Mumbai Autowalas Spark Mental Health Conversations
Mumbai — In an unusual yet thoughtful initiative, auto-rickshaws across several Mumbai suburbs have recently become moving reminders about mental health and emotional well-being.
Across busy routes in areas such as Malad, Andheri, JVLR and Bandra, auto-rickshaws have begun displaying reflective messages about stress, overthinking and emotional burnout. These short lines appear during everyday rides, quietly connecting with commuters during routine moments in traffic.
The initiative is part of a month-long campaign titled HealOnAuto, launched by Mumbai-based mental health startup Infiheal in collaboration with auto-rickshaw drivers across the city. The campaign aims to bring conversations around emotional well-being into one of Mumbai’s most shared public spaces — the daily commute.
Instead of offering advice or direct guidance, the messages simply mirror the thoughts many people already experience in their fast-paced lives. Commuters encountering these lines during their rides often pause to reflect, turning an ordinary journey into a moment of self-awareness.
Images of the autos soon began circulating widely on social media, with many users sharing their reactions. Some described the experience as unexpectedly comforting, while others noted how a simple line seen between traffic signals could feel like a personal reminder to slow down.
According to the founders of Infiheal, the idea behind the campaign came from a simple observation about life in Mumbai. Emotional stress often blends into the background noise of the city’s daily rush. By placing mental health messages directly into everyday routes, the campaign aims to remind people that emotional well-being is not separate from daily life — it exists within it.
For many auto drivers participating in the campaign, the message resonated personally as well.
One of the drivers involved in leading the initiative across the Western Line, Jugal, shared that he frequently notices passengers appearing rushed and visibly stressed during their rides. Many commuters, he said, repeatedly urge drivers to hurry while juggling calls, messages and schedules.
According to him, people today rarely slow down or take time to connect with friends and family. He believes small reminders can encourage individuals to step back, spend time with loved ones and rediscover a sense of community rather than simply moving from one destination to another.
The campaign also highlights how conversations around mental health do not always need to begin in clinical settings or digital platforms. Sometimes they can start in everyday spaces, led by individuals who witness the pressures of urban life up close.
“Mental health doesn’t always need a screen or a clinical setting to begin,” said Srishti Srivastava, co-founder of Infiheal. “We wanted to start the conversation where people already are — in transit, between moments — because that’s often where stress quietly exists.”
Founded by Srishti Srivastava, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and Utkarsh Srivastava, Infiheal focuses on making mental health care more accessible, affordable and stigma-free.
The startup is known for its wellness platform Healo AI, which combines an AI-powered mental health chatbot with expert-led therapy sessions, psychometric assessments, journaling tools, meditation resources and self-help features available in more than 90 languages.
The initiative has gained significant recognition in recent months. The startup was mentioned by Narendra Modi during the 108th episode of Mann Ki Baat, highlighting its work in digital mental health support.
Infiheal was also recently represented at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, where its founders discussed the intersection of artificial intelligence, health and digital safety.
More recently, the startup emerged as the winner of the AI for All Global Impact Challenge at the India AI Summit 2026 in New Delhi. Selected from over 10,000 applicants across more than 70 countries, the company received a prize of ₹25 lakh presented by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jitin Prasada and Abhishek Singh.
The initiative also received praise from global leaders including Sundar Pichai and Rishi Sunak, alongside discussions involving prominent figures such as Dario Amodei, Demis Hassabis, Mukesh Ambani, Emmanuel Macron, António Guterres and Sam Altman.
Through initiatives like HealOnAuto, Infiheal hopes to continue making mental health conversations more visible, approachable and integrated into everyday life — reminding people that sometimes the most meaningful reminders appear during the most ordinary moments.
