Educational activities encouraging brain health awareness took place in Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune, and other locations across the country.
By Drs. Chandrashekhar Meshram, Nirmal Surya, Sangeeta Ravat, and U. Meenakshisundaram
World Brain Day 2025 was celebrated for an entire week with great enthusiasm and commitment in India by the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN). This year’s theme, “Brain Health for All Ages,” excited everyone. Activities focused on increasing brain health awareness among both the public and medical students. Many cities reported active participation.
Nagpur
The Nagpur Neuro Society (NNS), under the aegis of the IAN, organized various activities during the week. This was done under the guidance of Dr. Chandrashekhar Meshram, World Federation of Neurology (WFN) trustee, and Padma Shri awardee.
The Walk for Brain walkathon was organized by the NNS in collaboration with the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Indian Medical Association, the Indian Psychiatric Society, and the Indian Society of Nephrology. It took place on Sunday, July 20. The walk was flagged off by Dr. Meshram.
More than 300 people from different walks of life participated. Some carried placards that displayed messages, including:
- Our brain, our future.
- It is your brain: Use it or lose it!
- Brain health supreme wealth, proper diet for healthy brain.
- Epilepsy is treatable. Don’t hide it!
- Clean city, healthy brain.
- Avoid air pollution for healthy brain.
- Stroke is brain attack. Reach hospital immediately!
Dr. Meshram spoke about the importance of this year’s World Brain Day theme and suggested tips to preserve brain health and prevent neurological diseases. Drs. Prafulla Shembalkar and Pavitra Patnaik, president and secretary (respectively) of the NNS, also spoke during the event.
Media Outreach
Beginning July 22, talks and interviews on different topics were aired twice a day for seven days on All India Radio. The themes and speakers included:
- “Brain Health for All Ages” by Dr. Meshram
- Head injury by Dr. Pavitra Patnaik
- Headache by Dr. Amtrit Bansod
- Brain tumors by Dr. Vishal Babhare
- Parkinson’s disease by Dr. Abhishek Wankar
- Epilepsy by Dr. Jiwan Kinkar
- Stroke by Dr. Amit Bhatti
The information reached an audience of several hundred thousand people.
Also, 48 articles appeared in multiple newspapers during the week to boost public awareness. The themes of the articles were the importance of exercise for brain health, microplastics and brain health, mosquitoes and brain health, toothpaste and brain health, pillars of brain health, and advances in treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
A webinar on “Brain Health for All Ages” was held on July 25. It kicked off with a video message from WFN President Prof. Wolfgang Grisold. WFN Secretary General Prof. Steven Lewis gave the inaugural address. Dr. Sageeta Ravat, IAN president, also shared her thoughts on this occasion.
These addresses were followed by a panel discussion and question-and-answer session moderated by Dr. Sudhir Bhave, president of the Indian Psychiatric Society’s Western Zone. The panelists included Dr. Meshram; Dr. Nirmal Surya, secretary general of the World Federation of Neurorehabilitation; Dr. Joy Desai, neurologist at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai; and Dr. Dhruv Batra, neurologist at Viveka Hospital.
Dr. Meshram also gave interviews on seven different television channels, spreading the information about brain health to millions of viewers.
World Brain Day activities in India included a walkathon, lectures, quiz competitions, and educational outreach.
Educational Events
WBD activities in India also included outreach to schools and colleges. Dr. Jiwan Kinakr and the neurology team at Shalinitai Meghe Hospital and Research Center conducted an awareness activity on “Brain Health for All Ages” for patients at the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Super Specialty Medical Institute in Nagpur. The activity highlighted the importance of brain healthy habits in daily life.
An interactive awareness session and a fun quiz on brain health was organized for students in grades 8 and 10 from School of Scholars, Wanadongri, with exciting prizes for the winners.
Prof. Jitendra Tadghare, joint secretary of the NNS, organized a Brain Health Awareness Program at KDK Nursing and Pharmacy College, while Prof. Tushar Patil interacted with MBBS students at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Sawangi.
Dr. Kaustubh Somalwar visited Dhanwate National College and interacted with students, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. The students were curious, attentive, and asked thoughtful questions. It is truly encouraging to see such interest in brain health among college students (especially from nonbiology backgrounds). A small quiz with simple questions was conducted at the end in which the students actively participated.
And finally, Dr. Nileema Bhalerao talked with a group of patients with Parkinson’s disease about various important aspects of brain functioning. She explained how patients with Parkinson’s can face their problems with the help of medicine and physiotherapy.
Mumbai
The MET Brain Health Quiz was conducted on July 22, 2025, as part of Mumbai’s World Brain Day awareness campaign. The event was jointly organized by the Indian Federation of Neurorehabilitation (IFNR) and the Epilepsy Foundation India, under the leadership of Dr. Surya, who served as quiz master. The objective was to raise awareness on the importance of brain health among students, in alignment with the global theme of “Brain Health for All Ages.”
The session began with a brief, but impactful, 10-minute awareness talk by Dr. Surya, who highlighted key aspects of brain health across the lifespan, early warning signs of neurological conditions, and the role of preventive care. His talk set the tone for the quiz and helped contextualize the importance of the subject matter for the students.
