Anuj Gandhi

About Anuj Gandhi

Anuj Gandhi is a spirited mental health advocate and researcher who leads with love and light. He has worked in many settings from academic research to community building to social justice activism to peer support. The culmination of their work is the development of community-driven programs rooted in education, holistic healing practices, and storytelling. He has worked as a youth mental health advocate in several organizations including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, We Are Saath, The Steve Fund, The Trevor Project, and the Mental Health Literacy Collaborative. They are the Founder and Executive Director of MyJyoti — a community organization focused on the healing of the South Asian diaspora through community dialogues, educational workshops and events, peer support groups, and digital connection. MyJyoti’s mission is to empower South Asians to discover their light and share it with others in order to break the stigma and heal from cycles of trauma and oppression.Along with his commitment to advocacy and activism, Anuj is an experienced community-based researcher. He recently worked as a Research Specialist at the Institute of Juvenile Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago and as a Program Facilitator for Lurie Children’s Hospital. In these roles, they facilitated educational programs for youth of color, focused on civic engagement, activism, racial justice, health equity, and mindfulness as part of clinical trial interventions for youth well-being. Anuj currently resides in Mumbai conducting an independent research study as a Fulbright-Nehru scholar. His project explores mental health knowledge, attitudes, and sources of beliefs in young adults and seeks to improve mental health care and itinerary by consulting with mental health practitioners and community NGOs.

Experience

1. Fulbright Scholar

   The Fulbright Program

   Sep 2025 — Present · Mumbai, IN

   Affiliated with Tate Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (TISS) under the supervision of Dr. Sujata Sritam, Head of Clinical Psychology• Conduct independent mixed methods research project on mental health knowledge, attitudes, and sources of beliefs in young adults• Consult with mental health practitioners and community NGOs across India on pathways to improve mental health care and literacy• Create educational toolkit to raise awareness and inform support for youth mental health

Education

• Bartlett High School

  High School Diploma

  2016 — 2020

• Saint Louis University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Psychology

  2020 — 2024