IIT Madras Rolls Out Wellness Push, Brings Parents Into Student Support

IIT Madras has announced a set of measures aimed at strengthening student wellness on campus, unveiled to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day.

A central element of the push is a larger role for families. The institute held an online interactive session titled PREM — Parents' Role in Encouraging and Mentoring — in which Yamini Kannappan, a senior consultant psychiatrist in behavioural science at Kauvery Hospital, guided parents on recognising their children's needs, communicating with them more effectively and supporting their emotional and mental well-being through the academic journey.

At the same event, a book written by Dr. Kannappan was released. Titled SAFE – Building Psychological Safety for High-Achieving Students, it sets out to translate psychological principles into practical advice for parents dealing with the pressures that high-achieving young people face.

The institute also launched a MiTR Wellness website, which gives students access to faculty coordinators across departments, hostel-wise student coordinators, emergency and other useful contacts, details of MiTR initiatives and past events, accounts of student experiences, and alumni information.

Alongside the website, a Wellness App for appointment booking was introduced. It allows students to schedule confidential counselling sessions with wellness professionals, choosing a language of their preference, through the Dean of Students website.