When Ritu Gupta took part in Landmark’s Self-Expression and Leadership Program, she was determined to reduce suicides among Indian youth. Statistics show that India has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the world.

Family problems are cited as a key cause, with substance abuse, mental illness, sexual abuse, unsafe sexual practices, early divorces, and family conflict all on the rise. The magnitude of the problem is so great that the Medical Council of India has decided to incorporate mental health and communication in its M.B.B.S curriculum for the first time in over two decades. The future of the youth, families and the whole nation is jeopardized.

In response, Gupta created Reconnect as her Self-Expression and Leadership Program community project, in an endeavor to work with parents and teachers to bring back love and trust in relationships. It is about the retraining of selves to work upon listening and communication in order to rebuild the bonds. Reconnect is all about taking actions and learning how to practice this in life. Gupta worked to bring in many leaders for her project, who believed in what she was creating.

The inaugural event was held at a hotel on 27th December 2018 and was attended by around 55 pediatricians of Noida and Delhi to sensitize and enroll them. Dr. Anurag Bhargava, CMO GBN was the chief guest and Dr. Sanjeev Bansal, Dean, Amity University, was the chairperson.

The program will now be taken further through seminars and workshops for parents and teachers in various schools and educational institutions.