The Psychology Program of the School of Tribal Heritage and Tribal Indology (STHTI) at KISS Deemed to be University (KISS-DU), in collaboration with the KISS Wellness Centre, organized an awareness seminar on the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September 2024. The event, based on the theme “Suicide and Its Prevention”, aimed at raising awareness among students, faculty, and staff about mental health issues and promoting strategies for suicide prevention.
On this day, KISS-DU had the honour of hosting Professor Emerita Dr. Namita Mohanty as the resource person to deliver a talk on the relevance of observing the day. Professor Mohanty is an eminent psychologist and former HOD of Psychology at Utkal University. She is well known for her expertise in mental health domain and counselling, with a distinguished career dedicated to promoting emotional well-being of the people in our society .In her address, Dr. Mohanty emphasized on the critical need for early intervention, community support and mental health awareness. Her insights aimed to equip students and others present in the seminar, with tools to recognize and prevent suicidal behaviors, highlighting on the importance of open dialogue and emotional resilience.
World Suicide Prevention Day serves as a global platform to raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma, and promote actions that prevent suicide, making Dr. Mohanty’s presence and message particularly poignant and timely, for the university community. The program began with a warm welcome address delivered by Dr. Sasmita Pattnayak, Assistant Professor of Psychology, highlighted on the significance of World Suicide Prevention Day in encouraging open conversations about mental health. Dr. Sujata Acharya, Dean of STHTI and the Chairperson of the seminar, appreciated the initiative of the faculty members in organizing such a beneficial seminar and stressed on the role of educational institutions in fostering resilience and emotional well-being among the students.
Ms. Ananya Das, Head of the Psychology Program, also expressed her gratitude to the participants, emphasizing on the department’s commitment to mental health advocacy. Dr. Nilamani Maharana, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Event Coordinator, played a pivotal role in organizing the seminar, ensuring an impactful discourse on the theme.
The distinguished guest of honour, Professor Niranjan Sia, a visiting professor at the Psychology Program, praised the initiative and shared valuable insights from his experiences in the field of mental health and counselling.
There was a lively question-answer session after the deliberation of Prof. Mohanty. Many pertinent questions on the topic were raised by the students and the faculty members which were satisfactorily answered by the Resource person.
The seminar concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks by Ms. Rajalaximi Panda, Counsellor at KISS-DU, who acknowledged the efforts of the organizing team and the participants for making the event a great success.
The event was a step forward in KISS-DU’s ongoing efforts to address mental health issues and equip students with the techniques to combat stress and emotional distress. It reinforced the need for collective responsibility in suicide prevention, encouraging students and staff to prioritize their mental well-being and seek help when needed.
