Dear colleagues and friends,

16th September 1963 was the day Dr. Narendra Nath Wig joined PGIMER Chandigarh, India, as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Medicine, which led to the creation of the Department of Psychiatry later in 1968. This day is celebrated as the Foundation Day of the Department of Psychiatry at PGIMER Chandigarh. On this day, we typically hold a CME and also the Institute hosts the prestigious N.N. Wig Oration. 2023 happens to be the Diamond Jubilee of the Institute, and of the Department. To commemorate this precious year we have decided to hold the Diamond Jubilee International Conference on Mental Health in PGIMER, Chandigarh, India on 14 – 16 September 2023 to commemorate this historic occasion.

Keeping in view the emerging importance of Public Mental Health (Our Department has been recently designated as a World Psychiatric Association Collaborating Centre on this theme), the theme of the Conference is: “Public Mental Health: Mental Health of the people, by the people, for the people”. Several World Associations, including the World Psychiatric Association, World Association of Social Psychiatry, and World Federation for Mental Health, have agreed to be Co-Sponsors for this event or under process to do so soon. We have also applied for CPD/CME credits from the WPA.

Dr. Debasish Basu

Organizing Chairperson
Professor and Head
Department of Psychiatry,
PGIMER, Chandigarh, India