Welcome and Opening Addresses was given by Shri Sukanta Samal, Program Head, People's Forum highlighted in his greetings that there is no health without mental health as it is the foundation for thinking, communicating, learning, resilience and self-esteem.

Keynote address delivered by Shri Dibyajyoti Pattanaik, Director, People's Forum emphasized that while People's Forum is moving up and scaling out to different districts with more rehabilitation centers, this alone is not enough. There is a need to build knowledge base for the working professionals.

Chief guest : Nitin Chandra, Principal Secretary, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disability, Govt. of Odisha spoke about the subject of mental health being as serious as it is neglected. The need for more organizations like People's Forum to build more capacity to take care of such individuals with mental illness. The need should be more towards building more organizations and creating a linkage for greater service.

Guest of Honour Dr. Gitanjali Batmanabane, Director, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar spoke about her first work experience with individuals having mental illness and how the experience has moved her and changed her perspective towards the sufferings of mentally ill patients. Her emphasis was on the need to seek local and regional solutions in an attempt to adapt ourselves in tune with society's change.

chairperson Dr. Prof. S.P. Swain, Director-Mental Health Institute, Cuttack addressed on the scenario of past, present and future of Mental Health Rehabilitation centers.

Special guest: Dr. Neel Madhav Rath, Professor of psychiatry, SCB medical college and hospital brought back the old memories from bygone. Dreams, he said, are not those which we see when we sleep at night, dreams are those that does not let one sleep at night and this dream will lead to a better world for persons with mental illness.

After the inaugural session, Mission Ashra Souvenir was launched in the presence of Sri Nitin Chandra, Dr.(Prof) S.P. Swain, Dr. (Prof) Neel Madav Rath and Dibyajyoti Pattanaik. The Souvenir contained the research work and scholarly articles of students and professionals alike in the field of mental health.

Mental health and women was the first topic of the session which was addressed by Mohd. Tarique (Founder of Koshish, Assistant Professor, TISS) and Dr. Suvendu Narayan Mishra (Professor of Psychiatry, IMS and SUM medical college and Hospital).

Rehabilitation versus Deinstitutionalization was the topic for second session. This session was chaired by Sarbani das Roy (Secretary, Iswar Sankalpa, Kolkata).

Community outreach program for Mental Illness was the third topic of the session which was chaired by Rishab Anand (Coordinator, department of social work, head department of ECRC, The Banyan) and by Mr. Kariyappan (Program Manager, Rural Mental Health Program, The Banyan).

Mental health Policy in India was the last topic of discussion which was chaired by Ms. Ratnaboli Roy (Founder, Anjali).

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