Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar/Chandigarh, October 22:- Under its flagship campaign, ‘Yudh Nashe Virudh’, the Punjab Government has launched Sangat Mental Health Clubs in 40 colleges across the state to strengthen mental health awareness among young people, encourage early intervention and help prevent substance abuse. Launched in collaboration with the Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET) and under the leadership of the Department of Higher Education, Punjab, the initiative aims to create a friendly environment on educational campuses where students can recognise emotional distress, access appropriate support and openly discuss mental health issues.
At the launch of this unique initiative, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia interacted with club participants and discussed the role of educational institutions in advancing youth empowerment. The discussion highlighted the importance of reducing social stigma, encouraging young people to seek help and strengthening coordination among educational institutions, families and peer networks to address substance abuse.
Speaking at the event held at Plaksha University, Mohali, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that ‘Sangat’ was an important and innovative step towards empowering young people to address mental health challenges and substance abuse through awareness, peer support and collective efforts. He said, “Despite having Lord Krishna by his side, the great warrior Arjuna also faced mental and emotional challenges. This reminds us that young people, too, need proper guidance and mentors. Taking drugs is not something to be proud of. Helping someone find a way back from bad company is a noble act. ‘Sangat’ has been designed by young people, for young people, to promote peer support, mental well-being and help them choose healthier alternatives.”
Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust and Mpower, emphasised the need for sustained and long-term preventive measures to address the interconnected issues of emotional challenges, mental health concerns and substance abuse among young people. She said, “The challenges facing young people today are not limited to substance use alone. With growing concerns about emotional well-being and mental health, early intervention has become more important than ever. At Mpower, through our work under COPE, we have seen how emotional distress, unaddressed mental health concerns and substance use can be interconnected. This highlights the need for consistent and preventive measures.”
Appreciating the Punjab Government’s collaborative and visionary efforts, Birla said, “I commend the Punjab Government for bringing together government departments, civil society organisations, educationists, healthcare professionals and community leaders under a common goal. The aim is to move beyond fragmented efforts at different levels and build a sustainable framework for prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration into the mainstream. Such collaborative models have the potential to make a lasting and meaningful difference in the lives of Punjab’s young people and their families.”
Sharing his personal experiences and highlighting the importance of mental health, actor Aparshakti Khurana stressed the need to create supportive environments where young people can speak openly about their difficulties. He said, “We often tell young people to be strong, but strength also means being able to speak honestly about whatever you are experiencing and asking for help when needed. The pressures faced by young people are not always visible. Therefore, it is important for friends, families and educational institutions to create a welcoming environment where young people are heard rather than judged as right or wrong.”
He further said, “My grandmother used to say that no matter how many challenges one faces, good company is very important.” He added that initiatives such as ‘Sangat’ could encourage young people to look out for one another and speak more openly about mental health.
Under the programme, 25 students from each participating college will receive 14 hours of Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training and be awarded certificates. The training will equip students to recognise signs of emotional challenges, provide initial support to their peers and encourage them to seek professional help whenever necessary.
The clubs will organise campus-level activities to promote mental well-being, encourage open conversations about emotional challenges and discourage substance abuse. Through trained peer leadership and professional support, the initiative seeks to identify concerns in time and foster a campus culture in which seeking help is not viewed negatively but is actively encouraged.
The programme is being implemented by Mpower, a subsidiary of ABET, under its COPE (Counselling and Outreach for Peer Empowerment) framework.
The launch event was attended by Nikhil Taneja, Co-founder and Head of Yuva, and Bollywood actor Aparshakti Khurana. They discussed youth well-being and the importance of creating spaces where young people are listened to, understood and supported. Punjabi comedian Manpreet Singh, popularly known as Comic Singh, also performed at the event.
Education officials, nodal professors from participating colleges, Sangat student members and representatives of ABET attended the programme.
By making mental well-being the foundation of its prevention strategy, ‘Sangat’ seeks to empower students to support their peers, strengthen early intervention and promote more open and supportive college campuses. The initiative is part of the Punjab Government’s broader efforts under ‘Yudh Nashe Virudh’ to tackle substance abuse through prevention, awareness and collective responsibility.
