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International Conference

1st N‑SPRITE International Conference on Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention: A Multi-sectoral Approach for Sustainable Solutions

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Dates

30 November – 3 December 2026

Venue

NIMHANS Convention Centre, Bengaluru

Welcome to N‑SPRITE 2026

A first‑of‑its‑kind gathering for a first‑order public health crisis

Three days of dialogue, evidence, and shared resolve - bringing global experts, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners together in Bengaluru.

A note from the chair

Dear Participants,

We are thrilled to welcome you to the 1st International Conference on Suicide Prevention, hosted by the N‑SPRITE Centre at NIMHANS!

Suicide is one of the most urgent global public health crises of our time. But after years of pioneering work at NIMHANS through multiple flagship projects, we have seen firsthand that prevention is truly possible when we unite in consistent, collective action. This realisation inspired the launch of N‑SPRITE (NIMHANS Suicide Prevention, Research, Implementation, Training, and Engagement Centre) on World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, 2024. Our mission is to transform fragmented efforts into a collaborative force for greater impact by integrating research, real‑world implementation, training, and community engagement to tackle stigma and save lives.

The theme of ‘Suicide Prevention: A Multisectoral Approach for Sustainable Solutions’ reflects our commitment to an international interdisciplinary collaboration. We aim to spark innovation in research, reimagine stronger policies, build lasting networks, and strengthen the global momentum in suicide prevention.

We invite you all to engage actively, listen with openness, and leave inspired to advance effective and sustainable solutions in your work and communities.

With warmest regards,

Dr Anish V Cherian

Dr Anish V Cherian

On behalf of the Organizing Committee

Conference Highlights

  • Gathering of global experts, researchers, policymakers & practitioners
  • Sessions & panel discussions by national and international speakers
  • Skill‑building pre‑conference workshops
  • Engagement opportunities for students & early researchers
  • Focused sessions on diverse mental‑health topics
  • Award for best oral and poster presentations

Why Attend?

This is your chance to explore global best practices, risk factors, innovative surveillance models, lethal‑means restriction, digital/AI interventions, youth and workplace prevention interventions, postvention support, media responsibility, and climate change/environmental links to suicide.

Join this landmark event to collaborate, share knowledge, influence policy, reduce stigma, and contribute to real‑world, sustainable suicide prevention strategies.

Important Dates

  1. 20APREarly Bird Registration Opens2026
  2. 30JUNEarly Bird Registration Deadline2026
  3. 21APRAbstract Submission Opens2026
  4. 15SEPAbstract Submission Deadline2026
  5. 30OCTLast Day to Register2026
  6. 30NOVPre‑conference Workshop2026
  7. 1–3DECConference Dates2026

About

About the conference

For the first time, N‑SPRITE brings together the global community to tackle the complexities of suicide prevention. Through this International Conference on Suicide Prevention, we are calling upon the world's leading experts, researchers, mental health practitioners, students, media professionals, NGOs, and lived experience advocates to address one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. By integrating diverse voices in research and advocacy, we aim to tackle this issue and strengthen suicide prevention efforts.

N‑SPRITE - the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Suicide Prevention Research Implementation and Training Engagement Centre - was established to strengthen suicide prevention efforts in India through evidence, capacity building, and systems-level action. Launched in September 2024, N‑SPRITE was conceptualised to bring together isolated suicide prevention initiatives into a collaborative and coordinated framework. There are six ongoing projects under the centre across hospital, workplace and community settings, in addition to one upcoming initiative under climate change.

Programme

Four days of dialogue

Sessions will be conducted on the following topics.

Pre‑Conference Workshop

30 November 2026

Limited seats: 40 per workshop; for registered attendees only

  • Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention
  • Art in Suicide Research
  • Setting Up Self‑Harm Registry, Suicide Risk Assessment
  • Interventions for Non‑Suicidal Self‑Harm Injury (NSSI)
  • Media Workshop for Responsible Reporting on Suicide
  • Workplace Suicide Prevention for HR

Watch this space for the final programme schedule.

