Connect with us

News Wire

Wysa to Develop Hindi Version of World’s Most Popular Mental Health App

Plans to offer AI therapy chat over WhatsApp for easier access

BENGALURU, India, Oct. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Wysa, the world’s leading AI-based digital companion for behavioral health, today announces plans for a Hindi language mental health app, which will also be accessible through WhatsApp. ACT, a non-profit venture philanthropy platform, is supporting the initiative and is seeking a co-funding partner to propel the development further. The pilot is expected to commence in early 2023.

Says Neetha Joy, Director – Healthcare at ACT, “This is a first of a kind effort for us, to partner with an established player to make a proven solution accessible to millions. With 14% of our population suffering from mental health disorders and the pandemic exacerbating the lack of access to quality care, we need innovative solutions to address this chasm as there aren’t enough trained care providers to meet this latent demand.”

The first iteration of the Hindi app will guide users through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) exercises via text with a mobile phone-based conversational agent, to help users manage depression and anxiety. The app will guide users who show moderate to severe symptoms towards a clinical program and wellness tools to others.

Wysa is popular with employers and healthcare providers due to its scalability and low cost. Being an AI-based app, Wysa overcomes the stigma and privacy concerns that often prevent people seeking help for their mental health. Wysa’s English mental health app has to date served approximately 528,000 people in India, primarily through large multinational employers and direct-to-consumer downloads.

Despite its popularity, the lack of Hindi language support remains a barrier in reaching diverse socio-economic groups and demographics. Offering an app in Hindi aims to reduce this access barrier, as a large proportion of the country is conversant in Hindi, and it brings a proven and tangible mechanism to increase communication and access for the vast majority of communities in India.

As well as overcoming the language barrier, making Wysa’s AI therapy conversational agent available through WhatsApp aims to appeal to people who prefer to avoid downloading new apps. There are 487 million WhatsApp users in India, making it the top messenger application in the country. WhatsApp is not only ubiquitous but also ensures high user engagement, as much of the population relies on it for regular communication, helping therapy dialogue become a part of everyday life.

“In our ambition to help 50 million users by 2025, we must go beyond the barriers of literacy and language to create access to mental health support for all. We’ve shown that therapy through Wysa appeals to those who are unwilling to come forward to talk about their mental health problems. We have a long way to go in overcoming mental health stigma in India, but with this Hindi version of our universally popular app, delivered through WhatsApp, is a great place to start,” said Jo Aggarwal, CEO and Co-founder at Wysa.

“Ludwig Wittgenstein said – ‘The limits of my language online mean the limits of my world.’ By providing mental health support in Hindi, one of the most popular languages used in India, via WhatsApp, a platform that most Indians have access too even in rural areas, we are lowering the digital divide, moving closer to our goal of providing scalable, equitable and accessible emotional support,” added Smriti Joshi, Chief Psychologist at Wysa.

“A large part of the population in India primarily speaks in Hindi, which poses a huge language barrier for availing mental health support in addition to the stigma. Wysa in Hindi has the capability of reaching not just the metro cities but also tier 2 and 3 cities where mental health issues are more prominent and less talked about. With the simplicity of this app and science-backed techniques such as CBT, it is hugely beneficial for Hindi speakers to get guidance in their native language. In my many years of working in the mental health field, I have never seen such an initiative and I am positive that it will benefit a lot of people,” says Dr. Roma Kumar, Clinical Psychologist and Senior Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.

India mental health facts

  • 14 percent of the population in India is estimated to be suffering from mental disorders
  • 1 Trillion USD lost arising out of mental health conditions in India between 2012 and 2030
  • >70% of the general public in India associate mental health with ‘stigma’ according to a study
  • Approximately 0.75 psychiatrists are available per 100,000 population
  • There are around 0.07 Psychologists/social workers available per 100,000 people in India versus more than 30 in the US
  • <0.1% Mental health allocation in the health budget over the last five years vs. approximately 5 percent allocation in developed countries

(Source Deloitte report “Life Sciences in Healthcare”)

About Wysa:

Wysa is a global leader in AI-driven mental health support, available to individuals directly, through healthcare providers and employer benefits programs. Wysa supports users with the help of an ’emotionally intelligent’ conversational agent. The bot uses evidence-based cognitive behavioral techniques (CBT), meditation, breathing and mindfulness exercises, as well as micro-actions to help users build mental resilience skills. For employers, Wysa offers a workplace solution that caters to the full spectrum of mental health needs. Wysa has facilitated over 400 million conversations in 65 countries across the globe. Wysa works with 20 enterprise partners and 7 million employees worldwide, with partners that include Aetna International, NHS, L’Oreal, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the UK’s NHS and the Ministry of Health in Singapore.

