Vinay Nair came to Australia in 2003 after missing out on the chance to study in the United States. However, despite being trained as an engineer, he soon discovered that he ‘loved people more than hardware.’
Based in Melbourne, Nair is deeply engaged in the community, focusing on mental health.
His first encounter with mental health was during his initial years in Brisbane. He had enrolled at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to study IT. He chose Brisbane for its weather and peacefulness, a welcome change from the crowded city of Bangalore.
But it was a time before Facebook, and Nair knew few people. He found himself in a rut. “Living with my Indian housemates, everything we did was pretty much Indian—eating Indian food, watching Indian movies.”
With limited connections, he felt lost stuck in a cycle of washing dishes, working at 7/11, or driving cabs like others.
When he found a girlfriend from New Zealand who was older and had two children, he felt like he was in “a taboo on top of a taboo.” However, her experiences with mental health would alter his career trajectory.
“There were challenges. We both didn’t have families around us for support,” says Nair. When his girlfriend was taken to the hospital, he asked the nurse what he could do to help. The nurse replied, “Nothing. Just get her cigarettes.” Nair thought that wasn’t a helpful response.
“I didn’t really see the hospital being supportive of somebody’s mental health,” he reflects. “Yes, the rooms were great, she was fed well, but there was no care or compassion.”
So, Nair began focusing on supporting her, and through that process, he became an advocate for mental health.
“The hospital had a reference group for people with mental health experiences and their carers. I also discovered that I was a carer and that I had a voice.”
Nair got involved in advocacy work driven by his unique perspective as a brown man with caregiving experience, “which isn’t common”. He volunteered for the first reference group created for the Queensland government’s multicultural mental health plan in 2008-2009.
“I was driven by the passion that nobody goes through this isolating process by themselves.”
When he sought his own counselling, realising he was on a similar path, he found the process eye-opening.
“I felt safe talking about who I am without being judged. Growing up in an Indian household, it was always about judgement and being told what to do,” he says.
This experience led him to study counselling to help others, especially men, feel safe. Although he had completed his Master in Information Systems from QUT, he didn’t attend the graduation, saying, “I didn’t feel connected to the course.”
However, Nair began working in IT, developing software, and assisting clients with issues. His boss frequently received feedback like, “Clients love you,” highlighting his knack for building relationships.
At the same time, supporting his partner led him to reconsider his career path. He completed a four-year counselling course in just two years and transitioned from IT to mental health. His parents, who had expected him to work for Google or Yahoo, were devastated, Nair laughs.
“For me, the focus was on making a difference and having an impact.”
Since moving to Melbourne after he parted with his girlfriend, Nair has worked as a workplace well-being consultant, Mental Health First Aid instructor, and counsellor. He runs his consultancy, Stride Network, and serves on the boards of several organisations.
Notably, he co-facilitated the launch of Hindi resources for R U OK?, a leading Australian suicide prevention charity, and is set to roll out workshops nationwide.
Stepping into founding roles came naturally to him, thanks to his extensive volunteering experience. “I tell people, if you want to pursue something you’re passionate about, start by volunteering. As migrants, it’s also difficult to find a job straight away.”
Nair’s community involvement extends to joining the board of Greenbrook Community House during COVID, working with Mentoring Men, and serving on the board of Kintsugi Heroes, which shares stories of overcoming adversity. He also runs a ‘walk and talk’ group every Saturday.
He is now developing a community orientation programme to help newcomers connect with their neighbours. “When I moved here, I had no friends and couldn’t speak to my neighbours. So, I thought, why not create an orientation programme for newcomers?”
Nair and his wife started Curry It Up Indian Cooking classes in 2017 to discuss mental health, but had to pause due to COVID and the birth of their children. “I’ll restart it,” he says.
People, especially from multicultural backgrounds, do want to talk about mental health more and more, but they are just not sure who to talk to about it, says Nair. “I want to create that space where people feel comfortable talking.”
The challenge, especially in multicultural communities, is the subtle discrimination against mental health issues. “Parents who migrated here often don’t understand, while their children do, yet it’s the younger generation that’s most vulnerable. One in two young people face mental health issues annually. Are parents equipping themselves?”
Over time, Nair’s view of mental health has shifted from seeing it as an irreversible struggle to recognising a mental breakdown as a breakthrough—an opportunity to make positive changes.
“It’s a chance to turn things around, not the end of the world. I strive to carry hope for others,” he says.
The Indian Sun acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.
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