Dear Esteemed Members of the Indian Chest Society,

It is with great pride and optimism that I send this message to you. It is an honour for me to serve the Indian Chest Society which is an organization of qualified Chest Physicians and physicians in the field of Respiratory medicine. We are a non-profit making organization devoted to research, academic, educational and patient welfare activities in respiratory medicine.

Our Society (ICS) has faced several challenges over the past two years, yet we have emerged stronger and more determined in our mission to advance respiratory health in India. The resilience demonstrated by our members, the collective spirit, and the unwavering commitment to our cause have been truly remarkable.

I am pleased to share that, despite all the challenges, we have achieved significant success in our recent events. NAPCON 2024 in Pune was a resounding triumph, with over 3,500 delegates coming together to exchange knowledge and deepen our understanding of respiratory medicine. This could be achieved because of the strong leadership of Dr. Amita Nene and Dr. Nitin Abhyankar. NAPCON 2024 has truly showcased the dedication and passion of our members specially team Pune.

Equally exciting was the ERS India Summit 2025, held in collaboration with the European Respiratory Society, under the able leadership of Dr. Raja Dhar, Secretary of the Indian Chest Society, and Dr. Sundeep Salvi, Past President of ICS. We were honoured to have the President of the European Respiratory Society, Prof. Silke Ryan, along with other members of the ERS leadership, present at all three venues. The summit, held in three vibrant cities—Mumbai, Delhi, and Kochi—attracted nearly 1,200-1,300 delegates, highlighting the growing interest in respiratory medicine in India.

One of the most significant milestones was the restart of the Adult Respiratory Diploma Course (HERMES Diploma Course) in India, after a two-year break. This initiative offers our members an invaluable opportunity for advanced education and certification in respiratory medicine.

We have also continued to make strides in promoting awareness and education through our ICS Webinars on crucial topics such as ILD, Asthma, COPD, and Lung Cancer under the guidance of Dr Amita Nene. These sessions have brought together experts and practitioners from across the country, fostering dialogue and learning on pressing respiratory health issues.

In line with our commitment to supporting young talent, the ICS International Travel Grants have been extended to our members, enabling them to participate in prestigious international conferences such as ERS, ATS, ACCP, and the Lung Health Workshop. These grants offer an invaluable platform for young researchers to present their work and contribute to the global conversation on respiratory health.

Furthermore, Lung India, our bi-monthly publication with an impact factor of 1.3, continues to be a vital resource for the dissemination of research and knowledge in the field of respiratory medicine. It remains a cornerstone of our society’s educational efforts, and I encourage all our members to contribute to its continued success. Dr Parvez Koul, Chief Editor of Lung India and his team deserve an applaud for their contributions.

Looking ahead, we eagerly await NAPCON 2025, which will be held in Jaipur under the able leadership of Dr. N. K. Jain, Dr. Nitin Jain, Dr. Virendra Singh, Dr. S. K. Luhadia, and the entire Jaipur team. I am confident that the NAPCON 2025 will be another grand success with a remarkable gathering.

As we move forward, I urge each of you to continue your valuable work in advancing respiratory health, promoting education, and supporting the growth of our society. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of patients and communities across India.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the Indian Chest Society. I look forward to working with all of you to achieve even greater heights in the years to come.

Warm regards,

Dr. J.K. Samaria
President, Indian Chest Society

Dear Friends,

It gives me immense pleasure to write to you from the Secretary’s desk of the Indian Chest Society. The past three years have been turbulent and challenging for our Society. Yet, through collective resilience and commitment, we’ve strived to overcome the obstacles and remain focused on our core objectives—advancing academics, research, and overall progress of Respiratory Medicine in India. While some challenges persist, we seem to be seeing light at the end of the tunnel. However, I believe, that there is still some way to traverse before we have complete unanimity, unity and brotherhood within the society. We continue to remain hopeful, and will leave no stone unturned to achieve this end.

The year 2024 was an academically rewarding one, and the momentum has been carried into 2025. NAPCON 2024, initially scheduled to be held in Kolkata, had to be relocated due to unforeseen circumstances. The Pune team, along with the broader Maharashtra contingent, stepped up remarkably to host a memorable NAPCON PUNE. It was one of the finest editions I’ve witnessed in India during my stay here — well-attended with participants thronging the halls, rich in academic content, and marked by camaraderie, friendship and networking opportunities abound. Notably, there was robust participation from young faculty, which will promote capacity building for the future generation.

Following the success of NAPCON Pune, we hosted the ERS India Summit—an event unique in its format and execution. 9 distinguished faculty members from the European Respiratory Society (ERS), alongside India’s leading academicians, collaborated to deliver an unforgettable academic experience. The Summit spanned three cities — Mumbai, Delhi, and Kochi — and offered approximately seven and a half hours of intensive learning. The sessions were not only clinically relevant but also at the cutting edge of contemporary research. With around 1,200 delegates attending across the three cities, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. There is now a growing anticipation for future collaborations with the ERS, and we hope to conduct the HERMES exam in partnership with ERS in 2025.

Our academic strides in 2024 were not limited to our partnership with ERS. The ATS MECOR course saw record participation, with attendees benefiting from hands-on guidance by thought leaders of the American Thoracic Society. The course, under the leadership of Dr. DJ Christopher, continues to grow in demand and impact. It has been instrumental in nurturing the country’s research capacity, and we look forward to seeing more MECOR-trained researchers contributing meaningfully to the field.

Beyond the major conferences, the Indian Chest Society remained active throughout the year with academic events. We conducted around 52 webinars—almost one every week—averaging 1,500 logins per session. These were held under the able guidance of Dr. Amita Nene and offered a national platform for young pulmonologists to share knowledge and expertise. Some webinars were organized as structured modules, such as the thoracoscopy module, which culminated in physical workshops in four regions.

Similarly, the EBUS learning and certification program, which is now ongoing, combined online teaching with hands-on workshops, and is receiving wide participation. More such initiatives are planned in areas like sleep medicine and other subspecialties.

We collaborated with international societies in the region, namely the Sri Lanka College of Pulmonology, in the form of a webinar which was very well received. Discussions are underway about many more of such meetings with other International societies, and hopefully when I write to you next time, I will be able to report many more of such successful ventures. We are trying our best to conduct the ERS HERMES Exam towards the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026.Our academic and research contributions are gaining international recognition, and we continue to offer travel grants for global events like the ERS meeting, CHEST Congress, and the International Lung Health Workshop. We also actively endorse both national and international meetings to support knowledge exchange.

However, despite these achievements, the internal discord within the Indian Chest Society remains a matter of concern. It is imperative that we come together with the intention of unifying, setting aside personal agendas for the greater good of our Society. The desire for unity exists among the majority, and I remain optimistic that in the near future, we will witness a truly unified ONE Indian Chest Society—a personal dream I hope to see fulfilled.

Looking ahead, NAPCON 2025 will be held in Jaipur. We invite you all to be part of what promises to be a scientific extravaganza, at par with the best international conferences. The Indian Chest Society is OUR body. Join hands, write to us with your comments, suggestions and even constructive criticism. Join us in this journey to take Respiratory Medicine forward in our country. We need to make sure that our society keeps expanding and youngsters come over, join hands and present new ideas, which places the society on a pedestal. That’s our dream. A collective dream, an Indian Chest Society which is better performing than any other Respiratory society the world over.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Dr. Raja Dhar
Secretary, Indian Chest Society