History

HISTORY OF INDIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
IN MADHYA PRADESH
 

The History of Medical Association in Madhya Pradesh starts even before the start of Indian Medical Association. About 98 years ago on 25^th December 1921, Medical Practitioners of Jabalpur, Dr. S.N. Barat, Dr. B.B. Chatterjee, Dr. K.L. Bhave, Dr. S.C. Belapurkar, Dr. T.B. Sarwate, Dr. P.V. Misra and Dr. G.N. Harshe, the Sapta Rishis on the horizon of Medical Profession of the time were chit chatting and Dr. S.N. Barat proposed the formation of Medical Association and thus the Association was born on the auspicious day 25^th December 1921 to lead the Medical Professionals for ever. In the beginning the meeting used to be held at the Residence of the members in rotation, where matters of clinical importance were discussed. Dr. L.N. Choudhary and Dr. T. George De’Silva joining the Association three years later brought some life in the Association. Late Dr. S.N. Barat and Late Dr. B.B. Chatterjee were the founder President and Secretary of the Association. 

In the year 1928 the Indian Medical Association was founded and this Association readily affiliated itself to it. Dr. De’Silva, Dr. K.L. Bave and Dr. T.B. Sarwate were the first Delegates from M.P. for the All India conference at Calcutta in 1931. Thus years passed off and the Association flourished day by day. Dr. George De’Silva became the All India President in 1938 and brought honor to the Association. In the year 1948 while celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the JABALPUR MEDICAL ASSOCIATION under the President ship of Late Dr. G.G. Subhedar who conceived the idea of formation of State Medical Association affiliated to the All India Medical Association. Dr. Jivraj Mehta who was the Chief Guest to inaugurate the function helped a lot to affiliate it to the Central Body of Indian Medical Association. An ad-hoc body was formed with Dr. G. De’Silva as the President. Thus the Association at Jabalpur was the first to initiate the formation of the State Branch. The first State Medical Conference was held in the premises of Hitkarni High School and was presided by Dr. Cholkar. The office was then shifted to Nagpur. 

With the reorganization of the states in 1956 the present Madhya Pradesh was formed which included state of Madhya Bharat, Bhopal, Vindhya Pradesh and Mahakoshal area and it was decided to make JABALPUR as State Headquarters of the M.P. State Branch. Dr. R.N. Chatterjee came in the picture as a hard and devoted soldier and became the founder State Secretary of the new State Branch. In the beginning the new State Branch has about 31 branches and today there are about 67 active Branches with about 9500 members. This proves that the Association is gaining strength day by day. 

The first President of the reorganized State Branch was Late Dr. C.K. Bhalerao of Raipur with Dr. R.N. Chatterjee as founder State Secretary. Dr. G. De’Silva from Jabalpur was the first National President of IMA from our State. Dr. G.S. Wagle, Indore (1968-69), Dr. R.N. Chatterjee, Jabalpur (1981-82), Dr. B.C. Chhaparwal, Indore (1994-95) were the other Past State President who were elected on National President. They have brought honour to the State Branch. In the same way Dr. L.P. Khare, Dr. R.G. Gour, Dr. B.C. Chhaparwal, Dr. D.R. Haryani, Dr. S.N. Goyal and Dr. Arvind Jain are the other Past State Presidents who honoured the State Branch by being elected as Vice Presidents of IMA HQ. The first State conference was held at Jabalpur in 1958 since then the Annual Conference is being held at various places in State. We had the privilege to hold the conference in the remote Tribal District of Madhya Pradesh at Jagdalpur also. So also the State Office has organized two conferences at Pachmarhi, the Queen of Satpuda Hills.…………………………………...

The IMA House Building is of IMA Jabalpur Branch, constructed in the year 1969 on the Government Leased Land which housed IMA MP State Branch Office. The Jabalpur Branch was planning to reconstruct the IMA Building and the State Branch contributed Rs. 11,00,000/- (Rupees Eleven Lakhs) to IMA Jabalpur Branch in the year 2007. The old IMA Building had been demolished for construction of new building, the State Office & IMA Urban Family Welfare Cum MCH Centre was required to be temporary shifted to some other hired premises till the construction of new Building. Dr. Arvind Jain, Past State President offered his Clinic premise, free of cost for running of State Office & IMA Urban Family Welfare Cum MCH Centre. The State Office and IMA Urban Family Welfare Cum MCH Centre has been shifted to Vijaya Memorial Medicare & Research Center, 806, Golbazar in February 2015 and is still housed there.     

Jabalpur had organized National Conferences in year 1968-69 and Indore had organized National Conferences twice, in year 1987 and 2008. Jabalpur had a privilege of organizing two Central Working Committee Meetings one in year 1999 and other in 2013.

