Gayathri Balagopal is an independent researcher based in Chennai whose work experience has been in the development sector as consultant with The Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health, Health Portfolio of Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust and Madras Institute of Development Studies. She is co-editor of the book, Elderly Care in India: Societal and State Responses (2017) with Professor S. Irudaya Rajan. Her research has focussed attention on health and social care among the elderly, rehabilitation of homeless women with mental health issues, employment problems confronting persons with mental health issues, community mental health programmes and social protection in India. Her research interests are in public health, mental health, gerontology and social protection.
Aruna Rose Mary Kapanee is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS). She has worked at St. John’s Research Institute, Bengaluru and Karuna Trust, Bengaluru earlier. Her research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals. She was one of the collaborators of the National Mental Health Survey of India 2015-16, which was published by NIMHANS. She has researched individual and family factors associated with psychological distress and well-being in young adults, rehabilitation and recovery in persons with mental illness, and community mental health programmes in India. Her research interests are in public mental health, creative and expressive arts in mental health, mental health rehabilitation and recovery, peace and conflict resolution.
