# India near redefining mental healthcare, say experts 2026-08-22T17:11:47+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet India is on the verge of redefining mental healthcare, with the central government pushing for a convergence of modern medicine, traditional knowledge, and alternative therapies, experts said at a webinar on 'The Future of Integrative Mental Health' on Friday. The event was organised by Buddhi Clinic in association with The Hindu under the Wellness Series. B.N. Gangadhar, a scientist with the Ministry of AYUSH and former director of NIMHANS, said research has shown that lifestyle practices like yoga help maintain mental fitness. He noted that the National Health Policy 2017 and the National Education Policy 2020 now recognise modern science alongside traditional Indian knowledge. The government is promoting integrative care by co-locating AYUSH facilities within public health centres and setting up collaborative departments at major hospitals such as AIIMS and NIMHANS. Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy, founder of Buddhi Clinic, said combined treatment enhances quality of life, behaviour, sleep, and digestion. He added that integrative healthcare builds autonomy and places the person, not just the illness, at the centre of care. The speakers stressed that integration is not about replacing one system but converging neuroscience, psychiatry, and digital technology with yoga, ayurveda, and other traditional therapies. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The push for integrative mental healthcare in India builds on decades of committee recommendations, but the current momentum comes from policy alignment. The National Health Policy 2017 and NEP 2020 now officially recognise traditional knowledge alongside modern science, giving ministries like AYUSH a stronger institutional footing. The co-location of AYUSH units in public health centres and major hospitals like AIIMS and NIMHANS is already underway, but standardisation remains a challenge. Without structured protocols and safeguards, integration risks becoming patchy. The next signal to watch is whether the government issues binding clinical guidelines for combined treatment, which would determine how quickly this approach reaches ordinary patients. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Straight news report of expert statements at a webinar, no editorial slant or judgement. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: AIIMS, B.N. Gangadhar, Buddhi Clinic, Ministry of AYUSH, NIMHANS Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-near-redefining-mental-healthcare-say-experts/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-near-redefining-mental-healthcare-say-experts/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/