Introduction Every human being has certain irreducible barest minimum needs such as right to fresh air, potable water, nutritious food, clothing, health, medical care and treatment, clean and hygienic living accommodation, proper sanitation, personal hygiene, speedy trial if involved in criminal offence, and so on. Deprivation from any one of these needs amounts to violence to the person. Human dignity is the quintessence of human rights. Every human being is entitled to be treated with dignity, decency and equality regardless of the fact that they are born differently, grow differently, have different mental makeup, thought process and life-style. Denial of dignity would mean denial of human rights. A mentally ill person is neither a non-human nor a half human; he/she is as much a complete human being and is entitled to the same inalienable human rights as available to other normal human beings. He/she is entitled to be treated with dignity, decency and equality as any other human being and cannot and should not be discriminated against. He also has a right to rehabilitation and reintegration with family, community and mainstream society. Mental illness represents a range of diverse conditions where serious infringement of human rights can occur from deprivation of a person’s dignity and right to life, to complete denial of rights to lead a fulfilling life. Since a mentally ill person is unable to fend for himself/herself, having regressed into that state of body and mind where he/she has lost the insight into the essence of human existence, he/ she is in need of social defence. Such a defence must be jointly provided by the caregiver members of his family as well as care givers of the mental health hospital, i.e. Medical Officers and paramedics. In case, the caregivers of the family do not rise to the occasion, the care givers of the hospital should not fail in helping the patients. Human rights of the mentally ill at home ● ● ● The mentally ill person should be treated with dignity, decency, kindness and compassion; Information that someone at home has been afflicted by mental illness should not be suppressed on account of prejudices that such disclosure will adversely affect the interests of that person and image of the family; Mentally ill person should be taken to mental health hospital immediately without any delay for check-up, diagnosis and admission if considered necessary by the Psychiatrist/ClinicaI Psychologist. Care and Treatment in Mental Health Institutions– Some Glimpses in the Recent Period 9