Name of the Society shall be the "INDIAN RHEUMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION" (hereafter referred to as "IRA" or "ASSOCIATION").

The registered office of the Association shall remain in India and at present is at the following address:
D-110, Defence Colony,
New Delhi 110024.

The area of operation of IRA shall be all over India.

a) The main aims and objects for which the Association is established are the advancement of management, training and research in musculo-skeletal disorders and arthritis; ie Rheumatology and for this purpose:-

To arrange lectures, symposia, seminars, panel discussions and CME (continuing medical education) meetings in India, by the Members of the Medical profession (Indian and Overseas) interested in Rheumatology and who have extensive clinical experience and / or have conducted original work in this field.

To demonstrate or lecture / demonstrate cases of clinical interest in the field of Rheumatology.

To impart current knowledge in Rheumatology to the Physicians, general practitioners, post-graduate students and others who are interested in Medicine and Rheumatology.

To arrange refresher courses for general practitioners in Rheumatology.

To participate and actively assist in any support group for arthritis, that may be initiated by patients or their relatives.

To print a journal of the Association called- 'Journal of Indian Rheumatology Association'- JIRA.

To commission and publish general information pamphlets and booklets on Rheumatological disorders, for distribution to patients, general practitioners or laymen of the public.

To associate with the activities of academic and other bodies with identical aims and objectives as those of this Association and to cooperate with such bodies in the furtherance of the aims and objectives of this Association such as, JLAR (The International League of Associations for Rheumatology) and APLAR (Asia Pacific League of Association for Rheumatology).

To raise funds and acquire property (movable and / or immovable) in order to promote the various activities of the Association.

The confer grants, fellowships, research scholarships or travel grants to deserving applicants, who would undertake research in various Rheumatological diseases.

To possess all the intellectual proprietary rights, document, information, design, preparatory work, software, invention or research paper created on behalf of the society.

To do all such lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects or any one of them.

b) The Association may perform all such acts as may be considered necessary or conductive to the attainment of the aforesaid objects.

Interpretation: In these Rules and Regulations unless there be anything in the subject or context therewith:

a) The Society means "INDIAN RHEUMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION" (hereinafter referred to as the "IRA" or "Association")

b) The Members means the members of the society for the time being.

c) The Office bearers mean the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer for the time-being, of the society.

d) The Annual General Meeting and Special General Meeting mean such general meetings of the society as are convened and held under the rules of the society in force.

e) The Meeting means all the meeting other than annual and special general meetings of the society.

f) A Resolution means a resolution of the society duly passed and adopted.

g) The Seal means the seal of the society.

h) An Year means the financial year of the society commencing from the 1st April of every year to the 31st March of the next year.

i) The IRACON means the annual national conference of the Indian Rheumatology Association.

j) The 'EC' means the Executive Committee or Governing Body of the Society.

k) The JIRA means the Journal of Indian Rheumatology Association.

l) The APLAR means Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology.

m) The ILAR means International League of Associations for Rheumatology.

n) The Person in good standing means a Life Member of IRA who has no outstanding dues towards the Association.

o) The Organising Secretary means the Member designated by the executive committee, as the Organising Secretary for the next IRACON.

The Name of the Association shall be "INDIAN RHEUMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION" (hereafter referred to as the "IRA" or "Association").

The Registered Office of the Association shall be situated at:

D-110, Defence Colony,
New Delhi 110024.

To change the principal / registered office for the transaction of the business of the society from one location to another within India, to fix and locate from time to time one or more branch offices of the society within or outside the state of Delhi and to apply and take necessary steps before authorities fro permission etc. as required under law.

Orations will be awarded by a committee comprising: IRA President, IRA Secretary and 'IRACON' Chairman scientific committee. In case any one of these three members is an applicant himself/herself, the President of IRA would co-opt 1 senior member in his/her place. The selection of Dr. MN Passey Award shall be made by the Credentials Committee of IRA.

Medals, certificates and payment for travel will be the responsibility of secretary IRA. However, the orations will be included in the scientific programme of 'IRACON' by the scientific committee and information regarding the orations will be included in the pre-conference mailers. The orations and their details are as follows:

Annual IRA Oration: this oration is in recognition of one's contribution to the field of Rheumatology in India. It includes a medal and return apex / economy-class airfare. The applicant should be a continuous life-member of IRA for 10 years and should not have received any IRA oration in the past. The application should be accompanied with a curriculum vitae and a one-page essay on the applicant's contribution to rheumatology.

Zydus Oration: this oration is in recognition of one's scientific contribution to the field of rheumatology. It includes a medal and a certificate. The applicant should be a continuous life-member of IRA for 5 years and should not have received any IRA oration in the past. The application should be accompanied with a curriculum vitae and reprints of the candidate's 5 best publications.

Kol-Kon 2000 Oration: instituted by West Bengal chapter of IRA it includes a medal and apex / economy class airfare. It is in recognition of one's overall contribution to rheumatology, particularly in propagating rheumatology by way of public lectures, publishing articles related to patient education and awareness programmes, conducting CME programmes, enrolment of members etc. The prospective candidate must be a continuous life-member of IRA for 10 years and should not have received any other oration of IRA in the past. Application should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and a one-page essay on the applicant's contribution to rheumatology.

Dr MN Passey Award For Distinguished Services: Instituted by the Delhi Rheumatology Association in memory of its former President, Padam Shri Late Dr MN Passey, this award is bestowed on the senior (Emeritus) members of IRA for their contribution to Rheumatology in India. It carries an award certificate, medal and Rs 15,000/- to be presented to the recipient during Inaugural Ceremony of IRACON. There is no formal application for this award. Members of the IRA may nominate eminent persons for this award. This award shall be presented during the Inaugural Ceremony of IRACON.

DRA Young Investigator Award : Instituted by the Delhi Rheumatology Association, this award is meant to encourage budding rheumatologists. A cash award of Rs 5000/- is given to a young investigator below 40 years for the best paper presented during IRACON. This selection is made by the Scientific Committee of IRACON. This award shall be presented during the valedictory function of IRACON.

All the provisions of the Act (Punjab Amendment Act 1957) as extended to the Union Territory of the Delhi will apply to the Association.

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