1st
International Neuropsychiatry Association
(INA) India Symposium 2004
Prof.
Sharada Menon receiving the Lifetime Achievement
Award
The neurosciences
as a discipline have flourished in India
for over 6 decades, with India being one
of the first countries in the Asian region
to introduce formal higher specialty training
in neurology and psychiatry. However, the
interface between these specialities has
been traditionally neglected, with neurologists
and psychiatrists having little opportunity
for academic dialogue with one another.
This void in Indian training and the emergence
of Neuropsychiatry as a specialty in India
coincided with the organization of the First
INA-India Symposium in Chennai, south India,
in January 2004. Hosted by The Institute
of Neurological Sciences at Voluntary Health
Services Medical Centre, the symposium was
received enthusiastically by neurologists
and psychiatrists in India, with about 200
registrants attending this first meeting.
Prof.
Moises Gaviria delivering the
17th
K Gopalakrishna Endowment Lecture
entitled
"Mind, Brain and Music"
The symposium
began with a public oration, the 17th K
Gopalakrishna Endowment Lecture, delivered
by Moises Gaviria, President of INA, entitled
"Mind, Brain and Music". Using examples
from western classical music, Prof. Gaviria
regaled the audience of over 300 people
including many lay intelligentsia, about
the neuropsychiatry of music. This lecture
generated considerable interest and awareness
about neuropsychiatry, with over 20 press
reports appearing in the national media.
Indeed, the photograph of Prof. Moises Gaviria
receiving the award made it to the national
page of some of India's most prestigious
broadsheets such as "The Hindu".
Prof.
Moises Gaviria receiving the award and
Scroll from Mr.Narayanan
The symposium
that followed was interesting and engaging,
with significant audience participation
over 2 days. Perminder Sachdev (Australia),
Constantin Soldatos (Greece), Anthony David
(UK) and ES Krishnamoorthy (India) comprised
the international faculty, and were complimented
by local stalwarts Prof. Krishnamoorthy
Srinivas & Prof. AV Srinivasan (Neurologists);
Prof. Sharada Menon, Prof. Ponnudurai and
Prof. Nambi (Psychiatrists). A range of
topics in neuropsychiatry epilepsy, movement
disorders, sleep, depression and schizophrenia
were addressed in this symposium, providing
neurologists and psychiatrists with an excellent
platform to engage in academic debate. It
was decided during this meeting to form
an Indian chapter of INA (INA-India) and
to hold the 2nd INA-India meeting in Chennai,
in September 2005. For more details about
INA-India and its proposed activities contact
Prof. ES Krishnamoorthy on info@nsig.org
