Ropar, Punjab | November 2025 — The Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar (IIT Ropar) successfully concluded the Resilience in Students’ Everyday (RISE) program, led by Dr. Ishan Shivanand, global mental health researcher and founder of Yoga of Immortals. Marking a significant step in IIT Ropar’s commitment to student wellbeing, Dr. Shivanand has also been appointed Adjunct Faculty at the Center of Excellence for Holistic Wellbeing, recognizing his evidence-based contribution to resilience, mental health, and preventive wellbeing education.
As part of the RISE program, Dr. Shivanand delivered six weekly classes between 24 September 2025 and 6 November 2025, reaching an average cohort of 200 students per session from diverse academic disciplines. The program was strategically scheduled ahead of examinations, a period marked by heightened academic pressure, anxiety, and burnout, to ensure maximum relevance and impact for students.
The course followed a structured, practice-oriented format designed to translate mental health science into everyday skills. Each session included a 30-minute interactive lecture covering themes such as mental health stigma, enhancing quality of life, emotional resilience, and the use of meditation as a learnable skillset. This was followed by a 20–30 minute Yoga of Immortals meditative intervention, integrating breathwork, visualization, and emotional regulation techniques for stress reduction. Student-led Q&A sessions concluded each class, reflecting high engagement and demand for deeper discussion.
To support sustained wellbeing beyond the classroom, the program adopted an asynchronous learning model, with guided meditation recordings shared post-session, enabling students to maintain a daily practice at their own pace.
In alignment with global wellbeing priorities, two special sessions were conducted on World Mental Health Day (October 10). One session addressed student concerns around isolation, performance pressure, and anxiety, while a dedicated session for faculty and staff focused on navigating workplace stress and burnout—underscoring a whole-campus approach to mental health.
Speaking on the initiative, representatives from IIT Ropar noted that the RISE program exemplifies the institute’s vision of integrating science-backed Indian knowledge systems with modern mental health research to foster resilient, high-performing academic communities.
Dr. Shivanand’s appointment as Adjunct Faculty further strengthens the Centre of Excellence for Holistic Wellbeing’s mission to institutionalize preventive mental health frameworks and equip students and educators with practical tools for lifelong resilience.