About ACT:

ACT is a non-profit venture philanthropy platform that was born in 2020 in response to the COVID crisis. It is built upon the premise that collective action has the power to achieve social impact at scale. ACT aims to catalyse social change through action and collaboration across the board including startup founders, donors, NGO’s, expert advisors, government stakeholders as well as the public at large. Grants are given as seed capital to incubate and accelerate innovations that have demonstrated ability to address identified social need gaps at scale – within education, healthcare, climate action and gender inclusivity.

Logo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/wysa-to-develop-hindi-version-of-worlds-most-popular-mental-health-app-1.jpg

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News Wire

NAL Academy collaborates with QuantInsti to strengthen India’s Algorithmic and Quantitative Investing Ecosystem

MUMBAI, India, May 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NAL Academy Limited (formerly known as NSE Academy Limited), a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd., has collaborated with QuantInsti Quantitative Learning Private Limited (QI), to offer joint certificate self-paced courses and bootcamps focussed on workforce readiness and workforce development to equip the BFSI sector with skilled talent while upskilling the current workforce at scale.

This collaboration will deliver high-impact, industry-aligned bootcamps and top-notch training in quantitative finance and algorithmic investing, leveraging this partnership’s extensive knowledge and expertise. With a shared vision to create a robust Algorithmic Finance ecosystem in India, the partnership brings together top industry experts who will share their decades of experience through an interactive and practical learning platform, including QuantInsti’s pioneering programmes in agentic AI applications for financial strategies.

Programmes will be delivered through self-paced and blended learning formats, incorporating live sessions by subject-matter experts, hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and curated content drawn from global best practices. Participants will gain actionable insights and peer learning opportunities to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving, technology-driven financial environment.

NAL Academy Ltd. MD & CEO, Mr. Abhilash Misra, stated: “We are excited to partner with QuantInsti as this initiative aligns to our mission of building future-ready talent in the investment management space. Our objective is to provide an industry-driven learning experience that includes practical training, thereby offering talent solutions to the BFSI sector and financial institutions. Additionally, we seek to equip professionals with the necessary skills to succeed in the dynamic and technology-oriented financial landscape of today.”

Anupriya Gupta, Director, QuantInsti, said: “This partnership brings together two organizations that are deeply committed to learner outcomes. QuantInsti’s expertise in algorithmic and quantitative methods and our recent work in agentic AI applications for financial technology, combined with NAL Academy’s reach and credibility, means learners will have access to a truly world-class curriculum that is grounded in how markets work today. We are proud to build this alongside NAL Academy and look forward to equipping India’s BFSI talent with skills that are not just current, but future-proof.”

About NAL Academy Limited

NAL Academy Limited (formerly known as NSE Academy Limited) is a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. NAL Academy Limited enables the next generation of BFSI and FinTech professionals with industry-aligned skills – through capacity building programs and certification courses, powered by an online examination and certification system. The courses are well researched and carefully crafted with inputs from the industry professional. NAL Academy Limited works closely with reputed universities and institutions across India in building a competent workforce for the future of BFSI and FinTech. NAL Academy Limited also promotes financial literacy as an essential life skill among youngsters – a contribution towards financial inclusion and wellbeing.

For more information visit: https://www.nseindia.com/

About QuantInsti Quantitative Learning Private Limited

QuantInsti is a pioneer in algorithmic and quantitative trading education, having trained finance and trading professionals across 150+ countries. As the creator of EPAT® (Executive Programme in Algorithmic Trading), one of the world’s most recognised programmes in the field, QuantInsti combines deep domain expertise with cutting-edge curriculum design. QuantInsti recently launched programmes focused on agentic AI applications in trading, keeping its learners at the forefront of the industry’s most transformative developments. Its team of industry practitioners, researchers, and pedagogy experts is committed to delivering measurable learning outcomes that translate directly into professional impact.

