Fortis Healthcare’s Adayu launches music-driven mental health care

Adayu, Fortis Healthcare’s fully integrated in-patient mental health facility, has partnered with Sitar for Mental Health, an advocacy platform founded by neo-classical musician and sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, to promote greater awareness and dialogue around mental health.

This collaboration marks the first time the leading hospital chain has introduced a music-centered well-being program into a clinical care environment, blending evidence-based mental healthcare with the transformative power of music, according to a Press release.

As part of the collaboration, Adayu will integrate music created by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma at its centre, including a dedicated room where patients can experience the therapeutic benefits of music firsthand. Beginning this April, the partnership will launch a nationwide school outreach program across India, aimed at helping young people understand emotional balance, resilience, and the role of creativity in preventive mental health.

Dr Samir Parikh, Chairperson, Mental Health Programme, Fortis Healthcare and Adayu said, “Mental health deserves prioritisation. Despite growing awareness, stigma continues to affect millions, leaving many to suffer in silence. When a next-generation icon like Rishab Rikhiram Sharma champions mental health, it sparks crucial conversations and encourages communities to seek help without fear or judgment. Collaborations like these help us reach a wider demographic while fostering greater openness and empathy around mental health.”

Rishab Rikhiram Sharma said music has always been a deeply emotional and spiritual experience for him, but over time, he realized it can also be a powerful tool for healing and connection. “Through Sitar for Mental Health, my intention has been to use the language of music to open conversations about emotional well-being and help people feel less alone in their struggles.

By joining hands with mental health experts at Adayu and Dr Samir Parikh, we hope to create spaces where people can pause, reflect and feel supported. If music can help even one person feel understood, calm, or encouraged to seek help, then it has served a purpose far beyond performance,” he stated.

This collaboration represents a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, where a leading hospital chain is embracing music as a complementary tool for mental health.