New Delhi, Oct. 28 -- On a humid evening in Mumbai, a group of women gather at their neighbourhood chai stall. The conversations drift easily between recipes, school fees, and neighbourhood gossip. To an outsider, it's just another everyday moment in India's teeming cities. But for one woman, who has been silently battling thoughts of giving up on life, that cup of tea and the warmth of familiar chatter act as a lifeline. She may never put it into words, but the casual camaraderie of these interactions keeps her tethered, reminding her that she still belongs.

Across India, countless such small, ordinary gestures such as chai breaks, shared meals, WhatsApp group check-ins, neighbours dropping by, function as quiet safety nets against desp...