Indian Psychiatric Society Information

The Indian Psychiatric Society, the national organization of psychiatrists in India, was founded on 7th January 1947 during the Indian Science Congress meeting held in New Delhi. The organization holds its origins in 1929 when Col Berkley Hill founded The Indian Association of Mental Hygiene affiliated to the National Council for Mental Hygiene in Great Britain which ceased to function after a few years. Later the Indian division of the Royal Medico Psychological Association (RMPA) was formed in 1939 at the initiative of Dr. Banarasi Das. Later, The Indian division of RMPA was dissolved after the formation of the Indian Psychiatric Society. Lt Col J E Dhunjibhoy was the first president of the Indian Psychiatric Society who shifted to Pakistan after partition and his place were taken over by Dr. N N De. Major R B Davis was elected as the first Secretary and Treasurer. The Society held its first Annual General Meeting on 2nd January 1948 during the Annual Conference at Patna under the Presidentship of Dr. N N De. The Society was registered at Patna on 30 December 1948 under the Societies Act XXI of 1860. The Memorandum of Association had ten members. It was decided that the Society would hold its annual meeting in conjunction with the Indian Science Congress.