The Banyan Academy launches Dr. Parasuraman Lived Experience Writing Award

The Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health, The Banyan, and Aaldamara Foundation has launched the Dr. Parasuraman Lived Experience Writing Award, and two writers who are service users of mental healthcare were presented with the award.

Former judge of Madras High Court and writer Justice Prabha Sridevan presented the awards to Sunitha Shirly, a social entrepreneur, lyricist, musician and author, and Sasisekar Menon, a librarian, according to a press release. The award has been instituted in memory of the former director of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, who championed transformative higher education to fight deprivation and inequity. “To create the space and support for such stories, this award is being instituted to support writing from the vantage of intimate interiority with madness, populated over time with all the diversity of minds in our country,” a press release said.

While Ms. Shirly is the founder of Root Trust and has authored over 18 books, from novels, short stories, and poetry to essays and even science books for children, Mr. Menon was already a Disability Awardee on Republic Day 2026 and has lived with Schizophrenia and Parkinson’s. Both awardees will have a mentor and editor to assist them in writing their books and telling stories of distress and resilience.