For more information, visit: https://www.quantinsti.com/

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/nal-academy-collaborates-with-quantinsti-to-strengthen-indias-algorithmic-and-quantitative-investing-ecosystem-1.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/nal-academy-collaborates-with-quantinsti-to-strengthen-indias-algorithmic-and-quantitative-investing-ecosystem-302773385.html

Continue Reading

News Wire

BHIM App Encourages India to #AskHerAgain This Mother’s Day

Through the #AskHerAgain campaign, SoCheers brings alive BHIM’S Mother’s Day message celebrating meaningful interactions with mothers.

MUMBAI, India, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This Mother’s Day, BHIM App is encouraging people to look beyond predictable gifts and templated gratitude. Built around a deeply familiar cultural truth, where mothers almost always respond with ‘Nothing’ when asked what they want, the brand’s latest campaign, #AskHerAgain, urges people to pause, ask one more time, and pay closer attention to the needs mothers quietly set aside every day.

Conceptualised and executed by SoCheers, the campaign shifts the conversation away from symbolic celebration and towards attentiveness. At its core is a simple but emotionally resonant observation, for many mothers, ‘nothing’ is often less about not wanting anything, and more about being conditioned to ask for very little.

The campaign unfolded through creator-led storytelling, influencer conversations, and collaborations across fashion, food, travel, tech, and lifestyle categories. Across Instagram and LinkedIn, creators interpreted ‘Ask Her Again’ through everyday moments that reflected the emotional dynamics shared across Indian households, from mothers hesitating to express personal wants to families rediscovering the importance of simply listening a little more carefully.

Campaign collab post:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYHlLXZhzhG/?igsh=dGF6YzYwOHlqemUy

Brand collab post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYHY74pFLmf/?igsh=Mm9zN3kyY2R6YzNv

While the cultural conversation remained at the forefront, BHIM App positioned itself quietly as an enabler, helping people turn intent into action, whether through meaningful gestures, thoughtful gifting, shared experiences, or everyday acts of care.

Speaking about the campaign, Lalitha Nataraj, MD & CEO, NBSL, said, “Mothers spend a lifetime putting everyone else first. We wanted to create something that didn’t just celebrate that, but gently questioned it too. #AskHerAgain is rooted in a moment most people instantly recognise. The moment you ask again, listen more carefully, and make space for her to want something for herself. Our role was simply to help make those moments easier to act upon.”

Siddharth Devnani, Co-Founder and COO, SoCheers, added, “Every year, Mother’s Day conversations tend to revisit the same emotional cues and executional patterns. This time, we wanted to begin with a behaviour so common that people rarely pause to think about it. Almost everyone has heard their mother say ‘nothing’ at some point. But once you stop taking that answer at face value, the entire dynamic changes. The campaign was designed to spark that moment of recognition.”

At a time when communication is often dominated by overt sentiment and formulaic gratitude, #AskHerAgain makes a quieter, more human point: sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is simply ask one more time.

About BHIM: Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) is a payment app that enables simple, quick, and easy transactions using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). With the BHIM app, you can make direct bank payments to anyone on UPI using their UPI ID or by scanning their QR code. You can also request money from a UPI ID through the app.

Pioneered and developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), BHIM was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on December 30, 2016. The app aims to promote financial inclusion and make India a digitally empowered society.

Built on trust and simplicity, BHIM sits at the intersection of accessibility and innovation, offering features like instant UPI transfers, bill payments, split expenses, spend analysis, and UPI Circle making everyday transactions seamless, secure, and inclusive.

About SoCheers: Founded by Mehul Gupta and Siddharth Devnani in 2013, SoCheers has grown into a creative powerhouse, leveraging technology, storytelling and data insights to craft unforgettable brand experiences. With a 250+ strong team, the agency is focused on shaping industry trends rather than following them.

Recognized at prestigious award shows like Clio Entertainment, The Webby Awards, The Drum Awards, and MMA Smarties, SoCheers continues to push creative boundaries and set new benchmarks for the future of advertising in India.

