Barkha Trehan is an equal rights activist and a strong believer in gender-neutral society. She challenges gender-specific prejudices and stereotypes, advocating for equal justice for all genders within the legal system. Barkha firmly believes in the Indian Constitution, which guarantees rights to all genders without discrimination, and she actively works towards realizing this vision. Key Roles: – President, Purush Aayog – Social Activist – Media Personality – TEDx Speaker – Documentary Director- The Curse of Manhood – Director of the Short Film : One Sided Love * Josh Talk * Hindu Entrepreneur LESS … MORE
Every year, India loses more than 1,20,000 men to suicide. This is not just a statistic, it is the silent destruction of families, the collapse of dreams, the loss of pillars who carried responsibilities on their shoulders. Fathers, sons, brothers, husbands gone often without anyone truly listening to their pain.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, we must confront a brutal truth: suicides in India are overwhelmingly male. Yet this reality rarely finds space in media debates, government policies, or public outrage. Why? Because society refuses to see men as victims.
From a young age, boys are taught: “Don’t cry, be strong, provide for others.” This conditioning robs them of emotional outlets. When they face financial crises, unemployment, family disputes, or false legal cases, their struggles remain invisible. Instead of compassion, they are shamed as “failures” or dismissed as “weak.”
But suicide is not weakness, it is hopelessness. And hopelessness thrives when society denies empathy and support.
Suicide prevention in India cannot succeed unless we acknowledge the suffering of men. We must create safe spaces for them to express emotions, end the stigma around male mental health, and ensure that policies are gender-neutral in both support and protection.
Every man’s life matters. Every suicide is one too many. If India truly wants to prevent suicides, it must start by listening to its men.
Read more on The Times of India
