Gujarat Dy CM Harsh Sanghavi buys handmade diyas from mental hospital patients in Ahmedabad
Synopsis
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi skipped a conventional Diwali celebration and instead spent the festival at a government mental hospital in Ahmedabad — buying earthen lamps made by patients and lighting them together. The gesture put the spotlight on creative rehabilitation programmes at public psychiatric institutions and the broader push to reduce mental health stigma during the festival season.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi visited the Government Mental Hospital, Ahmedabad on 5 November 2026 for Diwali.
He purchased handmade earthen lamps (diyas) crafted by patients as part of their creative rehabilitation activities.
Sanghavi lit the diyas alongside patients and personally interacted with them, appreciating their artistic efforts.
Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel and MLA Ganpatbhai Vasava also attended the event.
Hospital officials including RMO Dipti Bhatt and Nursing Council Vice-President Iqbal Kadiwala were present.
The initiative highlighted the role of creative therapy in patient rehabilitation at government mental health institutions.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi marked Diwali with a distinctive gesture on Thursday, 5 November, visiting the Government Mental Hospital in Ahmedabad to purchase earthen lamps crafted by patients and lighting the diyas alongside them. The visit highlighted the creative rehabilitation activities undertaken by patients at the state-run institution during the festival season.
What Happened at the Hospital
Sanghavi toured the facility on the occasion of Diwali and purchased diyas made by patients as part of their therapeutic creative activities. He joined them in lighting the lamps and held personal interactions, acknowledging their artistic abilities and the effort behind each piece.
Expressing his appreciation, the Deputy Chief Minister said the creativity and artistic talent displayed by the patients were commendable. 'The diyas made by them with dedication and affection were not merely earthen lamps but also represented happiness and self-reliance,' he noted.
Who Was Present
The event was also attended by Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel and MLA Ganpatbhai Vasava. Senior hospital officials, including Nursing Council Vice-President Iqbal Kadiwala, Resident Medical Officer Dipti Bhatt, and Assistant Nursing Superintendent Vibhaben Savalia, were present alongside doctors and nursing staff.
The Significance of the Initiative
The visit was aimed at encouraging patients and recognising their skills during the festival of lights. Patients reportedly expressed enthusiasm and happiness as Sanghavi chose to purchase their handmade creations and accept their work. The initiative drew attention to the role of creative activities in the rehabilitation process at the institution.
This comes amid a broader national conversation around mental health awareness and the dignity of persons with mental illness — themes that align with the spirit of such community-facing gestures by public figures. Notably, the Government Mental Hospital in Ahmedabad is one of the larger public psychiatric facilities in Gujarat, and events such as these also serve to reduce stigma around mental health care.
Looking Ahead
The occasion is expected to draw wider attention to vocational and creative therapy programmes at government mental health institutions across Gujarat, potentially encouraging similar initiatives at other facilities in the state.
Point of View
But it also points to something substantive: creative and vocational therapy at government psychiatric facilities in India remains severely under-resourced and rarely in public view. Sanghavi's visit is likely to earn goodwill, but the harder question is whether the Gujarat government has a plan to scale these rehabilitation programmes beyond a single Diwali moment. India's public mental health infrastructure is chronically underfunded, and high-visibility visits by ministers can either catalyse real policy attention or substitute for it. The test will be whether today's photo-op translates into budgetary commitment to occupational therapy at state-run mental hospitals.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi visit a mental hospital on Diwali?
Harsh Sanghavi visited the Government Mental Hospital in Ahmedabad on 5 November to celebrate Diwali with patients, purchase their handmade earthen lamps, and recognise their creative skills. The visit was aimed at encouraging patients and drawing attention to their rehabilitation activities.
What did patients at the Government Mental Hospital, Ahmedabad make for Diwali?
Patients crafted handmade earthen diyas (earthen lamps) as part of their creative activities during their stay at the institution. Deputy CM Sanghavi purchased the diyas and also lit them alongside the patients during his visit.
Who else attended the Diwali event at the Ahmedabad mental hospital?
Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel and MLA Ganpatbhai Vasava attended alongside hospital officials including Nursing Council Vice-President Iqbal Kadiwala, RMO Dipti Bhatt, and Assistant Nursing Superintendent Vibhaben Savalia, as well as doctors and nursing staff.
What did Harsh Sanghavi say about the patients' handmade diyas?
Sanghavi said the creativity and artistic talent displayed by the patients were commendable. He stated that the diyas made with dedication and affection were 'not merely earthen lamps but also represented happiness and self-reliance.'
What is the broader significance of this initiative?
The event highlights creative and vocational rehabilitation programmes at government psychiatric facilities, which are rarely in public view. It also contributes to reducing stigma around mental illness by showcasing patients' skills during a major national festival.
