The 39th Annual Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society, Eastern Zonal Branch (CEZIPS 2013) was held in the state of Jharkhand, India at RDCIS Auditorium and Management Training Institute, Steel Authority of India, Shyamali, Ranchi on 26th and 27thof October, 2013. This event was jointly organized by Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi and Indian Psychiatric Society, Jharkhand State Branch. The theme of the conference was “Violence and Suicide”. A total of 336 delegates and accompanying persons registered and attended the conference from all parts of the eastern region including delegates from Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and north-eastern states. The conference started with a CME program on the theme of the conference on 26th October 2013, which was inaugurated by Mr. A.K.Tyagi, the Chairman and Managing Director, SAIL, Ranchi and Mr. S.S. Torka, Director Engineering, MECON, Ranchi.Mr. A. K. Tyagi released the Eastern Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 16, February- August, 2013. Dr. Anil Kumar, Organising Secretary, CEZIPS 2013 delivered the welcome address and Dr. Sanjay K. Munda, Joint OrganisingSecretary, CEZIPS 2013 delivered the vote of thanks.

The first session of the CME was chaired by Prof. Pradeep Kumar Saha, IOP Kolkata and Dr. ToophanPati, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.Dr. Deepa Braganza, Professor of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, Vellore spoke on “Domestic Violence and Gender Relation: Context and Connections” followed by the second lecture on “Mental Health Needs and Challenges of Children in Conflict with Law” by Ms. KalpanaPurushothaman,Senior Professional Councellor- JJP, Centre for Child & Law, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru.

The first session of the CME was followed by the formal inauguration of the Conference by the Hon’ble Governor of Jharkhand, Dr. Syed Ahmed, the chief guest for the event.Other dignitaries present on the dias were Mr. R.S.Poddar, Principle Secretaryto the Governor of Jharkhand, Prof. Asim Kumar Mallick, Secretary, IPS, Prof. S.K.Deuri, Outgoing President, IPS-Eastern Zonal Branch, Dr. T. Sudhir, Incoming President, IPS-Eastern Zonal Branch, Prof. SanjibaDutta, Secretary, IPS-Eastern Zonal Branch, Dr. J Ghosh, Treasurer, IPS-Eastern Zonal Branch, Prof.D.Ram, Director, Central Institute of Psychiatry and Organizing Chairman, CEZIPS-2013 and Dr. Anil Kumar, Organizing Secretary, CEZIPS-2013. Prof. D. Ram delivered the welcome address.Mr. R. S. Poddar released the first ever coloured Photo Membership Directory of the IPS-Eastern Zonal Branch.Prof. S. K. Deuri passed on the Baton of President IPS Eastern Zone to Dr. T. Sudhir.

The Hon’ble Governor of Jharkhand, Dr. Syed Ahmed released the Souvenir of the Conference and stressed upon the alarmingly increasing trend of violence and suicide in the modern day society in his address. The inaugural program was concluded with vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Anil Kumar, Organising Secretary, CEZIPS 2013.

The inaugural program was followed by the second session of the CME which was chaired by Dr. H.K. Goswami, Dibrugarh, Assam and Dr. P.K. Singh, Patna. Lectures delivered in this session were“Substance Abuse and Suicide” by Prof. GautamBandyopadhyaya, Professor of Psychiatry, North Bengal Medical College, WB and “Safeguarding Children Living with Trauma and Violence”by Dr. Neelanjana Paul Asst. Professor of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Kolkata, W.B.

Annual General Body meeting of the IPS Eastern Zonal Branchwas the next event followed by Cultural Program and Banquet in the evening at Hotel Chanakya BNR, Ranchi.

On 27thof October, the day started withthe Presidential Address by Dr. T. Sudhir. He spoke on “Workplace Mental Health”. Later the recipient of L. P. Verma Oration Award (2013), Prof Gopal Chandra Kar delivered his talk on “Stress Management and Role of Bhagwad Gita”which was chaired by Dr. R. K. Brahma, Kolkata.

The third session of the CME had a lecture on “Personality Correlates of Violence and Suicide: Focus on Personality Disorder” by Dr. BaxiNeeraj Prasad Sinha, consultant Psychiatrist, Affective disorders team (Stockton), FP & GP tutor (United Kingdom), whichwas chaired by Prof. Malay Ghosal, Kolkata.Each session of the CME was attended by more than 200 delegates and there were active and lively discussions on relevant matters.

This was followed by customary Award Sessions in which sixteen research papers from entire eastern zone were presented. Three papers competed for the best paper for representation of Eastern Zone for BPSS Award at ANCIPS-2014, for which the paper titled “A novel composite endophenotype in schizophrenia- spontaneous dense array gamma oscillatory activity and minor physical anomalies” by Dr. Sai Krishna Tikka from Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi was adjudged the winner to represent the eastern zone for BPSS Award at ANCIPS-2014. A total of four papers contested for the LeelavatiBholanath Award that was won by Dr. Umesh S. from Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi for his paper “CNV-event related potentials-age related normative data”. Out of the nine papers that competed for the Siddharta Memorial Award, Dr. AnushulKhichy from Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi for his paper “Efficacy of adjunctive low frequency rTMS over supplementary motor area in patients with OCD- A randomized double blind sham controlled study” was adjudged the winner. A total of seven research papers and reports were presented as free papers as well. The final academic event of the conference was the Post Graduate Quiz that saw a total of 9 teams contesting. Team from Institute of Psychiatry, Kolkata comprising Dr. Neha Singh, Dr. BikramadityaJaiswal and Dr. DebpradipChakraverty won the contest. The Conference came to an end with the Valedictory Function and Dinner at Guest House of Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke, Ranchi.

Thanks
Long live IPS & Long live IPS – Eastern Zonal Branch.

Dr. Srikumar Mukherjee
Honorary Secretary,
Indian Psychiatric Society, Eastern Zonal Branch