Himachal Pradesh University Institute of Legal Studies (HPUILS) organised a timely symposium on “De-Addiction and Substance Abuse with Relation to Mental Health”, bringing together experts from law, medicine, psychology, media, and academia to address the growing challenge of substance abuse among youth.
The event, themed “Rewiring Lives, Reviving Hope,” was jointly organised by HPUILS, the Nyayapath Rotaract Club, and the Literary Club, focusing on awareness, emotional resilience, and rehabilitation.
Chief Guest Prof. (Dr.) Kamaljeet Singh, former Vice-Chancellor of Madhusudhan Law University, Cuttack, stressed that addiction must be viewed as a social and psychological concern, requiring empathy, awareness, and collective responsibility. Expert speaker Prof. (Dr.) Shiv Nath Ghosh from Himachal Pradesh University highlighted rising mental health concerns among youth, driven by stress and isolation, and underlined the need for counselling and early intervention.
The panel included senior experts such as Mehar Panwar (IPS), Dr. Ravi Sharma (IGMC Shimla), Archana Kashyap (AIIMS Bilaspur), and journalist Archana Phull, who discussed addiction from social, legal, medical, and psychological perspectives. Speakers warned of increasing youth vulnerability to substance abuse and called for stronger awareness drives, family involvement, and mental health education in institutions.
Students actively engaged with experts on peer pressure, anxiety, and recovery, making the discussions highly interactive. The symposium concluded with a strong appeal to replace stigma with empathy and strengthen support systems for affected individuals.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
