Founder & Director

A psychotherapist and counsellor, Dr. Minu Budhia is the Founder-Director of Caring Minds International (Institute of Mental Health | OPD Clinics). She is also the Founder-Director at ICanFlyy (International School for Special Needs), the Founder of ICanFlyy Tea Kafi, and Director at Patton Group.

In 2022 she penned a memoir titled ‘Death of a Caterpillar’ about her journey as a special needs mom and her battle with depression. Her professional experience as a psychotherapist and counsellor lends a unique perspective, peppering the chapters with anecdotes & easily applicable self-help tips that will also make this book a survival guide for parents.

She believes that understanding and accepting ourselves as we are is the key to living a healthy life. And that sometimes we need help and guidance to do this. Her vision behind Caring Minds International is to introduce a one-stop solution for all problems related to psychological well-being and to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Her focus is on making quality, affordable mental healthcare easily available to the community.

Dr. Minu’s struggles to ensure that her younger daughter Prachi, a special child, led an active, happy life outside her home, showed her the reality most special needs individuals and their families face. Whether it was related to education, co-curricular activities, or hobby classes, Dr. Minu had to surmount obstacles at every corner and also battle depression. Her life experience and learnings inspired the birth of Caring Minds International. Here, mental health professionals (psychiatrists and RCI registered psychologists) provide expert services for both clinical and non-clinical issues across all age groups – from children to the elderly.

Dr. Minu has earned a Certificate in Advanced Cognitive Behavioural Skills from British Psychological Society (London, UK) and a Certificate on Child Brain Development Course from Philadelphia, USA. She has presented research papers titled ICanFlyy: Enabling the Able – a Case Study, The effect of Psychopathology on Intellectual Performance amongst ADHD Boys and Non-Clinical Control group, and Pre and Post Intervention Analysis of Children with low IQ and ADHD. She has also been a psychotherapist & counsellor at Belle Vue Clinic, St. Xavier’s College, and JD Birla Business College.

A member of the Indian Psychiatric Society and an Executive Committee Member of Vidya Mandir Society (Kolkata), Dr. Minu has been felicitated with a number of awards, such as The Telegraph SHE Award (Social Work), the Times Power Women Award (Psychotherapy & Counselling), the CMA Award (Public Service), and the Bharat Nirman Award for her invaluable contribution in the field of mental health and special needs education.

Powerhouse, popular columnist, and contributor to many leading English dailies, Dr. Minu is also a TEDx speaker. An inspiration for many and a woman of purpose, Dr. Minu plays a hands-on role across all her social impact initiatives, every single day. She is there every step of the way to ensure the execution of her vision. From strategy to operations, she does it all.

A staunch believer in ‘happiness is an inside job’ and a fitness enthusiast, her advice to those who want to make a positive impact is not to sit around and wait for the light bulb to switch on one fine day. Her mantra? “Don’t just imagine it. Do it.”