Dr. Rashi Agarwal: Rewriting the Narrative of Mental Health in Meerut
Born into a family of doctors in the historic city of Meerut, Dr. Rashi Agarwal grew up in an environment where medicine was not just a profession it was a way of life. Her childhood was secure and nurturing, filled with encouragement, discipline, and equal opportunity. Academically inclined from the very beginning, she excelled in her studies, but her personality was never confined to textbooks alone.
At the age of five, her parents enrolled her in Bharatanatyam classes a decision that would quietly shape her inner world. For five years, dance became her language of expression, discipline, and emotional balance. However, as Class 10 board examinations approached, she had to make a choice. Academics demanded full attention, and she left dance behind with a heavy heart. Though she stepped away from the stage, the rhythm of art, expression, and emotional sensitivity remained deeply embedded within her.
Like many children of doctors, medicine seemed like the natural and safer career choice. Yet for Rashi, it was not an automatic calling. She recalls feeling uncertain while choosing her path, but she embraced the challenge. After clearing the rigorous NEET-UG examination, she entered MBBS. What many see as a finish line was, for her, just the beginning of self-discovery.
Even during medical school, Dr. Rashi felt a strong urge to build something of her own. She was drawn not only to clinical excellence but also to social causes recycling, composting, gardening, and sustainable living. She was deeply observant of societal structures, biases, and inequalities. Raised in a home where she was given opportunities equal to any male member of the family, she proudly credits her father for fostering that sense of equality. Feminism, for her, was not a slogan but a lived experience.
As she approached specialization, she chose psychiatry an unconventional path in 2016, when mental health still carried heavy stigma, especially in smaller cities. Many advised her against it. Psychiatry was often misunderstood, under-respected, and surrounded by myths. But Dr. Rashi was unwavering. She believed that mental health lay at the intersection of medicine and social reform. If she truly wanted to make a difference, this was where she belonged.
She completed her post-graduation in psychiatry in 2020, officially becoming a psychiatrist. Yet even after earning the title, she felt her real work had just begun. Clinical practice exposed her to the vast misinformation surrounding psychiatric treatmentfea r of medications, hesitation to seek therapy, and deeply ingrained myths about mental illness. She realized that awareness had to extend beyond clinic walls.
With this conviction, she entered the digital space. Launching Instagram and YouTube under the name “Dr. Rashi Psychiatrist,” she began simplifying complex mental health concepts for the public. Through short videos, myth-busting reels, and educational posts, she made psychiatry accessible, relatable, and stigma-free. Her clarity, authenticity, and grounded personality resonated widely.
Her impact did not go unnoticed. In 2022, she was honored with the She Slays Award by Hindustan Times, recognizing her influence and leadership. In 2023, she received the Mental Health Influencer of the Year award from the Indian Psychiatric Societya testament to her contribution to reshaping mental health conversations in India.
Today, Dr. Rashi is firmly established in Meerut, where she continues to practice and advocate for psychological well-being. But her vision extends far beyond individual consultations.
She founded Voices of Meerut, an initiative that highlights individuals creating meaningful change within the city amplifying stories of impact and inspiring collective growth. Her belief is simple yet powerful: transformation begins locally.
Taking her mission even further, she conceptualized and launched Manutsav Meerut’s first large scale mental health festival. Manutsav brings together psychiatrists, psychologists, students, patients, and the general public on one shared platform. It is not just an event; it is a celebration of mental wellness, dialogue, creativity, and community healing. By blending science, awareness, and cultural participation, she has turned mental health into a public movement rather than a private struggle.
From a young girl who left her dance class with a heavy heart to a psychiatrist leading conversations that were once whispered in silence, Dr. Rashi Agarwal’s journey is one of courage, conviction, and conscious choice. She did not merely follow the expected path she redefined it.
And in doing so, she continues to rewrite the narrative of mental health—one patient, one post, and one city at a time.
