Launched originally in 2022 under NTMHP to offer free, 24×7 tele-counselling via a toll-free helpline, Tele MANAS has increasingly become a key part of India’s mental-health ecosystem. As of early 2025, 53 support cells were active across the country, and the service had already handled over 18 lakh calls. 

On World Mental Health Day 2025, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda launched a package of enhancements to the Tele MANAS mobile app  these include a multilingual interface (covering 12 languages in total now), a built-in chatbot named “Asmi” for interactive help and guidance, a new emergency support module, and accessibility features tailored for visually impaired users. 

Video-consultation support has also been rolled out  complementing the traditional audio helpline  to provide more personalised, follow-up mental-health support.

The government’s aim is clear: to make mental-health support more inclusive, accessible, and stigma-free across India  including rural, non-English/Hindi speaking, and differently-abled populations. As part of this, the film-actor Deepika Padukone has been named as the national “Mental Health Ambassador” to raise awareness.

Experts believe that these enhancements  especially multilingual support and video-consultation  could significantly improve uptake among underserved communities, and help address longstanding gaps in mental-health access and care. However, some have flagged challenges around infrastructure, staffing, and scaling: successful reach will also depend on sustained funding, trained workforce, and local follow-up services.