*Re-Remind, re-dedicate and re-take the oath -- life and times of Mentally Ill in India will not be the same as yesterday-Friends 6th August, 2011, 10 th Anniversary of Monumental Tragedy of Erwadi is here- let us Get Ready for 2nd Mental Health Awareness Day*
Friends, Last year, around this time, a non-descript sufferer of debilitating manic depressive insanity gave a clarion call to observe the day India entered the decadal year of monumental tragedy of Erwadi (when 26 hapless mentally ill were burnt alive in chained condition) *as India's First Mental Health Awareness Day. That day was 6th August, 2010.* The sufferer and the caller then had started a fledgling institution known as *Whole Mind India Foundation (WMIF*) which was nothing more than a name on ground and an interactive Group on Facebook. You took the call to the heart and at a pan-India level, started a movement whose reverberations are felt till date. What you indeed started was a hundred year war against stigmatisation of mental illness and a paradigm away from incarceration of Mentally Ill at home, asylums, prisons, beggars home, street and what not. You became a voice of the Nation for the Mentally Ill. It was humbling to have 1500 strong crowd at Marina Beach in Chennai holding high the banner of *Mental Health Awareness day* with the *Banyan and WMIF logos* and so was the contagious spirit of Kolkata, unleashed by Ratnaboli Roy and other friends or children carrying the candles in Chandigarh galvanised by never-say-die spirit of Col Mehndiratta, a sit out in Bangalore, a rally in Hyderabad and a small congregation at Delhi. Fact remains the modest beginning across cities was noticed by all and more so by key stakeholders including media and the government. Last one year has seen many positive developments at Governmental level and a much focused program of creation of awareness at the level of print and visual media. But much has remained the same. A visit by some friends to Erwadi and few more shrines indicate India is at the cusp of another Erwadi waiting to happen; incarceration and stigmatisation of Mentally Ill remains at the same if not greater level. Lack of education, awareness and empowerment is rampant and the infrastructure and its actual utilisation to make difference in terms of facilities and manpower remain woefully inadequate. *Meanwhile, 6th August, 2011 -- the 10th Anniversary of Erwadi Tragedy is here, asking us to take this 100 Year War for changing the life and times of mentally ill further. It is time to Re-Re: MIND INDIA and to rededicate ourselves to take the stigma off mental illness, and to fast forward the provisioning of facilities for prevention, treatment, cure, rehabilitation in true sense of mentally ill. Mental Illness is an equal opportunity disease, it strikes without notice and without any consideration of caste, class, creed, gender; but those who are at bottom of the pyramid- the poorest- suffer the most**.* So friends, it is time *to Re-Remind us, to re-dedicate us and re-take the oath, life and times of Mentally Ill in India in future will not be life yesterday*. The time to make a difference has come. Let us join hands across the nation, let us take the movement this time to most of the 7700 odd towns and cities if not to villages and "*let India envision change, think change and act change- it is dream time- time for Big hairy audacious dream and to act in concerted manner to make the dream come true".* *The Trustees of Whole Mind India Foundation (WMIF) headed by its Chairperson Harsh Mander, in their full board meeting on 4th June, resolved to give the call to the Nation - and to all the institutions and stakeholders in the Mental Health field to observe 6th August, 2011, the Tenth Anniversary of Erwadi Tragedy as India's Second Mental Health Awareness Day. It is your day and your call- united we can change India and Bharat. We have a deficit of a century to take care of and we have another century battle ahead.* One of the key activities of last year was observing the day by Candle Light Vigil in the evening in every city and the automatic choice of the venue fell where statute of Mahatma Gandhi father of the nation was located in the city. That became the rallying point across the Nation. It will be prudent to continue the last year's tradition with renewed vigour too. Apart from this key activity, different cities and towns were free to choose their other activities including special program for children, adults and elders and focused workshops and conferences. It makes sense to allow local diversity - nevertheless all are requested to make the day purposive: Following were resolved at WMIF Board Meeting with regard to activities during the year with regard to 10th Anniversary of Erwadi : 6th August, 2011 to re-ignite and Re-Re:Mind the Nation. It is time for re-taking the oath for purposive action: 1. To give the call to observe 6th August, 2011 the 10th Anniversary of monumental tragedy of Erwadi as India's Second Mental Health Awareness Day 2. To observe Week starting on 6th August, 2011 as the 2nd Mental Health Awareness Week 3. To take the movement in a modular fashion to tier 2 and 3 cities/towns and to penetrate the smaller towns and some remote villages as well 4. To continue the principal activity of Candle Light Vigil as an Annual Reminder to Re: Mind India that life and times of mentally ill have to change and change fast 5. On 6th August and during the week- cities and towns can have their own focussed program- of creating awareness, education, empowerment and bringing the issue at centre stage 6. To bring a cross section of stakeholders and general public on board to ensure that the whole issue of Mental Health and Mental Illness is mainstreamed 7. To start from now a focussed engagement with stakeholder group from now till the D-day to bring the subject in greater focus and to do so in constructive and collaborative manner *Key Activities which are being planned for Delhi on 6th August and for the week are: * 1. Candle Light Vigil on 6th August - venue to be announced 2. Delhi Runs for Mental Health- bringing all age group- from school children to elders on the street 3. Mental Health Awareness Quiz for School and College Students 4. Writing my own story competition- to bring at least 50-100 sufferers and caregivers from across the generations at one place to write their own story 5. Launch of certain key programs for Mentally ILL 6. Sensitisation program in schools and colleges- through special training sessions/camps The exact activities are being debated and will be finalised soon. The key is to Step Back, Think and Act- Time to Re-Re:mind India is now. It is a movement of us all. Like last year, my limited role is that of an Instigator. Yours Truly, ** *Akhileshwar Sahay* Principal Instigator and Managing Trustee Whole Mind India Foundation * * -- Warmest, Akhilesh http://akhileshwarsahay.blogspot.com/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. 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