This World Alzheimer’s Month, the Tata Trusts are launching a public health awareness campaign titled ‘Vajood Rahe Maujood’ to address the growing prevalence of dementia in India. The initiative calls for early detection and diagnosis, urging families and healthcare systems to act before the condition progresses.
Rapidly aging population
India’s elderly population is expanding quickly. By 2050, the country is projected to have more than 347 million people aged 60 and above. This demographic shift is roughly equivalent to the entire current population of the United States and will fundamentally reshape the demands placed on the nation’s healthcare systems.
Ageing brings associated health challenges, including dementia, which is becoming an urgent area for research and action. According to the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Journal, 8.8 million elderly people are currently living with the condition in India. Another study suggests that close to 90% of these cases go undiagnosed. A 2023 AIIMS-USC study estimates that the number of Indian seniors living with dementia could reach 16.9 million by 2036, nearly doubling earlier than expected.
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Building a care ecosystem
Dr Anura Kurpad, a senior advisor on health, emphasized that changes in memory or behavior are often dismissed as old age but can be early signs of dementia. While there is currently no cure, an early diagnosis can be transformative. Literature on the subject identifies a critical health prevention window, and systemic action on modifiable risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and lifestyle choices is necessary.
The campaign film features firsthand accounts from psychiatrists, neurologists, and geriatricians, as well as caregivers and patients in early-stage dementia. It highlights that dementia is not merely a disease that causes memory loss but one where patients progressively lose their sense of self. The message urges the public to be alert to early symptoms and not misattribute them to normal aging.
Systemic response needed
Siddharth Sharma, CEO of the Tata Trusts, stated that dementia will be one of the defining health conversations in India over the next three decades. The Trusts aim to build a shared, evidence-based understanding that looks beyond the disease to the realities of the individual and the caregiver.
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The Trusts’ broader work in elder care, including the Elder Spring helpline piloted in Telangana, informed the development of the national Elder Line (14567). Building on these learnings, the Trusts are now focusing on strengthening the wider ecosystem of elder care through social engagement centres and caregiving infrastructure. They are also supporting the Centre for Brain Research – Tata Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TLSA) and the Dementia India Alliance to build evidence and strengthen awareness.
Established in 1892, the Tata Trusts are India’s oldest and among Asia’s largest philanthropic institutions. Through their support to this initiative, the organization calls on healthcare providers, policymakers, corporate employers, and communities to recognize early warning signs and prioritize early medical screening.
