IIT-Bombay: IIT-Bombay Launches Innovative Initiatives for Student Mental Health and Well-Being |

Mumbai: Chatting sessions with faculty members over samosas and chai in hostels, introduction to sports, animal-assisted therapy sessions, and even sound bath experiences will soon be commonplace at the IIT-Bombay campus. In its effort to address mental health issues and overall student well-being on campus more effectively, IIT-Bombay plans to hold yearlong activities providing opportunity for students to socialise with peers and faculty. Acknowledging it as need of the hour, IIT-B will, for the first time, appoint a co-chairperson for students’ wellness centre (SWC) on campus, who will also be entrusted with these additional activities.
The idea is to get students involved in different activities from the time they enter the campus and to make the experience more interactive for them, said director of IIT-Bombay, Shireesh Kedare. “Wardens are already there in hostels, but we want them to get regularly involved, have lunch or dinner or even chai-nashta with students. Students should find faculty members and wardens more approachable,” Kedare said, adding that sessions like dumb charades and literary events in hostels will also help students interact more with their peers.
Also, IIT-B will be asking their gymkhana trainers to conduct introductory classes for sports at regular intervals in different hostels. “We already have a set of students participating regularly in sports and even representing the institute in events, but what we also want is for other students to participate in sports. It will be okay if they do not excel; the key will be in participation,” he added.
The institute currently has around 10 counsellors on board available for in-person counselling, but as awareness is rising on campus and the number of students seeking help is on the rise, the institute is contemplating doubling the number of counsellors, said Kedare.
Recently, IIT-B’sSWC held different relaxation sessions for first-year students but saw participation from across batches. “We conducted recreational activities such as rock-climbing and dance movement therapy. We also held animal-assisted therapy sessions for them and sound baths for offering a meditative and relaxing experience,” said an official. The series of events held across five days included art therapy and drum circle sessions. The sessions were overseen by counselling professionals to support students’ mental health and well-being.
The institute’s students’ magazine, Insight, in a social media post, mentioned, ‘…events like these act as small contributing steps in raising awareness and reducing stigma’.