By Manisha Roy,News18

Copyright news18

In an attempt to tackle student suicides and minimise the stigma surrounding mental health, AIIMS-Delhi has introduced an AI-powered mental wellness programme called Never Alone. The initiative was launched on Wednesday, which marked World Suicide Prevention Day.
The move aims to provide timely mental health support for college and university students.
The web-based platform is accessible 24/7 via WhatsApp. It offers mental health screening, virtual and offline consultations, and continuous follow-up interventions, said Dr. Nand Kumar, professor of psychiatry at AIIMS, news agency PTI reported.
Besides the Delhi centre, the programme was also launched at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) in Shahdara. The programme is designed to be cost-effective—just 70 paisa per student per day. Institutions can access the service by registering with AIIMS-Delhi.
The initiative operates through the Global Centre of Integrative Health (GCIH), a non-profit supported by renowned integrative health expert and AIIMS alumnus Dr. Deepak Chopra. All AIIMS institutions can avail the service at no cost.
Dr. Kumar underlined that suicide remains a critical public health challenge, particularly among young adults. As per NCRB data, India reported over 1.7 lakh suicides in 2022—the highest in over 56 years—of which 35% were individuals aged 18–30.
While mental health disorders like depression and alcohol dependence are strongly linked to suicides in high-income nations, many cases in India stem from sudden life crises such as relationship breakdowns, financial stress, or chronic illness, he explained.
Despite growing awareness, up to 80% of individuals with mental health concerns do not seek help, often due to stigma, he added. This programme aims to bridge that gap and offer students discreet, professional support before it’s too late.