Oct 28 2025 to Oct 28 2025 6:30 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Crises and emergencies, whether natural disasters, conflicts, or displacements, can deeply affect the mental health of people and communities. Resonating with the World Mental Health Day theme of Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies, the panel discussion will draw from conversations in diverse fields of clinical psychology, psychiatry, psychiatric social work, and disaster response. In particular, it will dwell on the emotional and social impact of crises, such as wars, natural disasters, and displacement, on individuals, families, and communities.

Inequities in access to mental health services and the imperative to strengthen community-based, culturally sensitive models of care will also be addressed, focusing on pragmatic ways of addressing barriers to help-seeking through collective community action, mutual support, and inter-agency collaboration. Panelists will share real experiences and explore practical ways to build caring, connected, and prepared communities, where seeking and offering help becomes everyone’s responsibility.

Lastly, at a time when the world feels increasingly fragile and divided, the panelists will also ask what it means to stay human, stay compassionate, and stay emotionally steady amid uncertainty.

The discussion will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Speakers

Kimneihat Vaiphei
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS
Dr. Kimneihat Vaiphei is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatric Social Work at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, with over a decade of experience in academia, clinical practice, and community engagement. She has also served as Consultant for Adult and Perinatal Psychiatry Services at NIMHANS.

A PhD and M.Phil. graduate in Psychiatric Social Work from NIMHANS, Dr. Vaiphei was part of the pioneering team that developed one-stop centers for women facing interpersonal violence. She recently received an ICSSR grant for her study on the psychosocial impact of conflict and displacement on women in Manipur.

Her work focuses on women’s mental health, trauma recovery, and community-based interventions during crises. She has co-authored manuals and publications with ICMR, UNICEF, and the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and continues to mentor scholars and lead projects that strengthen psychosocial care and resilience.

Dinakaran Damodharan
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, NIMHANS
Dr. Dinakaran Damodharan is a psychiatrist and Gold Medalist from NIMHANS, Bengaluru, where he currently serves as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. He holds an MD in Psychiatry from NIMHANS and an MBBS from Government Stanley Medical College, Chennai.

With over 60 research papers and 30 book chapters to his credit, Dr. Damodharan’s work spans disaster and public mental health, biological psychiatry, trauma, resilience, and rehabilitation. His recent research focuses on the mental health impacts of climate change and heat exposure, a growing concern in the context of global crises.

He also plays a key role in the Karnataka TeleMANAS project, advancing accessible and technology-enabled mental health care across India.

Abhishek Kumar
Assistant Professor, Psychology, Vidyashilp University
Dr. Abhishek Kumar is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Vidyashilp University. He earned his PhD in Psychology from IIT Bombay, where his research explored the socio-cognitive markers of ideological extremism among young adults.

A 2024 fellow of the International Society for Political Psychology (ISPP), Dr. Kumar is also actively involved in community initiatives, consulting grassroots organisations on community mental health and behavioural change. He is currently leading a large-scale project on women’s mental health in the Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand.

Sheetal Lakhani
Assistant Professor, Psychology, Vidyashilp University
Dr. Sheetal Lakhani is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Vidyashilp University and a licensed clinical psychologist. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from NIMHANS and her M.Phil. from the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, University of Delhi. She has worked in both government and private settings, including the Indian Naval Hospital Ship Asvini, Mumbai.

Dr. Lakhani specializes in trauma-informed interventions for complex clinical cases, including trauma and personality disorders. She is also interested in the social and cultural determinants of mental health, and in community-level prevention and mental health promotion. Her work focuses on making mental health conversations accessible, inclusive, and actionable.