In a first, two inmates of Institute of Mental Health tie the knot

Chennai, Oct 28: In a first for the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), two of its residents who recovered with treatment, fell in love and tied the knot in Chennai's Kilpauk. The couple married on October 28, a first in the 200-year-old history of the institute.

According to a report, Mahendran, 42, from Chennai, is being treated for bipolar affective disorder reportedly caused by stress in his family while Deepa, 36, from Vellore, struggled to deal with her father's death and became despondent. Both had sought mental health treatment two years ago at Chennai's IMH, where they fell in love with one another.

Currently, Mahendran is working at a daycare centre at the campus while Deepa works at Cafe R'vive, a cafe run by the inmates of IMH and a restauranteur in Kilpauk.

In 2016, Deepa was admitted to the institute after she was struggling to process the demise of her father and the turn of events following that at her home. Mahendran was also admitted during the same period after a bitter fight between relatives over family properties.

A few months ago, two of them were moved from a ward to "Half Way Home", a building in the campus, housing people who are on the path to complete recovery.

Meanwhile, IMH director Poorna Chandrika said, love has won. She also explained about how Deepa told her the reason why she should marry Mahendran and how she can thrive by that.

IMH was founded by East India Company in 1794 to initially treat 20 Europeans with mental illness. IMH is the second-largest mental hospital in India.