Her story began with an early rupture: abandoned by her biological parents at nine months old, she grew up carrying a difficult beginning. The roots of mental illness are complex, but this is part of the history she has chosen to share.

For two years, Seher Hashmi barely stepped out of her room. Depression had closed in around her, making the simplest acts of daily life difficult. Yet, in that period, she began to paint. By the time she emerged from that phase, she had created more than 100 paintings.

Her mother encouraged her to exhibit them—and, perhaps more importantly, to speak about the journey behind them. In 2016, Seher addressed an audience publicly for the first time about her mental illness: clinical depression and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), conditions she had lived with for over a decade. She spoke about the psychiatrists and therapists who helped her, the support of her family, and the companions who stayed close through the hardest days: her paintings and her pet dogs.

Still fragile and vulnerable, she was taking her first step towards breaking the silence.

https://www.instagram.com/perfectlyimperfectseher?cplk=YnozdjluNGhnMXVw 

At the exhibition, her paintings sold for Rs 80,000. Seher could hardly believe that something she had created could bring such a response. After years of self-doubt, the achievement showed her what might still be possible.

Then came calls from family friends: someone they loved was struggling; could Seher help them find support? She began connecting people with therapists and psychiatrists. Through these conversations, she recognised how fortunate she had been to have access to experienced professionals, including Dr Amit Sen, founder of Children First. Not everyone had those resources. Her own experience was becoming a way to help others find theirs.

During the Covid pandemic, Seher began Facebook Live conversations about mental health. Thousands tuned in. She spoke from experience of isolation, and of the importance of seeking help without fear of judgement.

In 2024, she took that message on the road with Breaking Stigma, One Mile at a Time. Travelling from Delhi to Kupwara and back, she covered 20 cities and spoke at 32 locations, creating a world record. The message was clear: mental health is part of our shared human experience and deserves understanding and care.

In 2026, Seher undertook an even more ambitious expedition: Beyond the Horizon: A Ride for Resilience. Flagged off in Delhi on 20 August by veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, she rode from Delhi to Kanyakumari and back on her Royal Enfield accompanied by a support team. Over 56 days, she travelled more than 7,500 kilometres, reaching 63 cities, towns and villages. Across the route, 111 sessions in schools, colleges and communities directly reached more than 15,000 young people.

The sessions encouraged young people to speak about distress, seek help without shame, and helped families respond with support rather than blame.

Sponsored by Mariwala Health Initiative, co-sponsored by the Population Foundation of India, and organised under the aegis of Pehchan, the campaign took mental health conversations beyond clinics and conference halls and into everyday community spaces.

India needs this work. Stigma still keeps many people from speaking about what they are experiencing or approaching professionals for help. Normalising mental health means treating emotional well-being as part of health itself; making conversations about depression and other conditions as ordinary as those about physical illness; and building a culture in which care is accessible and compassion comes before judgement.

Seher’s journey is not a story of pain magically turning into strength. Healing takes time, treatment, support and setbacks may be part of the process. Her story matters because it shows what can happen when a person is not reduced to a diagnosis—and when the support that helped one person is carried outward to others.

Once, painting helped Seher find a voice from within the walls of her room. Today, she carries that voice across the country. The road may end, but the conversations must continue.

For anyone struggling in silence, her message is simple: you are not alone. Help is possible. Your story is still being written.

https://www.instagram.com/seher.unfiltered?rpxt=MTFhajltOWFlMnZiZw==