Let me introduce you to Richa Singh, who dared to break stereotypes and make a difference. Growing up in a middle-class family, Richa was surrounded by the belief that a secure government job was the ultimate goal.
Her parents, both in stable jobs, believed business was too risky. But Richa had dreams beyond the traditional path. After graduating in Usability Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, and Interaction Design from IIT Guwahati, She worked with organizations like Webfluenz, MuSigma, and o9 Solutions. Her career was stable and promising, but Richa was not satisfied with it. She couldn’t ignore the growing need for accessible mental health support in India.
She had personally seen how people around her, struggled with stress, anxiety and other mental health issues but hesitated to seek help because of the societal stigma. People’s attitude towards mental health and the silence around it deeply troubled her. She knew something had to change.
In late 2014, Richa joined hands with Puneet Manuja, an IIM-B alumnus, and Prakhar Verma, a computer science graduate, to launch YourDOST. This platform was designed to offer emotional wellness solutions, enabling users to connect with psychologists, counsellors, and wellness coaches. People could avail help staying completely anonymous.
What drove Richa was her determination to break the stigma around mental health. She wanted to live in a world where seeking help for mental health was as normal as going to a doctor for a physical ailment.
But the journey wasn’t easy. Convincing people to trust an online platform for their emotional needs and challenging societal taboos required some real effort.
Despite the odds, YourDOST began gaining traction. In November 2015, they secured ₹2.5 crore in angel funding, which Richa and her co-founders strategically invested in marketing and scaling their platform. This milestone validated their idea and fueled their mission to reach more people in need.
Richa’s success wasn’t just about funding. It was about creating a platform that people trusted. Her ability to empathize with others, combined with her technical and management expertise, played a key role in shaping YourDOST.
Today, it’s not just a company; it’s a safe space for those battling stress, anxiety, and other challenges.
Richa’s is an inspiration for us all. Her journey is a testament to how willpower can help you achieve your dream. She channelled her passion for helping others into a platform that’s changing lives. Her story inspires us to tackle the issues we care about and reminds us that success often lies in doing what truly matters.