHANS professor noted emerging scientific evidence for yoga’s role in mental health and urged open, informed discussions about suitable approaches. Participants highlighted that people are increasingly seeking a combination of modern and traditional treatments and that safeguards, protocols, and coordinated care are necessary as part of a common framework.
The webinar was organised by Buddhi Clinic in association with The Hindu as part of the Wellness Series, and the event was published later that day. The session underscored a longer-term shift in how mental health care could be delivered in India, with multiple modalities serving the patient at the center of care.
Why It Matters
Experts frame integrative mental health as a policy-aligned evolution rather than a departure from established medical practice. By endorsing a convergence of clinical science with traditional methods, the approach aims to expand available treatment options and personalise care, potentially improving adherence and outcomes beyond symptom management. If implemented through validated pathways, this model could influence how care is organised in public health facilities and how professionals from different disciplines collaborate on patient treatment plans.
The emphasis on safeguarding and standardising approaches signals a move toward formalising integrative care within a structured framework. As government bodies position AYUSH services alongside conventional medicine in public hospitals, the model could affect workforce training, patient pathways, and the use of assessment technologies to monitor progress.
Background
Speakers linked current thinking to India’s broader health policy environment. They cited the National Health Policy of 2017 as well as the National Education Policy 2020 and related education and health reforms that recognise the value of integrating modern medical science with traditional knowledge systems. The aim is to create a multi-faceted healthcare system that respects diverse therapeutic modalities while maintaining scientific rigor. These ideas align with ongoing efforts to place integrated care within public health infrastructure, including co-locating AYUSH facilities and establishing collaborative departments in major medical institutions.
Key Facts
- Event: Webinar on The Future of Integrative Mental Health
- Speakers included B.N. Gangadhar, AYUSH Ministry scientist and former director-vice-chancellor of NIMHANS
- Pointed outcome: integrated care combining neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, digital tech with yoga, ayurveda, and other traditional therapies
- Policy link: National Health Policy 2017, Medical Education Commission reforms, National Education Policy 2020 acknowledged integrating modern science with traditional knowledge
- Government action: co-location of AYUSH facilities in public health centres; creation of collaborating departments at AIIMS and NIMHANS
- Shivarama Varambally (NIMHANS) highlights yoga for mental health and calls for regularised, safeguarded collaboration
- Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy emphasizes combined treatment and use of technology in assessment
- Publication note: article published August 22, 2026, 09:10 pm IST
What Happens Next
Ongoing efforts are described as a work in progress, with authorities aiming to formalise an evidence-based, pluralistic system of care. The next steps involve establishing safeguards and protocols for integrated approaches, strengthening collaboration across different care modalities, and expanding the co-location model of AYUSH services within major health institutions. As policy frameworks continue to recognise the value of combining traditional and modern treatments, implementation will likely focus on structured pathways that place patient wellbeing at the center of care.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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