Dr Lakshmi Narasimhan, who leads research at The Banyan Academy, has worked with women since 2005 and focuses on homelessness, poverty, and mental health. Her work spans inpatient care, livelihoods, and housing, engaging people where they are and supporting them to live on their own terms.

She notes that mental health care in India often remains limited to treatment and containment, missing the broader context of people’s lives. “People live in social and cultural worlds, and there are so many ways in which that affects how they progress on this journey of living with a mental health condition,” she says.

For Lakshmi, the challenge lies in moving beyond binary frameworks of illness and recovery to ensure sustained dignity and quality of life. “What is possible,” she adds, “is ensuring good quality of life, ensuring supports, ensuring that somebody is there for you no matter what, for a lifetime.”

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