Meera Damji

Background

About Meera Damji

I’m a communications professional with experience in media across advertising, radio, and development communications. I began my career with advertising in 2002 and worked as a Sr. Brand Services Manager at MullenLowe Lintas, Mumbai.In 2007, I made the big leap and moved to Radio Mirchi, Mumbai (The Times Group) where I produced and co-presented the 'Meera and Suren Show', an evening prime time show that captured the pulse of the city, reflecting on the day's events and happenings. The show focused on issues of public importance, art and culture - regularly featuring government officials, media celebrities and telephonic call-ins/ outs with the public at large.In 2017, I moved to Ishq FM (India Today Group) where I conceptualised, produced and presented a show on ‘everyday mental health’. This was a first-of-its kind radio show to address mental health issues among young adults, using a psychosocial lens, promoting conversations around gender and sexuality, inter-personal relationships, disability, social constructs, and other determinants of mental health. The show regularly featured people with lived experience of mental health conditions and suicide, sharing their journeys of hope and recovery. In 2019, the show was awarded a finalist certificate at the New York Festivals Radio Awards (NYF Radio Awards) in the category of Best Human-Interest Story from India.With radio making a shift toward more 'video' than 'audio' in its treatment and content, in 2020, I decided to move away from the medium. Channelling my inner thrill of -'lets be a fresher one more time', I once again transitioned to a new sector and joined the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy (CMHLP) at the Indian Law Society, Pune, as the Communications Lead. Here, I developed the communications vertical, formulating processes and structures at an organisational and programmatic level. Apart from comms, I co-led the development and design of a course for Indian journalists on responsible reporting of suicides. As part of this work, I've conducted training workshops for journalists in India, Guyana and Grenada on ethical and responsible reporting of mental health, suicide/ self-harm, natural disasters and mass tragedies.News and social media truly have the power to shape and swing public perception and opinion. My current area of work involves understanding these media industries, their structures, systems and processes for advocacy for mental health and suicide prevention.