The quiz was held online, resulting in enthusiastic participation from students of the MET Institute of Management. More than 100 students submitted valid entries. The quiz consisted of 25 multiple-choice questions and was conducted within a tightly timed window, allowing for only one submission per student to maintain fairness.
Following evaluation, the top scorers were:
- First place | Varun Kotturu
- Second place | Harsh Pawar
- Third place | Yash Patil
IFNR Quest on Brain Health
The IFNR organized a national level online quiz competition, titled “IFNR Quest on Brain Health.” The idea was to raise awareness and knowledge about brain health among undergraduate students from various health care and rehabilitation disciplines. The quiz was conducted virtually, aligning with this year’s theme.
The primary objective of the quiz was to foster interdisciplinary learning and ignite curiosity in young minds about the structure, function, disorders, and preventive aspects of the human brain. The competition was open to students pursuing MBBS, physiotherapy (BPTh), occupational therapy (BOT), speech and audiology (BASLP), nursing, and other allied health sciences.
The event received an overwhelming response with 758 participants from institutions across India. The quiz comprised 50 multiple-choice questions. It was attended by Prof. Lewis and Dr. Meshram.
Dr. Arun Shivaraman and Dr. Guhan Ramamurthy served as quiz masters, with technical support provided by Dr. Sanjeevani Dhote and Dr. Hitav Someshwar, under the expert guidance of Dr. Surya, IFNR president.
The top three scorers were awarded cash prizes for their exceptional performances: Disha Singh Chauhan, BMRIT (radiology), Galgotias University; Prithwiraj Dutta, bachelor of physiotherapy, Swami Vivekananda University; and Riya Gupta, bachelor of physiotherapy, The SIA College of Physiotherapy.
To encourage broader participation, five consolation prizes were also awarded. The quiz turned out to be an outstanding success.
Outreach for World Brain Day in India included media coverage of more than 48 articles in newspapers across
the country, as well as coverage on the radio and online.
Pune
The WBD event in Pune was attended by more than 350 people and featured “Rishton Ka Manja,” an infotainment musical program. It was organized by NICHE Advocacy Foundation.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Miraj Khan was the master of ceremonies for the opening, which included guests of honor Dr. Lalit Kumar, Padma Shri awardee, and the Hon. Mr. Prakash Javadekar, former member of parliament.
Dr. Kumar spoke about the activities of NICHE Advocacy Foundation. Javadekar spoke about the brain and mind and the need for harmony between them, focusing on brain and mind health for everyone.
Veteran musician Enoch Daniels, renowned artist Milind Mulick, and musician Nandu Belvalkar also honored the program with their presence.
The opening ceremony was followed by the infotainment program: “Rishton ka Manja.” This musical treat featured 15 popular Bollywood songs and expert anchoring that explained the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 10 life skills. The performing team was composed of Amar Kulkarni and Sayali Kulkarni Maste as singers. Anand Maste and Abhishek Kate handled the music while neurologist Dr. Poornima Gauri won everyone’s hearts with her lucid and informative anchoring.
Complex concepts were simplified into relatable, easy-to-understand messages. Emotional awareness, rational emotive behavior therapy, self-care, and stress management were some of the complex issues addressed. Artist Virendra Tikhe contributed to the event with a live painting.
The program inspired the audience and encouraged a fresh, broader perspective on brain and mind health.
The department of neurology at Bharati Hospital organized the program under the guidance of Prof. S.P. Gorthi.
Experts delivered talks on a number of topics, including:
- Gynecologist Dr. Girija Wagh spoke about preserving brain health in pregnancy and preconception period.
- Neonatologist Dr. Suprabha Patnaik addressed brain health in the postnatal period.
- Dr. Prema Chaudhari explored brain health in early childhood and adolescence.
- Dr. Manjari Datar, associate professor of psychiatry at Bharati Hospital, discussed substance abuse and brain health.
- Dr. Shilpa Sule talked about screen time.
- Dr. Swati Bhise, principal at the School of Physiotherapy at Bharati Vidyapeeth University, shared the importance of exercise.
- Dr. Sonal Chitnis, speech language pathologist, discussed improving cognitive reserve through language.
- Dr. Shambhavi Joshi, department of sleep medicine at Bharati Hospital, explored sleep.
- Prof. Gorthi spoke about improving cognitive reserve.
Other WBD Activities
There were WBD activities in other locations in India as well. In Hyderabad, Dr. Chitnis, spoke about tackling stress and building emotional mental health wellness during the Neurological Society of India (NSI) Private Practitioners Forum.
To mark World Brain Day 2025 in Trichy, Dr. M.A. Aleem gave a talk on brain health in the elderly in a function organized by Tiruchirappalli Royal Lions Club at a senior center. He distributed his book on dementia to all residents at the home.
This World Brain Day campaign will contribute toward the promotion of brain health, awareness, and prevention of neurological disorders, and, in turn, improving patient care. •
Chandrashekhar Meshram is elected trustee of the WFN, Nirmal Surya is secretary general of the World Federation for Neurorehabilitation. Sangeeta Ravat is president of the Indian Academy of Neurology, and U. Meenakshisundaram is secretary of the Indian Academy of Neurology.
