Celebrate the centenary year of IMA’s All India Medical Conference: Wear Khadi

Celebrate the centenary year of IMA’s All India Medical Conference: Wear Khadi In September this year, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will hold the 218th meeting of its Central Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi. This year also marks the 100 years of IMA’s All India Medical Conference, the first of which was held at Calcutta in 1917. The concept of IMA was born out of these conferences in response to a need of a national organization of doctors. A resolution adopted at the 5th All India Medical conference held at Calcutta in the year1928 led to the formation of an All India Medical Association. The objectives were to improve medical education, promote medical and allied sciences in their different branches and safeguard interests of the medical profession. The All Indian Medical Association and the body were duly registered in the year 1930 under the Societies Registration Act, XXI of 1860. At its inception, the Association had only 222 members. But since then it has only grown from strength to strength. Today, IMA has more than 2.5 lakh doctors as its members through more than 1765 active local branches spread across the country. It is the only national voluntary organization representing the collective consciousness of doctors of modern scientific system of medicine in the country, with its Headquarters in New Delhi. This is also a time to remember the struggles and sacrifices of the founding members, both before and post-independence, not only in the formation of the Association, but also for the independence of our country as many of the stalwarts of the medical profession in those days had also served time in jail for their participation in India’s freedom movement. In this centenary year of the All India Medical Conference, we can pay our tribute to our founding fathers by promoting our national heritage. Khadi is one way by which we can do this. It is not merely a piece of fabric, khadi is a powerful symbol of “self-rule” and “self-reliance” of the freedom movement propagated by Mahatma Gandhi as a means to boycott the British textiles. Khadi is made of natural fiber and is non-allergenic; it keeps the body cool as it allows better air circulation with less sweating. Being hand woven and hand spun makes it environment-friendly. By virtue of these properties, does khadi prevent skin infections? This can be a subject of research. All of us should consider wearing Khadi voluntarily, and include it in our daily wear, as much as possible. And, I request all members to wear a ‘Khadi apron’, particularly during the centenary celebrations. And, also on 2nd October, when all doctors of modern medicine in the country will undertake a dawn to dusk fast in continuation of our Dilli Chalo movement. This initiative will be a good way to not only honor our cultural heritage, but also preserve this invaluable legacy and carry it forward. Also, by wearing khadi, doctors can make their contribution in empowering khadi weavers. Wear Khadi with flair, wear khadi with pride…