The Banyan

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The Banyan

The Banyan is a registered NGO in Chennai, India enabling access to health and mental health for persons living in poverty and homelessness.
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Mental illness, if left untreated, causes intense suffering and ruins lives; The Banyan reaches out to those suffering, and their families, to provide treatment and integrated options for a life beyond the illness

22/08/2026

No healer walks alone. Those who care for others must also learn to receive care.

We often speak of standing up for oneself, finding one's voice, setting boundaries, and choosing oneself, as a journey for those who have lived through emotional distress. But this journey belongs just as much to those who heal others.
In this episode, we step beyond prescriptions and diagnoses to explore the deeply human side of psychiatry through an intense conversation with an experienced clinical psychiatrist, Dr K V Kishore Kumar, The Banyan.

Whether you are a mental health professional, a caregiver, someone navigating emotional challenges, or simply curious about the science and art of healing, this episode invites you into an honest conversation about vulnerability, resilience, compassion, and the shared humanity that connects every patient and every healer.
Those who have healed are encouraged to find their voice, reclaim their confidence, and stand up for themselves, not as victims of their past, but as individuals empowered by their journey. And in turn, those who heal others must be reminded that they too are allowed to be overwhelmed, to ask for help, and to receive the same care they so generously give.

My key takeaway from this podcast: do not delay seeking help, whether you are the patient or the healer. It is okay to be overwhelmed.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr Suryakumari for filming and conducting this interview.

💭 What is your coping strategy? What works for you when things feel like too much? Do share.
LivedExperience StoriesThatMatter

01/08/2026

Read how the people of Perambra transformed a supported housing initiative into a community-led home and are now building a community of homes.

Note: Home Again is a community-based supported living programme pioneered by The Banyan that enables people with mental health concerns, including those who have experienced homelessness, to rebuild their lives with dignity, choice, and belonging. It provides supportive housing in urban and rural neighbourhoods where people who need alternatives to institutionalisation can live in small affinity groups, accessing on-site clinical and social care while building relationships within their communities.

17/07/2026

Where local leadership strengthens community mental health.

Read a story from Tamil Nadu

11/07/2026

More Than Anklets. More Than a Nose Pin. A Story of Dignity, Dreams, and Joy.

When M was born, her family lived in such poverty that they could not afford a bottle of milk to feed her. Her mother carried that pain through her life—of wanting to give her newborn daughter something so basic and not being able to.

M’s life continued to be shaped by hardship. She lost her husband, lived with mental health challenges, and had very little family support. Her mother also experienced mental illness, while her brother struggled with alcohol dependence. Eventually, M and her mother accessed The Banyan’s Emergency Care and Recovery Centre* (ECRC), at a time when there were few alternatives. Their story reflects how poverty, mental illness, and the absence of social care can leave people with nowhere else to turn.

And yet, this is not the whole story of M.

M’s story is also one of strength and determination. At the centre, she found purpose in everyday work and carefully saved from her widow pension, holding on to a small dream.

In 2019, that dream became real. M bought herself a pair of anklets and a nose pin.

To many, they may seem like ordinary pieces of jewellery. But for M and her mother, they represented a lifetime’s journey from deprivation to choice, independence, and joy.

The anklets and nose pin represented M’s work. Her savings. Her choices. Her dreams. Her dignity.

M’s story challenges how we think about mental illness. A diagnosis does not erase a person’s abilities, aspirations, or right to contribute, make choices, and experience happiness.

Recovery is not only found in clinical outcomes. Sometimes, it is found in meaningful work, saving towards a goal, making your own choices, and seeing the happiness on a loved one’s face.

Sometimes, recovery is the freedom to build a life that feels like your own.

And sometimes, hope sounds like the gentle tinkling of an anklet—bought with your own savings, worn with pride, and carrying a lifetime of dreams.

*Note: ECRCs are a model of care pioneered by The Banyan that provide medical, psychiatric, psychological, and social care for homeless and socially disadvantaged people living in poverty.

08/07/2026

We’re proud to share that Ms. Vanitha Rajesh, Director of Programmes at The Banyan, represented the organisation as Chief Guest at Adaiyalam 2026, Chennai’s Mental Health Festival, held on 5th July at IITM Research Park.

