Dear all,
Greetings from IRA. It’s been an online rendezvous for all of us mostly.
PLEASE GO THROUGH THE ELECTION NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS WRITE UP.
The IRA Webinar series ended February this year – they were well attended and we covered the most relevant topics. It was heartening to discover talented youth from our association who spoke very well and also the question-answer session in the chatbox was testimony to the engagement of the audience. Parallel to it was the IRA Scholar’s meet that also got over the same time around. Fellows were thrilled to interact with senior faculty at the same time participate actively. The sessions were very well attended especially the pathology and radiology ones. The IRA hopes to organize physical meets this year – at least the Scholars but just in case COVID-19 continues its surge, we should be able to do it ONLINE now!
There were also patient awareness meets organized at various parts of the country – Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Vellore, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur to name a few. At other places like Chennai, Mumbai, and Delhi, we were able to organize online zoom meets with patients. The IRA is committed to carrying out more such meetings in the near future. We will soon have such meets in more languages which will be shared on social networking sites.
RA patient awareness meet, Ahmedabad, Feb 21st, 2021 and Jaipur, 3rd March 2021
Hybrid Patient Meet, Bangalore, 20th March 2021
The Lupus meet at Kolkata
Lupus Initiative, Kolkata(LIK) is a Voluntary Health Organization formed in 2009 at Kolkata [Regn no S/1L/91076] to bring together people with lupus with a mission to develop awareness and provide social support. The organization envisages a common platform for all lupus-related activities, including an academic update for physicians and a support program for people with lupus. Like every year, as a part of developing awareness and updating knowledge on lupus, LIK organized Lupus Meet 2021 in a hybrid format at ITC Sonar, Kolkata, on 20th & 21st March 2021. It was a two-day conference on SLE and APS covering different uncommon aspects with guest faculties from India and abroad. More than 200 Rheumatologists, post-doctoral trainees in rheumatology and academicians from all across India participated in the conference physically, and approximately 100 delegates were present virtually. International faculties like Prof. Sayed Atiqul Haq, President APLAR, Prof. David D’ Cruz, Prof. David Karp, Prof. Anisur Rahaman, Prof. Laurent Arnaud, President EuroLupus society were present virtually. They enriched the academic flavour with their extraordinary talks. The meeting was also graced by distinguished national faculties like Prof. D Danda, President-elect APLAR, Dr B G Dharmanand, President-elect IRA, Dr Sapan Pandya, Secretary IRA, and Dr P Shenoy, treasurer IRA and many more. This meeting was a great restart of physical conferences in the post- COVID era and set a perfect example of a hybrid model, the future of all upcoming events.
The Lupus meet, Kolkata, 21/3/21 The organizing team
The IRACON 2021 will be held at the Anvaya Conventions, Financial District, Gachibowli (Hyderabad) from 10th to 12th December ( 9th Pre conference day). Please login to www.iracon2021.com for details and early registration. COVID precautions and practices will be taken care of.
ELECTION NOTICE
Circulation: All Members of IRA
Dear Colleagues
As per the current constitution of IRA, elections shall be held for the following posts, and to contest the candidate should have the following eligibility criteria:
Post |
Number of vacancies |
Eligibility criteria |
President Elect |
One |
Life member of IRA for at least 10 years and should have had at least 3 full terms of 2 years each in any elected position in the EC |
Vice President, Hon Secretary elect, Hon Treasurer |
One each |
Life member of IRA for at least 7 years and should have had at least 2 full terms of 2 years each in any elected position in the EC No member shall be eligible to seek election consecutively or otherwise for more than one tenure of president elect, vice president, secretary elect and treasurer |
Member Executive committee |
Eight (8) |
Life member of IRA for at least 5 years Elected EC members can only have two terms of 2 years each. So can apply if they have done only 1 term as EC member |
Each candidate shall declare in the specifically provided column in the nomination form, the period of his/ her having served the Executive committee. In case at any stage if it is proved that the declaration was false, He / she shall be debarred from contesting elections for a period of 4 years.
The term of the fresh EC shall be for a period of 2 years (till IRACON-2023). Associate members and Overseas members are not eligible to vote or serve on the Executive Committee.
Members wishing to contest for a post in the EC are required to:
Last date of Receipt of Nominations by the Secretariat Dr.Sapan Pandya (Honorary Secretary IRA): 31st May 2021 (5 PM). Nominations received late will not be considered.
Please submit your forms to the following address:
Sapan Pandya
Rheumatic Disease Clinic
4th Floor, Vedanta Institute of Medical Sciences
Near Samved hospital
Navrangpura
Ahmedabad 380009
Email : sapancpandya@yahoo.com
Tel. 09825323812
For any queries regarding IRA election please contact Chief Election officer Dr. Debashish Danda
Address for correspondence:
Dr DebashishDanda
Professor,
Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology
Christian Medical College, Vellur
Mail: debashisdandacmc@hotmail.com
The elections schedule will be as follows:
Process |
Deadline* (up to 5 PM) |
Receipt of Nominations by Secretariat |
May 31st, 2021 |
Intimation to all contestants about their eligibility and also about other members contesting (by Email) |
June 20th, 2021 |
Last date of withdrawals (By email) |
July 15th, 2021 |
*In case the last date is a holiday, then the next working day (5 pm).
Canvassing in any form is not allowed as per the Constitution. Contesting candidate/member, if found indulging in the same, shall be disqualified from the election and shall be debarred from contesting elections for the next 4 years.
With regards.
Yours sincerely
Sapan Pandya
Honorary Secretary
Encl: Nomination Form
NOMINATION FORM
INDIAN RHEUMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION
Executive Committee, Year 2021-23
(You will be able to download the form from the IRA website)
Address: …………………………………………………………………………….
...……………………………………………………………………………
Phone(s): …………………….…………………… Fax: ……………………………
Mobile No…………………………………….Email:……………………………………
Period of EC Membership …………………………
Dates of EC Membership 1. ……………..……2.………………………3…………..…………..
Address: ………………………………………………………………………………
Signature: ……………………..…….
Address: ………………………………………………………………………………
Signature: ……………………..…….
I hereby declare that the above particulars are true and I fulfill the eligibility criteria for the post I am contesting.
I would serve in the EC if I get elected
Signature : …………………………............ Date:…………………………………
For Office Use
Eligible Not eligible