Olympian Ashwini Nachappa’s inspiring journey; Corporate mental health trends
Ashwini Nachappa reflects on her journey in athletics—from competing against the best to creating pathways for the next generation of athletes. Meanwhile, one in four employees find the courage to book therapy, but never show up, says a report.
Hello,
The world is sizzling hot. And it’s only going to get hotter, touching record proportions.
We may have to brace ourselves for a record-breaking hot year by 2030 as the climate crisis worsens, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization has warned. At least one year between 2026 and 2030 will outdo 2024 as the hottest year on record. In fact, with El Niño expected later this year, the global temperature record could be broken even as early as 2027.
In other news, Ferrari’s first fully electric vehicle may have had a bumpy start, but investors aren’t overly concerned. While many were critical of the unconventional design of Luce, Ferrari’s first five-seater, investors have downplayed the negative market sentiment around the vehicle.
Meanwhile, what happens when one person in a relationship simply can’t stand plastic, while the other believes everything cannot be trashed overnight. What’s your take on this? Where do you stand?
ICYMI: Yesterday (May 28) was World Menstrual Hygiene Day, a day to highlight the importance of menstrual health and break the stigma surrounding periods. Read how a group of students from government schools in Haryana built a solution around menstrual health and wellness.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- Olympian Ashwini Nachappa’s inspiring journey
- Corporate mental health trends
Here’s your trivia for today: What is the term for a flower that blooms for a short time in spring?
Sports
Olympian Ashwini Nachappa’s inspiring journey
Olympian and Arjuna awardee Ashwini Nachappa, famously known as India’s FloJo (after the US sprinter, Florence Griffith Joyner), was a dominant force in the sprint circuit in the 1980s and ‘90s.
She reflects on her journey in athletics—from competing against the best, including defeating PT Usha, to mentoring and creating pathways for the next generation of athletes.
Breaking barriers:
- Ashwini Nachappa had a distinguished international athletics career, representing India at three South Asian Federation Games—winning two silver medals each in Nepal (1984) and Bangladesh (1986), followed by an impressive three gold medals in Pakistan (1988).
- “The first international championship that I took part in was the SAF Games in Nepal in ‘84. I think wearing the Indian colours is a different feel. By the time I was 16-17 years old, I was already representing the country. Qualifying for the Olympic Games was an achievement in itself, given our very limited exposure,” says Nachappa.
- An Arjuna Awardee, Nachappa did not end her tryst with sports with retirement. She went on to shape the next generation of athletes through Karaumbiah Academy for Learning and Sports and Ashwini’s Sports Foundation, building sustainable pathways for young talent, especially from rural India.
Report
Corporate mental health trends
A report by digital health benefits platform ekincare shows that mental wellness engagement in corporate organisations has risen by 44% since 2023. However, the report also reveals that 26.6% of corporate employees who book a counselling session never attend—i.e. one in four employees find the courage to book therapy, but never show up.
The report titled ‘From Silence to Signal: India Inc.’s Mental Wellness Reckoning (2023–2026)’ is a data-led analysis of corporate mental health utilisation trends, drawn from its counselling sessions ledger across its corporate client base.
Key findings:
- Gen Z employees (aged 20–25) recorded a 203% increase in counselling utilisation over the past two years, dramatically outpacing the 18% growth seen among the 31–35 age group.
- High-pressure sectors are seeing the sharpest rise in mental health support uptake, with counselling utilisation in BFSI soaring 408%, followed by healthcare and pharma at 122%
- While men account for a higher share of clinically identified anxiety and depression cases than women (38% versus 32%), they are more likely to describe their struggles in broader, less explicit terms.
News & updates
- Quantum investment: IBM plans to invest more than $10 billion in quantum computing over five years as it aims to build by 2029 the first large-scale quantum computer capable of running complex calculations reliably and without errors.
- Auto sales: Toyota Motor’s global vehicle sales fell for a third consecutive month in April, hit by sharp declines in China and the Middle East.
- Economic forecast: US economic growth was not as strong as initially thought in the first quarter, and momentum is set to slow this quarter, with the war with Iran stoking inflation and squeezing household finances.
What is the term for a flower that blooms for a short time in spring?
Answer: Ephemeral
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