Mumbai, 2nd September 2026.

This World Alzheimer’s Month, the Tata Trusts focus attention on Dementia, an important health challenge that could hit India’s elderly population sooner than we imagine. The Trusts’ campaign ‘Vajood Rahe Maujood’, calls for early interventions not just by the affected families but also at an ecosystem level.

India’s elderly population is growing rapidly. By 2050, India is projected to be home to more than 347 million people aged 60 and above.  A population roughly equivalent to the entire population of the United States today. This demographic shift will fundamentally reshape the demands placed on India’s healthcare systems, families and care infrastructure. Ageing and its associated health challenges, including dementia, thus become an urgent area of research and action. 

According to Alzheimer’s & Dementia Journal, 8.8 million elderly people are estimated to be living with dementia in India today. Another study suggested that close to 90% of dementia cases in India go undiagnosed. The scale of the challenge is accelerating rapidly; 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. This underscores why India’s response must go beyond early detection to building a stronger, more collaborative dementia ecosystem.

The campaign film makes use of firsthand accounts from psychiatrists, neurologists and geriatricians, as also caregivers and patients living with early-stage dementia, to highlight the fact that dementia is not merely a disease that causes loss of memory but is actually one where the patients progressively lose their sense of self. ‘Vajood Rahe Maujood’, accordingly, sets out to build awareness around dementia while urging us to be alert to the early symptoms, and not misattribute them to aging.  

Reflecting on the importance of this campaign, Mr. Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Tata Trusts, said, “Dementia will be one of the defining health conversations in India over the next three decades. Our effort is to build a shared, evidence-based understanding of dementia in India, one that looks beyond the disease to the realities of the individual and the caregiver and seeks to build an ecosystem of care around them". 

The campaign builds on the Tata Trusts’ broader work in elder care, which recognises ageing as a development priority that extends beyond healthcare alone. The Trusts’ early work in elder care, including the Elder Spring helpline piloted in Telangana, informed the development of Elder Line (14567), which was subsequently scaled nationally by the Government of India extending access to information, counselling and support for senior citizens. Building on these learnings, the Trusts have expanded their focus to strengthening the wider ecosystem of elder care through social engagement centres, building caregiving infrastructure and bringing greater attention to often-overlooked mental health concerns, including dementia. This includes supporting the Centre for Brain Research - Tata Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TLSA) to build evidence on dementia through community-based research and supporting Dementia India Alliance in strengthening awareness, capacities and the continuum of support and care for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Together, these efforts seek to strengthen the infrastructure, knowledge and capacities needed to respond to the evolving needs of India’s ageing population.

Building on this, Dr. Anura Kurpad, Senior Advisor, Health, said, “People often describe changes in memory, behaviour or everyday functioning simply as old age.  But these changes can be early signs of dementia and should not be dismissed. While there is currently no cure for dementia, an early diagnosis can be transformative. Literature on the subject underscores a critical health prevention window and we need to utilise that through systemic action on modifiable risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and other lifestyle factors". 

Addressing the dementia care gap, Ms. Ramani Sundaram, Executive Director, Dementia India Alliance stated, " Earlydetection of dementia is an important first step, but it cannot exist in isolation. India today has fewer than 50 full-fledged dementia care centers.  We need a stronger, more connected dementia ecosystem- one that supports individuals and caregivers, equips families with resources and knowledge to navigate this difficult journey, and brings healthcare, communities, workplaces and policymakers together to respond proactively and effectively.”

Through their support to this initiative, the Tata Trusts call on healthcare providers, policymakers, corporate employers, and communities to recognise early warning signs and prioritise early medical screening, ensuring that patients retain dignity, agency, and quality of life for as long as possible.