Davos, Jan 21 (IANS): Bollywood star Deepika Padukone was felicitated with the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum for her contribution to mental health awareness.

While accepting the award, Deepika opened up about her own experience with mental illness and how it drove her to start The Live Love Laugh Foundation.

The actress shared: "Through my journey to recovery from depression, I began to understand the stigma and lack of awareness associated with mental illness, I felt a deep need to save at least one life."

"And it is this very need that motivated me to go public with my illness and set up the Live Love Laugh foundation," she added.

Deepika has been running the foundation since June 2015. The foundation's programmes and initiatives include nationwide public awareness and destigmatisation campaigns, adolescent mental health programmes, funding support for treatment in rural communities and more.

Deepika represented India at the forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Meanwhile, this year she made her debut as a producer with "Chhapaak".