Tirupati Tele-MANAS Centre Begins Partial Operations, Extends Mental Health Helpline to Rayalaseema

The Tele-MANAS mental health helpline centre proposed for Tirupati has begun partial operations, with the State government starting the process of recruiting staff for the facility.

According to the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, the government has approved the recruitment of 40 employees, including psychiatrists, counsellors and other support staff. Sixteen of these posts have been filled so far. At present, one counsellor and one psychiatrist are working at the Tirupati centre.

Tele-MANAS is a national helpline operated by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru. Calls made to the helpline are routed to call centres located within each State. In Andhra Pradesh, the Union government had approved two centres — one in Vijayawada and another in Visakhapatnam — both of which are already functioning. With the third centre coming up in Tirupati, the Rayalaseema region will also be covered by the service.

Data shared by the department indicates that demand for the helpline has grown steadily since it began. The service recorded 523 calls in 2022 and about 18,000 calls in 2023. The number rose to 20,000 in 2024, stood at 17,000 in 2025, and has already crossed 31,000 calls so far in 2026.

D.D. Syamala, State Nodal Officer for Non-Communicable Diseases, said call volumes tend to rise during examination periods. Most callers seek help for relationship problems, financial stress and exam-related stress, she said.

The expansion in Tirupati comes as health authorities continue to promote awareness of mental health support services. As part of activities planned for World Suicide Prevention Day, awareness programmes were organised at a few colleges in Vijayawada, and rallies were taken out in Ibrahimpatnam.

District health officials also interacted with students of Y.V. Rao Siddhartha College of Education, discussing myths and facts related to suicide prevention and explaining how Tele-MANAS services work. Such outreach is intended to encourage people to seek timely help rather than hesitate because of stigma or misinformation.

Counsellors are available round the clock, throughout the year, on the helpline 14416 to provide support and guidance. The service is free and callers can speak to trained professionals in confidence. Officials note that anyone experiencing distress — whether related to studies, work, finances or personal relationships — can reach out at any time.

The partial start of operations in Tirupati is a step towards fuller staffing of the centre. Once the remaining posts are filled, the facility is expected to handle a larger volume of calls from the Rayalaseema districts, where residents previously depended on the State's two existing centres.

Mental health professionals point out that helplines are one part of a wider system of care, which includes primary health centres, district hospitals and specialist services. They stress that seeking help early is a sign of strength, not weakness, and that families and friends can play an important role by listening without judgement.

Readers in distress, or those concerned about someone else, can contact the Tele-MANAS helpline at 14416.