Kolkata, October 7: Nearly 1,200 students, faculty members, volunteers and representatives of service organisations took to the streets on Wednesday as the Institute of Engineering & Management (IEM) organised a mental health awareness rally aimed at breaking the stigma around seeking psychological support.
The rally, titled ‘IEM United for Wellness’, was organised by the Department of Basic Science and Humanities, IEM, in association with the Rotary Club of Salt Lake Silicon Valley, Lions Club of Kolkata IEM and Lions Club of Kolkata Salt Lake IEM. The initiative was held under the theme ‘Together for Mental Well-being’.
The rally began at 3pm from IEM Management House. Participants carrying placards and banners with messages on mental wellness, emotional resilience, empathy and seeking timely support marched through College More and RS Software before returning via Ring Road to IEM Management House.
The organisers said the objective was to take conversations around mental health beyond classrooms and counselling spaces and into the wider community, particularly among young people.
“Mental health awareness must move beyond classrooms, counselling rooms and seminars to become a collective social responsibility. When nearly 1,200 young people and members of our community walk together for mental well-being, the message becomes stronger — no one should have to face emotional struggles in silence,” said Psychologist and Counsellor Prof (Dr) Samapika Das Biswas, Assistant Head, Department of Basic Science and Humanities, IEM, also Convener of the Mental health rally.
She said the initiative sought to create a culture in which seeking psychological support is seen as a sign of awareness and strength rather than something associated with stigma.
Prof (Dr) Satyajit Chakrabarti, Vice Chancellor and Director, IEM-UEM Group, said mental well-being was an essential component of education and student development.
“Education is not limited to academic achievement; it is equally about developing emotionally resilient, socially responsible and compassionate individuals. Mental well-being is essential for enabling young people to realise their potential,” he said.
Dr Anubhab Ray, Joint Convener, highlighting the importance of community support, said mental well-being becomes stronger when people feel heard and understood. “When young people come together in such large numbers, they take the conversation on mental health into the wider community and encourage society to replace stigma with empathy, isolation with support and silence with meaningful dialogue,” he said.
The participation of the three Rotary and Lions organisations added a community-service dimension to the initiative, with the organisers emphasising the need for educational institutions, service organisations and the wider community to work together on mental health awareness.
For the students, the rally was also an opportunity to carry the message beyond the campus. Organisers said the participation demonstrated that young people can play an important role in encouraging conversations around emotional well-being among their peers, families and communities.
The rally concluded at IEM Management House with a commitment to continue awareness initiatives and encourage safe, supportive spaces where people can discuss emotional and psychological concerns without fear of judgement.
The organisers said the message of ‘IEM United for Wellness’ was simple: mental well-being is a shared responsibility, and meaningful change begins when society chooses understanding over stigma.
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