Ten years ago, The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF) embarked on a mission to give hope to every person experiencing stress, anxiety and depression in India. It wasn't just about raising awareness - but also about breaking down barriers, building bridges of support, and empowering individuals to prioritize their mental well-being. Here’s looking back at some of the key milestones over the last decade.
The Live Love Laugh Foundation was set up in 2015 as a Charitable Trust to champion the cause of mental health in India, with a key focus on stress, anxiety and depression in particular. The Foundation has leveraged subject matter expertise, domain understanding, and its visibility and large network to create awareness, normalize conversations and reduce stigma associated with mental illness. This foundation’s inception marked the start of a transformational journey.
In 2016, our founder, Deepika Padukone, opened up on national television, about her personal battle with depression. The move was an act of profound courage that resonated deeply across India. Her honesty provided countless individuals the opportunity to confront their own struggles, and sparked conversations about mental health countrywide.
The same year, TLLLF launched Dobara Poocho, India’s first nationwide mental health awareness campaign. The campaign urged people to “Ask Again” —encouraging deeper conversations and demonstrating empathy for those in need. This initiative broke barriers and changed the way mental health was discussed in households and communities. The campaign received in excess of 560 million total impressions across TV, print, and digital mediums.
TLLLF also introduced two new programs in 2016.
The Adolescent Mental Health Program, which aimed to nurture emotional well-being among adolescents, by equipping them with tools to cope with stress and build resilience.
Simultaneously, the Doctors Program provided training and resources to medical professionals, empowering them to address common mental health disorders with competence and compassion.
Launched in 2016, The Live Love Laugh Foundation’s first rural mental health intervention in Davangere, Karnataka, marked a key step in making mental healthcare accessible to rural communities in the district. Since then, through the Community Mental Health Program, we’ve reached 17,105 persons with mental illness (PWMIs) and 39,489 caregivers, fostering resilience and well-being in communities where support was virtually non-existent.
For the 2017 World Mental Health Day (10 October) 10th in 2017, our Founder and Trustees visited the Rural Community Mental Health Programme in Davangere. They spent time interacting with the program beneficiaries and caregivers, understanding the challenges the community faced and helping them identify the ways we can provide better support.
In 2018, We launched the #NotAshamed campaign, an effort to de-stigmatize mental illness. By showcasing diverse stories of resilience and courage, the campaign encouraged individuals to share their experiences without fear of judgment. It further solidified the foundation’s role as a changemaker in mental health awareness campaigns.
Our efforts to address mental health stigma were internationally recognized in 2019 when the foundation received the prestigious Dr. Guislain “Breaking the Chains of Stigma” Award. This global accolade highlighted the foundation’s relentless dedication and impact.
The same year, TLLLF hosted the inaugural edition of The Lecture Series, featuring Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Padma Shri awardee.
In December 2021, LLL released a nationwide mental health survey, “How India Perceives Mental Health: 2021”, providing critical insights into evolving attitudes and challenges surrounding mental health awareness in the country.
The Lecture Series continued to grow, and its 2021 edition featured Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, and business leaders Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Ananth Narayanan in 2023. These events underscored the importance of holistic well-being and resilience
In 2022, our Founder received the TIME100 Impact Award, celebrating her transformative impact on mental health awareness. Deepika and the Trustees visited Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, one of the rural program intervention areas.
LLL also expanded its rural mental health program by extending interventions to Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh in 2023, further strengthening access to mental health support in underserved areas.
By 2023, a major milestone was achieved—Davangere in Karnataka became the first district under LLL’s rural program model to achieve self-sustainability, marking a significant achievement since the initiative first began in 2016. Over 7 years, the organization has supported 2,178 persons with mental illness and 8,172 caregivers in Davangere.
TLLLF presented the fourth edition of The Lecture Series, featuring global advocate for mental well-being, Arianna Huffington. Hosted by our founder, Deepika Padukone, the conversation emphasized the focus on thriving rather than just surviving, inspiring individuals worldwide to prioritize their mental health.
A Legacy of Change
Over the past decade, The Live Love Laugh Foundation has evolved into a cornerstone of India’s advancing mental health conversation. From launching pioneering campaigns to influencing global discourse, TLLLF has achieved remarkable milestones that reflect its unwavering dedication to mental health awareness.
As the foundation looks ahead, its journey serves as a powerful reminder that change begins with courage, and hope can transform lives. Here’s to another many more years of impact, compassion, and progress in building mental health awareness and support.