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/bhim-app-encourages-india-to-askheragain-this-mothers-day-1.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/bhim-app-encourages-india-to-askheragain-this-mothers-day-302772110.html

Continue Reading

News Wire

Style Baazar Unveils New Community-First Marketing Blueprint

KOLKATA, India, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Style Baazar, one of India’s fastest-growing value fashion retailers, is rethinking how fashion brands connect with consumers across Tier 2 and Tier 3 India. Moving away from conventional mass advertising, the brand is building a more community-driven and culturally rooted marketing approach — one that focuses less on broadcasting messages and more on creating participation and belonging.

Baazar Style Retail Limited (BSRL) Logo

Over the last six months, Style Baazar has strengthened its digital-first strategy through regional storytelling, creator-led content, youth culture, AI-powered customer engagement, and hyperlocal campaigns tailored for emerging India.

This shift has translated into strong measurable impact for the brand. Style Baazar recorded a 3.8X growth in social media content views year-on-year, along with a 4.6X increase in engagement rates across platforms and a 4.1X rise in creator-led organic reach. The brand also saw an 11% increase in repeat consumer interaction during key campaign periods and a 30% growth in regional language content consumption. Notably, campaigns focused on Tier 2 and Tier 3 audiences delivered 35% higher engagement compared to metro-focused communication.

Creator collaborations have emerged as a major growth driver for the brand, contributing nearly 40% of total festive campaign reach. In the last four months alone, Style Baazar has worked with over 500 regional creators across fashion, lifestyle, family, and youth culture categories. The momentum has also reflected in business performance, with the company registering 6% business growth year-on-year and 35% CAGR growth over the last year.

Rather than focusing only on transactional campaigns and price-led messaging, Style Baazar has consciously invested in building stronger consumer communities in a highly cluttered retail environment where most communication often looks and feels similar.

Some of the brand’s recent initiatives included hyperlocal digital storytelling around festivals such as Poila Baishakh and Bihu, regional creator meets, influencer community programs, film integrations, celebrity-led cultural collaborations, and reimagined End of Season Sale campaigns inspired by youth-led hip-hop and street culture. The brand has also strengthened its AI-driven customer lifecycle management capabilities to enable smarter personalization, retention, and repeat engagement.

Style Baazar’s participation in platforms such as Calcutta Times Fashion Week further reflects its effort to balance aspiration with accessibility for consumers across emerging India.

Commenting on the evolving marketing philosophy, Rohit Kedia, Chairman, Style Baazar, said, “Consumers today want to feel seen and understood by the brands they engage with. Especially across India, fashion is deeply connected to culture, identity, language, and everyday aspirations. At Style Baazar, we are trying to build conversations and communities around fashion instead of relying only on one-way communication. Our focus is to stay culturally relevant, digitally agile, and closely connected to the people we serve.”

With digital consumption, smartphone penetration, and creator influence continuing to grow rapidly, Style Baazar believes the future of fashion retail marketing will be shaped by culture-led communities, regional relevance, and deeper consumer participation rather than traditional advertising alone.

About Style Baazar

Style Baazar (Baazar Style Retail Limited) is one of Eastern India’s fastest-growing value fashion retail chains, committed to making quality, trend-led apparel accessible to every Indian family. The Company operates a strong and expanding network of 250+ stores across 9+ states, catering to men, women, and children across diverse consumer segments.

Listed on the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and BSE Limited (BSE), Style Baazar offers a comprehensive portfolio spanning ethnic wear, western wear, kidswear, accessories, and seasonal collections—delivering a compelling blend of style, comfort, and affordability.

Backed by data-driven merchandising and deep consumer insights, the Company focuses on regionally relevant fashion aligned with evolving trends. With a customer-first approach, robust supply chain, and value-driven pricing, Style Baazar continues to drive sustainable growth while strengthening its position as a trusted fashion destination across Eastern India

Logo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/style-baazar-unveils-new-community-first-marketing-blueprint-1.jpg

 

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/style-baazar-unveils-new-community-first-marketing-blueprint-302769444.html

Continue Reading

Trending