Annantaa Marked Pride Month with a Panel on Mental Health, Inclusion and Community Well-Being at The Little Bistro

INDRAJIT AICH (KOLKATA):- As part of its Pride Month initiative, Annantaa brought together mental health professionals, LGBTQIA+ advocates, community leaders, and community members for a meaningful conversation on mental health, inclusion, and emotional well-being. Pride is about much more than visibility—it is about belonging, acceptance, and the freedom to be oneself. Keeping this spirit at the heart of the discussion, the session created a space for honest conversations around lived experiences, emotional resilience, and the shared responsibility of building more inclusive and supportive environments.

The panel featured distinguished speakers including Rukshana Kapadia, Food Consultant and reviewer, LGBTQ Activist ; Suneha Saha, Co-Founder of Ammolite Ideators, LGBTQ Activist; Bappaditya Mukherjee, Director of Prantakatha, LGBTQ Advocate and Indroneel Mukherjee, Paegeant Coach and Fashion Designer . Members of the LGBTQIA+ community and representatives from Prantakatha also attended the event, adding depth and inclusivity to the discussion through their presence and lived experiences. The discussion was further enriched by the participation of Madhuri Sarda, Counselling Psychologist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Founder of Annantaa ,Vidhi Bansal, Co-founder and Psychotherapist, Annantaa, and Atreyee Chandra, Clinical Psychologist and Academic Excellence Coordinator, Annantaa.The event took place at The Little Bistro, which served as an intimate and thoughtfully curated venue, fostering a warm and inclusive environment for meaningful dialogue.With studies across the world consistently indicating that LGBTQIA+ individuals face disproportionately higher rates of anxiety, depression, discrimination, and social exclusion compared to the general population, the discussion sought to address these concerns through dialogue, awareness, and community engagement. The panellists shared personal experiences, professional insights, and community perspectives, highlighting the challenges many LGBTQIA+ individuals continue to encounter in educational institutions, workplaces, healthcare settings, and within their families, while also discussing the impact of stigma, discrimination, social isolation, and the urgent need for stronger support systems that promote mental well-being.

Speaking on the occasion, Madhuri Sarda, Counselling Psychologist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Founder of Annantaa, said, “Pride is not only a celebration of identity but also a reminder of the importance of creating spaces where individuals feel safe, accepted, and understood. Mental well-being flourishes when people are able to live authentically and find a sense of belonging within their communities. Through conversations like these, we hope to encourage greater empathy, reduce stigma, and foster environments where every individual feels valued, respected, and supported.”

Speaking on the occasion, Vidhi Bansal, Co-founder and Psychotherapist, Annantaa, said, “Mental health and inclusion are deeply interconnected. When individuals are allowed to exist authentically without fear of judgment or exclusion, it creates the foundation for emotional well-being. Spaces like these are essential because they not only validate lived experiences but also help us collectively move towards a more compassionate and inclusive society.”

Adding to this, Zara Chisty Abedin, Owner of The Little Bistro, said, “True inclusion is not just about acceptance in words, but about creating everyday spaces—whether in workplaces, cafés, or communities—where people feel genuinely safe, respected, and valued for who they are. Real change begins when inclusion becomes a lived experience, not just a conversation.” The discussion concluded with a collective call for greater empathy, awareness, and action from institutions, organisations, and society at large. Participants emphasised that meaningful inclusion requires more than symbolic support—it requires sustained efforts to ensure that every individual feels seen, heard, valued, and respected. By bringing together experts, advocates, and community members under one platform, Annantaa's Pride Month initiative successfully encouraged dialogue around mental health and inclusion while reinforcing the message that emotional well-being is a fundamental right for everyone, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation.About Annantaa

Annantaa is a mental health and wellness organisation dedicated to promoting psychological well-being through awareness programmes, counselling services, therapeutic interventions, and community engagement initiatives. Through its diverse programmes and outreach activities, Annantaa continues to create spaces that encourage understanding, emotional resilience, and holistic mental wellness. Led by Madhuri Sarda, Founder and Counselling Psychologist, Annantaa is dedicated to making mental health support accessible, inclusive, and stigma-free through awareness, therapy, and community engagement. Supporting this vision, Atreyee Chandra, Clinical Psychologist and Academic Excellence Coordinator, contributes to advancing psychological awareness and evidence-based mental health initiatives.About The Little Bistro

The Little Bistro is a thoughtfully curated café space known for its warm, inclusive, and welcoming atmosphere that brings together people from diverse backgrounds. With a focus on comfort food, aesthetic presentation, and community-driven hospitality, it has become more than just a dining spot—it serves as a safe and expressive space where conversations, creativity, and connections naturally come alive. Reflecting a strong emphasis on inclusivity and human connection, The Little Bistro embodies the idea of everyday spaces playing a meaningful role in fostering acceptance, belonging, and shared experiences.