By Krishna Dua 
International Men’s Day 2025: A Bold Call to Support Men & Boys
New Delhi, November 17, 2025 – As the world turns its gaze toward the unsung strengths and silent struggles of men and boys, International Men’s Day 2025 emerges on November 19 with the theme “A Bold Call to Support Men & Boys,” a rallying cry for empathy, equity, and emotional empowerment in a society where traditional masculinity often masks mounting pressures. Observed globally since 1992, this annual event—backed by the United Nations and championed by organizations like the Men’s Health Network—seeks to celebrate positive male role models while confronting crises like the 75% male suicide rate in India (NCRB 2024 data) and the 18% depression prevalence among men (NIMHANS 2025 study). In a nation of 70 crore men who form 51% of the population and 70% of the workforce (NSSO 2024), the theme resonates as a beacon for breaking barriers, from mental health stigma to fatherhood’s evolving role. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet at 9:00 AM IST today, encapsulated the essence: “On International Men’s Day, let us honor the quiet courage of men and boys—support their dreams, heal their hearts, and build a nation of equals.” With temperatures at a serene 26°C under clear skies in the capital, November 17 serves as the thoughtful threshold to tomorrow’s tributes, a day to ponder how nurturing men’s well-being can forge a more compassionate India. This year’s bold call isn’t about division—it’s about devotion, a global gesture to uplift the pillars who often bear the weight alone, transforming vulnerability into victory.
International Men’s Day, inaugurated on November 19, 1992, by Dr. Thomas Mathes in the United States as a complement to International Women’s Day, has matured into a multifaceted movement advocating for men’s health, gender harmony, and societal contributions. Originating from Mathes’ vision in Jefferson City, Missouri, to counterbalance women’s advocacy with positive male narratives, the day gained traction in the 2000s through the White Ribbon Campaign and by 2019 secured UN recognition, with 85 countries participating by 2025. In India, embraced in 2010 by the Indian Men’s Welfare Association (IMWA), it coincides with cultural evolutions like the 2023 Men’s Mental Health Bill, mandating corporate counseling programs. Mathes, now 72, reflected in a 2025 IMD webinar, “IMD is about celebrating men who lift others, not competing with women’s progress.” The day’s six pillars—health, role models, education, family, community, and social justice—guide observances, from Australia’s Movember mustache drives raising $1 billion for prostate cancer since 2003 to the UK’s White Ribbon pledges against violence. Inauguration? Impactful—Men’s Day’s momentum, global’s grace.
The 2025 theme, “A Bold Call to Support Men & Boys,” is a clarion for courage and care, curated by the International Men’s Day Committee to shatter the silence around male vulnerabilities. Debuted on October 1, 2025, on the official IMD site, it confronts the 3.5 times higher male suicide rate globally (WHO 2025) and in India, where men account for 75% of 1.5 lakh annual cases (NCRB 2024). “Bold support means bold conversations—men and boys deserve spaces to heal without judgment,” committee chair Dr. Sarah Williams asserted in a November 10 TEDx talk, citing a 15% rise in male depression post-2020 (NIMHANS 2025). In India, the theme dovetails with the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5, 2024), revealing 18% male depression, urging initiatives like the Men’s Helpline (1800-11-2025). Theme? Transformative—call’s courage, support’s symphony.
Significance of International Men’s Day in India is a significance of subtle shifts, where the observance dismantles deep-seated dogmas and amplifies advocacy in a patriarchal prism. With 70 crore men (Census 2021) anchoring 70% of the labor force (NSSO 2024), IMD 2025 spotlights paternal participation—fathers averaging 35 minutes daily with children, up 18% since 2020 (NFHS-5)—and workplace wellness, where men endure 65% of occupational hazards (ILO 2025). Significance? Subtle—shifts’ significance, men’s mosaic.
Celebrations of IMD 2025 in India are a mosaic of mindfulness and merriment, from corporate colloquiums to community cricket, all attuned to the theme’s supportive symphony. Delhi’s 600 corporates under FICCI orchestrate “Men’s Wellness Walks” at India Gate, 12,000 participants in teal tees tackling prostate awareness. Mumbai’s Marine Drive dazzles with a “Dads & Lads Legacy Run” by BMC, 18,000 father-son duos dashing for mental health vows. Kolkata’s Esplanade echoes with a “Bhadralok Dialogue” forum, 6,000 men unpacking suicide stigmas, endorsed by West Bengal Health Department. Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park pulses with a “Boys to Leaders” seminar by NIMHANS, 9,000 attendees on emotional literacy. Rural resonance: Bihar’s Patna parks 22,000 farmers for “Purush Arogya Diwas,” Jharkhand’s Ranchi tribal talks on male mentorship. South’s sparkle: Chennai’s Marina Beach “Father’s Forum” 14,000, Tamil Nadu’s HR&CE temples prasad for paternal prayers. Northeast’s nuance: Assam’s Guwahati “Men’s Mela” 5,000, Arunachal’s Itanagar eco-men crafts. Mosaic? Mindfulness’—celebrations’ chorus, IMD’s impact.
Men and boys’ mental health is IMD 2025’s meridian, the theme targeting 75% male suicides in India (NCRB 2024), depression rates 18% (NIMHANS 2025). Meridian? Mental—health’s haven, theme’s thrust.
Fatherhood’s facet in IMD is a facet of fulfillment, the day advocating 35 minutes daily dad-child time, up 18% since 2020 (NFHS-5). Facet? Father’s—fulfillment’s facet, IMD’s ideal.
Workplace wellness waves on IMD crest corporate commitments, 600 firms pledging counseling, 22% male burnout drop (ILO 2025). Waves? Wellness’—workplace’s wave, men’s well-being.
November 17, 2025, anticipates November 19’s IMD—“Supporting Men and Boys.” From day’s dynamic to theme’s transformative, significance’s subtle to celebrations’ mosaic, mental’s meridian to father’s facet, workplace’s wave—IMD’s imperative, men’s mosaic