In a pioneering initiative focused on the intersection of technology and mental wellness, Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), through its School of Behavioural Sciences & Forensic Investigations (SBSFI), successfully organized the 1st International Digital Mental Health & Wellbeing Conference. Held as a one-day international online Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) programme, the conference revolved around the theme: “Social Media and Adolescents’ Mental Health.”
The event garnered enthusiastic participation from over 500 mental health professionals, researchers, and practitioners across India, the United States, Canada, China, and Nepal—covering 31 states and union territories. This wide engagement underlined RRU’s growing influence as a hub for international academic collaboration and its dedication to addressing modern psychosocial challenges.
A Global Dialogue on Digital Wellbeing
In an era where digital spaces shape adolescent identity, emotion, and relationships, the conference sought to reframe mental health not merely as a clinical concern but as a public health imperative and a collective societal responsibility.
Renowned experts led high-impact sessions that explored the growing mental health burden linked to social media use among adolescents, digital overexposure, behavioral patterns, and evidence-backed strategies for intervention and prevention.
Key Speakers and Highlights
The speaker panel featured some of the most respected voices in the field of clinical psychology and psychiatry:
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Dr. Yatan Pal Singh Balhara – Professor, AIIMS, New Delhi
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Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma – Professor, NIMHANS, Bengaluru
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Dr. Nitin Anand – Additional Professor, NIMHANS
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Dr. Suraj Shakya – Assistant Professor, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Each session delivered critical insights into digital addiction, anxiety, identity conflicts, and community-based approaches to promote resilience in young minds navigating social media platforms.
RRU’s Commitment to Mental Health and National Resilience
Under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Bimal N. Patel, the university reiterated its unique approach to integrating mental wellness into national security education and public policy discourse. The conference stressed the need for evidence-driven, SDG-aligned, and collaborative interventions to protect and empower the adolescent population in the digital ecosystem.
Looking Ahead
This successful international event reflects RRU’s strategic vision to become a global center of excellence in behavioural sciences, national security, and social resilience. The university plans to continue hosting high-impact academic programmes, capacity-building initiatives, and policy dialogues to address the complexities of mental health in the digital era.
By fostering dialogue, research, and cross-border collaboration, RRU aims to promote a generation of digitally aware, mentally resilient citizens committed to inclusive national development.
