Author(s)

• 

  Neerja Birla

  Educationist and mental health activist

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  Through numerous initiatives and collaborations with various organisations, Neerja Birla endeavours to reach out to various factions of society to empower them to lead fulfilling and enriched lives. She is the Founder and Chairperson of Mpower, a movement that aims to affect a positive change in the attitudes towards mental health. Through Mpower, Birla hopes to spread awareness about mental health, alleviate stigma, and provide quality care to individuals from all walks of life and from all sections of the community. She is a strong advocate in the field of education. Her endless love for children is reflected in her dedication to her role as the Chairperson of The Aditya Birla World Academy, which is a pioneering educational institute. She is also the Chairperson of The Aditya Birla Integrated School, which provides state-of-the-art holistic and personalised learning environment to children with learning and intellectual disabilities. In her latest foray into building a holistic education base, Birla founded the Aditya Birla Education Academy, an attempt to nurture the aspirations of the brilliant and dedicated educators who nurture young minds; to give them impetus to pursue their ambitions and fast-track their career growths. She also serves on the Board of Pratham and Make-a-Wish Foundation while being actively involved with NGO’s like Muktangan, Save the Children and Seva Sadan. For her tireless commitment and influential work, she has been honoured with the Icon of Excellence Award by FICCI-FLO–Sambhavaa, as well as the Woman of Excellence Award by FICCI’s Ladies Wing. Holding an honours Bachelor Degree in Psychology from the University of Derby, she is married to Kumar Mangalam Birla and is the proud mother of three successful and loving children, Ananyashree, Aryaman Vikram and Advaitesha. Her role as a mother is the closest to her heart. An outdoor sports enthusiast, she is an avid reader who finds solace in listening to music and wishes to call herself a traveller.