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Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone has been all over the news since the past few weeks, especially on account of all the controversy surrounding her latest release Chhapaak. And while she has been the face of controversy for sometime now, on Monday she was honoured with the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
The forum aims to get world leaders to discuss the global, regional and industry agendas at the beginning of every year, with one mission in mind: to improve the state of the world.
Talking about her battle with depression, the Chhapaak actor said that people must understand depression and anxiety are like any other illness and can be treated and her own experience has encouraged her to work for this cause. Deepika experienced her first depressive episode at the peak of her career, in February 2014, but by 2015 she had decided that she wanted to help others suffering like her and, six months into 2015, Deepika’s Live Love Laugh foundation was set up to help those suffering from mental health issues.
During the forum, recalling her own struggle with depression and mental illness, Deepika said, “My love and hate relationship with this has taught me a lot and I want to tell everyone suffering from this that you are not alone.”
The actor looked gorgeous as ever in a trailing, cape-sleeved blue ruched, Kennedy Satin gown by Alex Perry’s SS2020 collection as she made her way to receive the Crystal Award.
The actor was given the award for her leadership in raising mental health awareness — which she did by going public with her own experience with anxiety and depression.
“One trillion dollars is the estimated impact of depression and mental illness on the world economy,” she added while receiving the annual Crystal Award, adding, “In the time it has taken me to accept this award, the world has lost one more person to suicide.”
“Depression is a common yet serious illness. It is important to understand that anxiety and depression is like any other illness and treatable. It was experience with this illness that encouraged me to set up Live Love Laugh,” she said while talking about the foundation she has set up for this cause.
The actor received the award on the Martin Luther King Day and quoted the civil rights activist in her acceptance speech.
“For in the words of Martin Luther King, everything that is done in this world is done with hope,” she said.
Motivated by her own experience, she set up her foundation to provide awareness programs in schools in India, funding for free psychiatric treatment, medical education programs, public awareness campaigns and more.
(With inputs from PTI)
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