What’s Delhi-NCR’s cure for urban loneliness. Its hobby clubs, game nights and more

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Across the globe, individuals and communities are proactively combating the loneliness epidemic through a mix of personal initiative, community programmes, and innovative social infrastructure. Their stories show that while modern life presents challenges, purposeful action can create meaningful connections.

The WHO estimates that one in six people across the globe experiences loneliness — a crisis believed to contribute to nearly 100 deaths every hour. Rapid urban migration, fewer chances for meaningful in-person interactions, and mounting work-life pressures are deepening social disconnection, The Indian Express reported.

Akanksha Dikshit, 28, works as a consultant in Gurgaon. Like many whose work routines shifted during the Covid-19 pandemic, she continues to operate remotely.

As a result, she spends most of her day on Microsoft Teams, interacting with digital versions of colleagues. By the time she logs off, she’s usually too drained to do much more than relax with her favourite shows, Modern Family and The Office.

So, after spending the entire week glued to screens, Dikshit turns to dinners and game nights hosted in the homes of strangers. That’s where she heads every weekend for her dose of calm and a much-needed digital detox.

The newspaper reported that many of these people are like her – socially stunted by the pandemic, and looking for ways to build a social life and counter their loneliness.

A June 2025 report by the WHO’s Commission on Social Connection estimated that one in six people worldwide experienced loneliness between 2014 and 2023. It linked loneliness to roughly 100 deaths every hour — over 871,000 each year — and highlighted the pandemic and rising digital dependence as major contributors.

According to the Ipsos Global Survey 2021, at least 45% of urban Indians felt lonelier post-pandemic, and 43% said they often felt they had no friends.

The WHO report described loneliness as a form of social disconnection — “a negative, subjective emotional state resulting from a discrepancy between one’s desired and actual experience of connection.” It distinguished this from social isolation, which it defined as “the objective state of having few roles, relationships and social interactions with others.”

How food and games are bringing strangers together

“It’s a more relaxed space than a restaurant. You end up meeting more people while enjoying a unique food experience,” Archit Agarwal, 30, and Natasha Ratti, 29, the couple behind The Lost Table, told The Indian Express. “Before the Diwali theme, we hosted a Turkish-inspired dinner.”

Agarwal and Ratti, who both hold full-time corporate jobs in Gurgaon, host private, curated dinners twice every other week, charging around ₹3,000 per person.

“When we started 18 months ago, we hosted six people once a month. Now, we serve 32 people a month,” Agarwal was quoted as saying.

The idea of The Lost Table works well for Dikshit. She has attended four dinners so far.

Priyans M, a 33-year-old businessman who relocated from Mumbai to Delhi three years ago, attended The Lost Table along with his wife.

“When you move cities, it’s hard to make friends. I have friends all over the world, but they’re not in the same city as I am. I schedule calls and talk to them but that’s not the same as meeting people in real life,” he said.

Loneliness has become "epidemic" in Delhi-NCR

Clinical psychologist Ashima Gupta told the newspaper that loneliness has become an “epidemic” in Delhi-NCR.

“Communities are shrinking, and the fast-paced lifestyle leaves little time for meaningful connections,” she was quoted as saying.

According to Gupta, the 25-45 age group is especially vulnerable to loneliness. “For a lot of people, this is a phase of major transitions, from student to working adult, and responsibilities pile up. The need to upskill and compete for jobs often leads to social life getting sidelined,” she said.

Gupta feels that meetups with strangers are a useful first step in addressing loneliness, but warns that their impact is ultimately limited.

“Sometimes these gatherings fail to create deeper connections, and can even heighten self-criticism. Unless people see these events as the first step towards lasting relationships, their impact on mitigating loneliness might remain limited.”