Founded by Aksheyaa Akilan of House of Hibiscus, Adaiyalam brings together mental health professionals, students, artists, and organisations, moving beyond the conventional clinical or conference format to engage with mental health through culture, storytelling, and open conversation.

This year’s theme, “Illusion of Normality,” explored how ideas of normalcy are shaped by gender, caste, neurodivergence, class, and stigma, and how mental health conversations rooted in Tamil culture can move past imported, clinical framings.

Ms. Vanitha shared the platform with guest of honour Pooja from Love Hope Foundation, and with founder Aksheyaa Akilan who has built House of Hibiscus into a collective serving over 4000 clients directly and reaching an estimated 2.5 lakh people globally, and who is recognised as a WHO FIDES member and TEDx speaker on identity and mental health.

Being part of this space reminds us why we do what we do, it lets us reach students, artists, and young people who may never walk into a hospital or treatment centre, but who are already shaping how the next generation talks about mental illness, identity, and stigma.

Days like these push us, gently but firmly to keep questioning who gets to define “normal,” and to keep making room for stories that don’t fit neatly into old ways of talking about mental health

23/06/2026

Ashwant, a design student who interned at The Banyan’s Chengalpattu chapter, shares how his perspective shifted from observing individual conditions to understanding an incredibly efficient, interconnected ecosystem of care. Swipe through to read his insights on how building a system around participation, environment, and the broader social ecosystem changes everything.

19/06/2026

Drawing on over three decades of work with people experiencing homelessness and mental distress, Dr. Vandana Gopikumar shared key insights at a Renfield Award Impact Talk in 2023, following her award reception in 2018. From long-term care and peer leadership to public mental health and social determinants, these reflections challenge us to rethink how we build mental health systems that work for everyone.

Swipe through to learn more.

15/06/2026

We are thrilled to share that our co-founder, Dr. Vandana Gopikumar, has been recognised at the prestigious Made in Tamil Nadu initiative by the Confederation of Indian Industry - Indian Women Network (CII - IWN), Tamil Nadu! This honour celebrates extraordinary women changemakers who have shaped the state’s progress through vision, leadership, and innovation.

As a pioneer in the social sector, Dr. Vandana was recognized for her decades of tireless dedication to mental health, disability justice, and inclusive development. Dr. Archana Padmakar (Co-CEO, The Banyan) graciously accepted the award on behalf of Dr. Vandana at the ceremony from Ms. Gowri Kailasam, Vice chairperson, CII Chennai Zone & CEO, Rane (Madras) Ltd.

“Thank you very much for this honour and recognition. I’m particularly happy that it recognises the importance of inclusion (in our case, disability justice based) and workforce participation of women at the cusp of health care and social impact. I’m also delighted that while being Tamil Nadu focused, this might also serve as an opportunity for scale up or amplification of services and approaches and further uptake in other states to be showcased.” - Dr. Vandana Gopikumar.

A huge thank you to Ms. Amudhavalli Ranganathan, Chairperson, CII-IWN Tamil Nadu and the team for this incredible honour, and congratulations to all the trailblazing women celebrated across the state! Together, we continue to push boundaries for a more inclusive and equitable world. ✨

10/06/2026

True empowerment begins when we bridge the gap between policy and real-world dignity.

02/06/2026

Another sweltering day at The Banyan, where even the air conditioning offered little reprieve. As the OP teams slowly began winding down for the day, the office-goers at The Banyan were met with a pleasant surprise waiting for them.

The Loom, our in-house tailoring unit, had been transformed into a small food stall, serving steaming vegetarian momos and delectable sandwiches paired with a fiery chilli sauce for those willing to brave the heat a little longer. And to cool things down afterwards came servings of homemade mango honey ice cream, topped with delicate almond slivers.

All of this was lovingly prepared by our young budding chef M whose mother accesses The Banyan’s services. M is also a yoga enthusiast, thinker, artist, a loving sister and daughter to many.

Does it get any better than this?

All this and more in the Banyan Universe!

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Chennai

Telephone

+919677121099

Website

http://www.thebanyan.org/

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