The State Branch is taking great interest in keeping the Medical Professionals updated with the latest developments in the Medical Science. IMA College of General Practitioner at State as well as at All India level has been established for this job. Even at Branch level CGP Sub-Faculties are working for the same and are conducting continuing Medical Education Programs under the guidance of State and Headquarter. The M.P. State faculty office of CGP is at Indore. The Association Awards Fellowship of college of General Practitioner (FCGP). The examination is held twice a year. 

IMA Academy of Medical Specialist was started in the year 1982-83 to bring specialist to the IMA fold. Dr. R.N. Chatterjee, Dr. J.N. Seth and Dr. Vishnu K. Gupta of Jabalpur are the founder fellows of the Academy from M. P. State Branch. 

The Association is fighting for the cause of Medical profession whether in service or in Private Practice. The State Branch is submitting it’s comments and suggestions to the State Medical Authorities as and when required, as well as fighting against quackery. The IMA has also opposed the implementation of Consumer’s Protection Act on Medical Professionals. The IMA has always supported Govt. in implementation National Health Program. The members of the Association are doing a lot of work under Family Planning Program. Some branches are running Family Planning Centers.

A full time Urban Family Welfare Cum MCH Centre is being run by I.M.A. M.P. State Branch at Jabalpur since 1959. The Centre has a Medical Officer and other essential Nursing Staff and Health Workers. The Centre is covering the population of approximately 50,000. The grant for above center is being received from Government. The centre has been a support to the State Government for Family Planning and MCH Work. The centre Co-ordinate with District Hospital, Medical College and Private Nursing Homes for RCH Programme and also promotes and organize all Governments Health Programs. Regular Free OPD and vaccinations are also done in the centre.

The State chapter with the association of Headquarter has organized a number of Workshops in the State viz. - Workshop on Malaria, which was held at various branches in the state. Emergency Contraceptives, No Scalpel Vasectomy held at Jabalpur Contraceptive update, Anemia and Adolescent Health was held at Bhopal. 

The Association is doing Social Service through its branches. The Branches are organizing Eye Camps, Diagnostic Camps and many other such activities which are beneficial to the suffering humanity. These days mass immunization work is also being done by the members. The Association takes part in the Social Service works organized by and in cooperation with the service clubs - viz Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, Giants Group etc.  

The IMA MP State Branch is registered under section 12AA(1)(b)(i) and 80-G of Income Tax Act 1961 with effect from 1^st April 2015. The application for the same was filed on 20^th November 2015 to the Commissioner of Income Tax (Exemption) at Bhopal and on 20^th May 2016 the order was passed.

To encourage the members of the Association the State Branch is conferring various Awards. Awards are also being given to Medical Students of the State. The Awards are:- 

1. Charak Award 
2. Dr. B. C. Roy Oration Award
3. Dr. S.K. Khanijo IMA MP State Oration Award
4. Dr. R. A. Bhagwat memorial Award
5. Padmabhushan Dr. S. K. Mukherjee Memorial Award.
6. Life Time Achievement Award

The Awards for the branches are:- 

1. Dr. R.G. Gour Trophy – for overall best branch.
2. Late Shri Khyali Lal Nahar Trophy – for best Scientific Activities.
3. Best Social Activities Award
4. Membership Drive (Big Branch) Award
5. Membership Drive (Small Branch) Award
6. Best Zonal Chairman

The State Branch has also the honour to get prizes from the IMA Headquarter from time to time viz.
Best State Branch doing UNIVERSAL, IMMUNISATION DAY and CHILD SURVIVAL WEEK in the year 1986 – Dr. O. P. Sharma, State President & Dr. P. A. Philip, State Secretary.

1. ORAL REHYDERATION THERAPY AWARD – 1986 – 87.
2. Best State Faculty of IMA CGP Award was received during the Calcutta Conference.
3. I.M.A. Dr. C.L. Jhaveri Family Planning Award for Best State Branch in the field of Family Planning in the year 2011 – Dr. P.N. Tejanker, State President & Dr. Arun Malhotra, State Secretary. 
4. Dean’s Appreciation Award for State CGP Chapter to IMA MP CGP in the year 2013.
5. Dr. Pulla Rao Award (CGP) for Membership Growth Award in the year 2014. 

For the Last 41 years the State Branch is publishing a News Letter, which gives information about various branch activities and important letter from HQ Office. Recent Scientific articles of common interest have become a regular feature making the News Letter more interesting. This is one of the best sources of communication between the office and member. The News Letter is being posted to all members from the State Office. 

This is just sketch of the activities and achievements of our association. We all should be proud that the tiny flickering lamp lit by our venerable predecessors has become a glorious blazing torch in the gone by ninety five years. We are confident that the same will brighten the path of our organization enabling it to soar to even higher pinnacles of glory. 

We wish and pray to the Almighty that by the time we meet to celebrate the centenary celebrations of the Association, IMA will have attained the status of the most glittering jewel amongst the National bodies, and to that end let us all strive with all our sincerity and strength.   

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