Preparing festive kits, treating like family: How rehab centres are helping patients celebrate Diwali

Besides preparing traditional treats such as shev, laddoos and chivda for distribution to well-wishers, the centre's team also showcased their handmade block-printed garments and handbags, at various exhibitions.

At Pratiti Psycho Social Rehabilitation Centre, team engaged in preparing traditional Diwali sweets are Anupa, Deepa and Jhanvi.

Diwali is extra special this year for residents of Pratiti Psycho Social Rehabilitation Centre. Besides preparing traditional treats such as shev, laddoos and chivda for distribution to well-wishers, the centre’s team, that includes persons who have bravely faced mental health challenges such as mood disorders, schizophrenia and other conditions, also showcased their handmade block-printed garments and handbags, at various exhibitions.

Sushupti Sathe, director of Pratiti Psycho Social Rehabilitation Centre, told The Indian Express, “We have 125 people with various mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder, and others staying with us. We prefer to call them ‘residents’ rather than patients as the centre is home for them. Some of them who recover and are on minimal medicines are also employed at our kiosk.”

Among the team actively participating in Diwali decorations and traditional sweets are Anupa, Deepa and Jhanvi. Sathe recalls the time when Anupa and Deepa in their 30s were brought to the centre by their parents. They had behavioural issues while Jhanvi in her 40s suffered from schizophrenia.

“Today, these women have recovered and are also involved in discussions and meetings to encourage people to seek help if they have a mental health ailment,” Sathe adds.
Anupa, who has made exquisite block printed garments and handbags, now works at the centre and earns Rs 8,000 per month while Jhanvi manages the library and earns Rs 10,000-12,000 per month.

“The team has participated with extra zeal this Diwali and has asked for leave in turns,” said Sathe, adding that these women were now an asset to her organisation.
At Chaitanya Institute for Mental Health, efforts have been stepped up to create a homely atmosphere as persons who are recovering from mental illness participate in decorating the premises and making sweets.

Roney George, founder director of Chaitanya Institute for Mental Health, says there are at least 600 persons at their centre. “Their stay is typically brief, focused on recovery from mental illness and developing social skills. Yet, even during this short time, we make sure they are cared for just like family,” he adds.

According to George, at least 5-10 per cent do not have homes to return to and the centre becomes their permanent home. “There is a 55-year-old woman who has been with the centre for a long time. She was suffering from schizophrenia and her old parents decided to stay with her at the centre . While the mother passed away during Covid-19, the 97-year-old father breathed his last recently. She has no other support system. Hence, we allot her duties at the centre and make her self-reliant,” says George.

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While Yerawada’s regional mental hospital also has organised similar activities for the patients, medical superintendent Dr Sunil Patil said they held a small get-together as well on the occasion of Diwali.

Dr Hamid Dabholkar’s Parivartan Trust ensure that special programmes are arranged for patients who have to stay indoors. “At our activity centre, Diwali kits are made and distributed among patients as an incentive. Several other activities are also encouraged,” adds Dr Dabholkar whose trust works in the field of mental health and de-addiction.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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