Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 12: Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone has been appointed as India’s first-ever Mental Health Ambassador by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The announcement was made on World Mental Health Day, during which Deepika met Union Health Minister JP Nadda to discuss her new role in raising awareness and improving accessibility to mental health resources across the country.

Taking to Instagram, the actor expressed her gratitude, writing, “On World Mental Health Day, I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s first-ever Mental Health Ambassador.” Her husband, Ranveer Singh, also shared the announcement, adding, “So incredibly proud.”

The appointment has sparked mixed reactions online. Many praised Deepika for her consistent efforts in bringing mental health discussions into public discourse, noting her personal advocacy through the Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF), which she launched in 2015 to normalise conversations about depression and therapy. Supporters expressed hope that her role would bring meaningful change in mental health awareness in India.

However, critics argued that a professional from the medical or psychology field might have been a more suitable choice. Comments on social media questioned her credentials, with some stating that mental health initiatives require experts rather than celebrity endorsements. Others voiced concern over Bollywood being chosen as the face for every social cause, suggesting that professionals or leaders from other sectors could make a greater impact.

Despite the debate, Deepika’s appointment marks a significant step in highlighting mental health issues in India, a topic she has openly discussed for years, breaking barriers in an industry where vulnerability is often hidden behind glamour.