Neerja Birla

Neerja Birla     

Neerja Birla is the Founder and Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET), a social enterprise committed to the Spirit of Service. She is a progressive, dynamic, and inspiring leader, driven by her passions and an unwavering resolve to give back to society responsibly. She is a globally recognised sociopreneur and mental health alchemist. She has transformed her diverse passions into thriving entities, continually redefining the landscape of innovation and leadership. She is well-known for her contributions to education, mental health, and menstrual hygiene through multiple centres of excellence.

Neerja has been at the forefront of advocating for systemic change and innovation in mental health practices, driven by personal experience and a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding mental health. Under her dynamic leadership, Mpower has emerged as a revolutionary initiative that has transformed India’s attitude toward mental health by spreading awareness, alleviating stigma, and providing holistic, quality mental health care to individuals from all walks of life. The initiative has touched over 120 million lives in India.

Neerja also pioneered the integration of the Mind Matters curriculum and founded inclusive learning schools. The Aditya Birla World Academy, an international school under her leadership, promotes the holistic development of its students and has been ranked the 2nd Best International School in India. Additionally, The Aditya Birla Integrated School, ranked the #1 Special Needs School in the country, provides groundbreaking inclusive education to children with different learning or emotional needs.

Ujaas, another social endeavour led by Neerja, focuses on empowering young and future generations with a change-centric approach. The initiative tackles deep-rooted problems, stigmas, taboos, and challenges, extending to mental health and reproductive issues in India. Ujaas led India’s first large-scale initiative to spread awareness across 120 locations nationwide.

Neerja has been widely recognised for her groundbreaking work and has received numerous Indian and international awards, including the G20 Empower India ‘Woman Achiever Award 2023,’ the ‘Golden Peacock Award 2023′ for Social Leadership, the 50 Top Global Mental Health Leaders Award by the World Mental Health Congress (2019), and the Global Impact Leader of the Year Award at the UK-based Private Wealth Institute’s Global Annual Summit (2018). She has been featured in Fortune India’s ’50 Most Powerful Women’ (2021, 2023, 2024) and Business Today’s ‘Most Powerful Woman in Business’ (2020, 2022 & 2023).

She serves as a G20 Alliance Advocate, G100 Global Chair for Mental Health, Trustee of the Mumbai Police Foundation, and a member of the National Managing Body of the Indian Red Cross Society, the Indian Advisory Council of the British Asian Trust, and the Asia Gender Network of AVPN.

On a personal note, Neerja holds a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Derby. She resides in Mumbai, is married to Kumar Mangalam Birla, and is the proud mother of three children – Ananyashree, Aryaman Vikram, and Advaitesha. She is also a committed fitness and outdoor sports enthusiast, enjoys reading and listening to music, and is fond of traveling and trekking. Neerja is a patron of Ikigai, the Japanese philosophy for a fulfilling life, and Wabi-Sabi, which embraces beauty in imperfection.