BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to create awareness on mental health and help people to identify signs and symptoms of suicides, Wissenaire, the annual techno-management fest of IIT-Bhubaneswar, and Manam Foundation organised ‘Miles for Minds Mental Health Awareness Marathon’ on Sunday.
Manam’s trustee member Somya Mahapatra said rising incidents of suicides has yet again brought to the fore the urgent need to focus on improving the mental health of people, including youngsters.
As per a report of the NCRB, around 1,64,000 people died by suicide in the country in 2021. This included 5,651 people from Odisha which is higher than the national average. The alarming statistics highlight the urgent need to pay close attention to the issue and take constructive steps to address it, said Mahapatra.
The marathon was held at IIT workshop complex near Janata Maidan here and flagged off by Wissenaire chairperson Dr Sayan Dey. During the event, prizes were handed over to the winners by RJ Smita.