Register

Registration

Registration Fee Details

Regular
  • Early BirdTill 30th June 2026
    INR 4000
  • RegularTill 30th Oct 2026
    INR 6000
  • Late & SpotFrom 1st Nov 2026
    INR 8000
Students
  • Early BirdTill 30th June 2026
    INR 3000
  • RegularTill 30th Oct 2026
    INR 4000
  • Late & SpotFrom 1st Nov 2026
    INR 5000
International Regular
  • Early BirdTill 30th June 2026
    USD 60
  • RegularTill 30th Oct 2026
    USD 80
  • Late & SpotFrom 1st Nov 2026
    USD 100
International Students
  • Early BirdTill 30th June 2026
    USD 40
  • RegularTill 30th Oct 2026
    USD 50
  • Late & SpotFrom 1st Nov 2026
    USD 60

Tiered pricing for regular attendees, students, and international participants. A pre-conference workshop add-on is available with each tier.

Registration Categories

  • Regular: For researchers, academics, clinicians, mental health practitioners, and medical professionals, community advocates, non‑clinical participants, and the general public interested in suicide prevention.
  • Student: Open to full‑time undergraduate and postgraduate students. A valid student ID must be uploaded during registration.
  • International Participants: For attendees joining us from outside India.

Submit

Abstract Submission

We are excited to invite abstracts for paper and poster presentations for consideration and inclusion in the scientific programme. The theme for this conference, "Suicide Prevention: A Multi‑sectoral Approach for Sustainable Solutions", was conceived with the need for a holistic approach to suicide prevention in mind. By convening global experts and researchers from various mental health streams, along with people with lived experience, we aim to contribute to the growing body of research and best practices for a multi-sectoral framework of suicide prevention.

Subthemes

01

Biological and Medical Perspectives on Suicide (pharmacotherapy, genetics, microbiology, neurobiology)

02

Psychosocial Determinants of Suicide

03

Suicide in the Workplace and Occupational Hazards

04

Cultural Contexts of Suicide

05

Legal and Policy Perspectives on Suicide Prevention

06

Population‑based Approaches to Suicide Prevention (media, access to means etc.)

07

Community‑based Approaches to Suicide Prevention

08

Lived Experiences and Suicide Postvention

09

Climate Change, Environmental Stressors, and Suicide Risk

10

Innovations and Future Directions in Suicide Prevention

Guidelines to submit Abstract

  • The first name in each abstract should be that of the presenting author.

  • For case reports, Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion and Conclusion should be included.

  • Abstracts should be structured with an introduction, materials and methods, results and a conclusion.

  • All abstracts must be in the English language. The author's name and affiliations should not be mentioned in the title or text of the abstract.

  • Please ensure the abstract text does not exceed a word count of 350. No images or figures are to be included in the abstract.

  • Decision on abstract selection shall be communicated by e-mail to the submitting author.

  • Only the presenting author will be entitled to receive a certificate.

  • Follow this template for preparing an abstract: Download Template

  • Abstract Submission Opens: 21st April 2026

  • Abstract Submission Closes: 15th September 2026

Leadership

Organizing committee

Dr Anish V. Cherian

Secretary, Organising Committee

Dr Anish V. Cherian

Additional Professor of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS Lead, N‑SPRITE

Dr Anish V. Cherian is Additional Professor of Psychiatric Social Work at NIMHANS, India, with over 10 years of experience in suicide prevention and mental health systems strengthening. As the N‑SPRITE lead, he spearheads key initiatives, including USHAS, YASHAS, SAMASTH, SURAKSHA, and TOLAKARI. He is the National Representative for India and Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia at the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). His work focuses on youth mental health, workplace well-being, and community-based care, while contributing to policy development, capacity building, and national and international collaborations to strengthen mental health services and systems.

Venue

NIMHANS Convention Centre

NIMHANS, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560029, India

The conference venue, NIMHANS Convention Centre, is located on Hosur Road within the northern side of the NIMHANS campus. Easily accessible from all parts of the city, the campus is around 40 km away from the Kempegowda International Airport and approximately 8 km from the Bengaluru City Railway Station and 7 km from Kempegowda Bus Station (or Majestic Bus Stand). Built in the year 2002, the state-of-the-art Convention Centre offers exceptional facilities for conferences, seminars, trade shows, expositions, and media events. The Centre houses three auditoriums with advanced amenities and seating capacities ranging from 170 to 860. The centre also has a well-equipped dining hall, boardroom, guest rooms, a poster area and an ample parking facility.

Reach the team

Get in touch

Conference Secretariat

Conference Secretariat N‑SPRITE Centre, NIMHANS Dr M V Govindaswamy Centre Hosur Road, Bengaluru Karnataka 560029, India

Be part of it

30 November – 3 December 2026 · NIMHANS Convention Centre, Bengaluru