Suicide prevention: Mission to protect India’s future human capital

This article is authored by Neerja Birla, founder and chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust and Mpower.

Every year on September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day serves as a stark reminder of a reality that society can no longer afford to overlook. Suicide is not simply a health statistic; it is a human tragedy that cuts across age, gender, and socio-economic boundaries. According to WHO, suicide remains one of the leading causes of premature death globally. Disturbingly, South-East Asia and India in particular bear a disproportionate share of this burden.

Suicide Prevention (Photo: Shutterstock (For Representational Purpose Only))

The situation in India is deeply concerning. As per the National Crime Records Bureau, India lost over 1,70,000 individuals to suicide in 2022. This translates to 468 lives every single day, one life extinguished every three minutes. These numbers demand national reckoning as it is a societal challenge that urgently requires collective action.

What makes the crisis even more urgent is the rise in suicides among young people. Their loss is not only a personal tragedy for families and communities but also a blow to the country’s human capital and future potential. The impact is deep, rippling across generations.

What makes suicide especially challenging is the silence that often surrounds it. Struggling individuals frequently mask their pain behind a veneer of normalcy, leaving loved ones shocked and bewildered. Signs like social withdrawal, insomnia, or expressions of hopelessness are often dismissed. If we are to turn the tide, our society must foster the courage to listen, understand, and act before tragedy strikes. Early support in schools, universities and workplaces is critical to reaching people before despair deepens.

The Supreme Court’s interim guidelines are a welcome recognition of the urgent need to address student suicides. Moving ahead, only systemic and large-scale interventions can create lasting impact.

India’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022) is a welcome stride, aiming to reduce suicide rates by 10% by 2030 through stronger mental health infrastructure, safer environments and media sensitization. The 2017 Mental Healthcare Act’s decriminalisation of attempted suicide marked another crucial shift, one that places care over criminality.

Initiatives like TeleMANAS extend immediate mental health support across geography, offering a lifeline when help may otherwise feel out of reach. And the Supreme Court’s recent interim guidelines on student suicides further underscore the urgency of systemic, large-scale interventions.

Stigma-free spaces and public campaigns that normalise conversations around mental health are just as critical as policies and helplines. Suicide prevention cannot be the government’s mandate alone and it must be a shared societal mission.

While policies, helplines, and professional care are vital, nothing matches the impact of human connection. Suicide prevention is not confined to governments or healthcare systems and it belongs to all of us. Sometimes, a simple ‘Are you okay?’, a listening ear, or calling a helpline can make the difference between despair and hope. The 2022 suicide data reminds us that many lives might have been saved through such moments of compassion. Change begins when we replace silence with openness and stigma with support.

Suicide prevention must become India’s collective mission that safeguards not only lives, but also the future strength of our society. For every statistic, there is a story, for every life lost, there is a family forever altered. The urgency is not just about reducing numbers but it is about ensuring that every individual feels seen, heard and valued.

A mission of this magnitude cannot rest on policies alone. It must be powered by communities that replace stigma with understanding, workplaces that actively support mental health and individuals who are willing to pause and connect.

If India aspires to harness its demographic dividend and truly become a global leader, investing in mental well-being is not optional; it is essential. Protecting our human capital means recognising that emotional resilience is as critical as physical or intellectual capacity. The path forward demands courage: courage to have difficult conversations, courage to dismantle stigma, and courage to build a culture where seeking help is seen as strength.

This article is authored by Neerja Birla, founder and chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust and Mpower.