Mrs. Neerja Birla Initiative Mpower Strengthens CISF Mental Health, Driving a Significant Decline in Suicide Incidents
Mpower, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, has significantly enhanced the mental well-being of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), contributing to a remarkable 40% reduction in suicide rates since 2020. This achievement highlights the success of Project Mann by Mpower, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that addresses the unique mental health challenges faced by CISF personnel, including prolonged working hours, loneliness, interpersonal issues, financial stress, and high-pressure living conditions.
Through this partnership over the years, Mpower has developed a comprehensive mental health support system tailored for CISF personnel across India. The comprehensive and holistic program includes a 24/7 counselling helpline that has managed over 24,200 calls since 2020, providing immediate, confidential assistance and sustained well-being checks across 70 airports and 51 non-airport units. In addition to the Tele counselling, the team of psychologists have provided one-to-one therapy sessions. The change to seek help started when we conducted awareness across India for CIS personnel. Our efforts have impacted over 2 Lakh personnel.
These sustained efforts have yielded remarkable results, including a significant reduction in suicides among Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. In 2024, CISF reported a 40% decline in suicides-the lowest since the partnership began. This highlights the tangible impact of Mpowers mental health interventions in fostering emotional resilience and cultivating a supportive mental health culture within the organization.
A senior CISF official expressed his views, stating, “Mpower’s consistent support and tailored interventions have normalized help-seeking behavior within the CISF, reducing stigma around mental health and creating a healthier, more resilient environment for our personnel. This cultural shift is critical for those entrusted with safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure.”
Mrs. Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of Mpower, ABET emphasized the broader implications of this collaboration, saying “Our partnership with CISF demonstrates how public-private partnerships can institutionalize mental health support not only in the workplace but also in high-stress professions like paramilitary services. By integrating mental health as a core component of resilience-building, we can equip personnel to thrive under pressure while fostering emotional strength. The 40% reduction in suicide rates within the CISF highlights the tangible impact of our initiatives by the Mpower team. Working in a collaborative manner has resulted in a customized step-by-step approach to address the mental health of a large community service workforce and creating stigma-free space for mental health conversations for an audience who were hesitant to seek help.”
Looking ahead, Mpower aims to expand its support with family engagement workshops, movement therapy programs, and specialized stress management training for CISF personnel. Mpower is also driving multiple initiatives across India for a large-scale community service workforce to drive acceptance of recognising and seeking help for mental health. This effort reinforces a growing openness in India toward seeking mental health support, mirroring trends in Western nations.
About Mpower
Mpower, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, is a pioneering social enterprise transforming Indias approach to mental health. Founded eight years ago, Mpower operates through five verticals-Movement, Clinical Care, Outreach, Academia, and Mpower 1 on 1-delivering comprehensive services to over 121 million individuals across seven cities. Mpower’s integrated approach, backed by a team of 200+ professionals, continues to shape a stigma-free mental health ecosystem.
