The Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM) is hosting its 47th Annual Conference from 31 Oct 07 to 02 Nov 07 at the Institute of Aerosapce Medicine, IAF Bangalore which has been inaugurated today. A large number of eminent doctors and scientists both of national and international fame are participating in this conference.
The Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM) has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1952. It was set up by a handful of IAF medical officers with three objectives :-
(a)To advance the science and art of aviation medicine.
(b)To establish and maintain cooperation between medical and other sciences concerned with aero medical research and development.
(c)To promote protection and maintain flight safety.
In 1954, DGMS (air) was elected as the founder president of ISAM. The Society was registered through Government of India on 15 Apr 1965 under the Societies act. The Society held its first scientific conference in 1954, which soon became an annual feature. Illustrious personalities and distinguished scientists have delivered the inaugural guest lecture including Nobel laurcate IBS Haldane, Sir CV Raman and Dr Ulf Baldin an eminent acceleration physiologist from Sweden.
The late Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee was the first Indian Officer to become the Chief of the Air Staff after independence he laid the foundation of our Air Force as well as our medical services. He was the first patron of the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM) and remained so till his untimely demise in 1960. As a gesture of gratitude and appreciation, in 1971, the society instituted an oration in his name to be delivered during the inaugural function of the annual meeting of the Society. It is indeed a matter of great pride that Capt GR Gopinath, Executive Chairman, Air Deccan will be delivering this years’ oration on a topic titled “’Integrating civil aviation and Indian economic growth; A vision and perspective’.
AVM MM Srinagesh joined the newly formed IAF Medical Service in 1940 and functioned in various capacities such as DPMO(IAF) and PMO, Air HQ before retiring in the rank of Air Vice Marshal. He was truly, the father of Aviation Medicine in India. AVM MM Srinagesh memorial oration will be delivered for the first time by Dr CA Verghese, a reputed a academician and a previous faculty member at this Institute who will talk on ‘’Five decades of Aero medical Research and Development in India – A Ring side view”’
The ISAM currently has more than 900 members including doctors, engineers, aircrew, scientists, psychologists and other with interest in aviation. Air Mshl JK gupta AVSM PHS DGMS(Air) is the current President of the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM). Under his able leadership, the society has taken the practice of aerospace medicine from strength to strength and has acquired growing recognition from international professional bodies across the globe. It has the distinction of hosting the 42nd International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine in 1994 at New Delhi, the first ever time to be held in the South Asian region. More than 140 delegates from 40 countries attended the same. The society was once again, given the honour to host the 54th International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine in 2006 at Bangalore. A total of about 375 delegates including 125 foreigner delegates participated in the conference.
The Society has also been publishing a biannual journal since 1954. The journal is called the Indian Journal of Aerospace Medicine and is available on the web. The journal features field Experiences and research activities of its members and has been subscribed by a number of countries. A glimpse of the activities of the society can be had at the website www.isam-india.org.
The Society will be hosting its 47th Annual Conference from the 31 Oct 07 to 02 Nov 07 at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, IAF Bangalore. The theme of the conference is ‘’Operational Aerospace Medicine’’ . The scope of this conference encompasses all aspects related to current problems in military and civil aviation covering areas that have emerged in recent years and require to be addressed to further flight safety. These include Aeromedical aspects of Long duration fighter flying, which has become a reality for the IAF; Spatial Disorientation that continues to be a challenge and other Military Medicine topics including lessons learnt from Ops and disasters. Nearly 225 delegates from India and other countries would be participating in the conference. There would be scientific deliberations and exhibition of aeromedical equipment. There would be scientific deliberations and exhibition of aeromedical equipment. The conference provides a formidable platform for the exchange of information, ideas and expertise. Major and minor aeromedical issues would be covered in the form of meticulously planned scientific sessions which would be followed by interactive session with the delegates. All these would project and showcase advancement of the country in the field of aerospace medicine and technology.
A continuing medical education (CME) program that includes the latest development in the field of medicine and surgery as well as reinforcing practical guidelines for field medical officers will be held on 02 Nov 07. This would help the participating delegates update their knowledge and enhance their efficacy at the peripheral level in medical care delivery.
The Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), established in 1957, is today the hub of aerospace medicine activity in India. The Institute is celebrating it’s Golden Jubilee along with the Platinum Jubilee of IAF. This Institute of international repute is involved in selection & evaluation of military and civil aircrew, aeromedical consultancy in aircraft design and life support systems promotion of flight safety, aircraft accident investigation and aeromedical research. It imparts specialized training to aircrew including High – G & SD training and hypoxia indoctrination. This Institute also imparts NVG training on the aeromedical aspects of NVG flying for helicopter aircrew of the IAF, Navy and the Army in the totally indigenously developed NVG laboratory at the Institute.
The Institute is on the threshold of major modernization plans. The Institute witnessed the installation of a new state of the art SD simulator in May 2004. This SD simulator is being used to impart SD training to the aircrew. Aircrew who have undergone training on this simulator since May 04 have been extremely satisfied with this simulator. Training of aircrew has received a big boost by the indigenous development of a NVG training facility that has been widely acclaimed for imparting highly realistic NVG training. The indigenously developed NVG training facility at the Institute has recently been upgraded and plans are on to add more features to the laboratory. Other new equipment that is in the process of procurement is the new High Performance Human Centrifuge (HPHC) and the decompression and hyperbaric chamber. The HPHC is slated for commissioning in Mar / Apr 2008. The work on this prestigious turn-key project being undertaken by AMST, Austria is progressing as per schedule. This will ensure that the Institute keeps pace with the best in the world. Beyond these, the Institute has ambitious plans for major research in space medicine. Collaboration with ISRO on joint research activities besides setting up a sophisticated space laboratory at this Institute will cater for cutting edge space medicine research in the future.
Aeromedical research has been one of the core areas of expertise of this Institute. Aeromedical research is directed primarily at providing solutions to operational problems. The high quality of research has been recognized both nationally and internationally. Right from the early days, the Institute has also provided comprehensive human engineering and human factors support in the design, development and evaluation of indigenous aircraft development. This is unique because such expertise in our country exists only at this Institute. The Institute played a critical role in the important national aviation projects such as LCA, IJT and ALH.
The thrust of aeromedical activities in the Institute has all along been towards ensuring that the IAF continues to achieve its motto, Nabham Sparsham Deeptam. Improving human performance and promoting flight safety has been at the core of research activities at the Institute,. Activities of IAM have always kept pace with the growth and developments in the fields of aviation and space medicine. Unger the able command of Air Cmde Pankaj Tyagi VSM, the Institute is ready to face the challenges confronting the present day aviator. The personnel of IAM have strived and always lived up to their motto of “’Nabhase Arogyam”i.e. ensuring freedom from disease in the sky.
The personnel at IAM work with the motto to be persons with high technical skill, broad scientific knowledge and wisdom, combined with the personal qualities of warmth and humility and they cement humanness with the objectivity of medical science. They exemplify the inscription on the statue of Francis Trudeaue ‘’To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always’’. They dedicate themselves to work for the advancement of military and civil aerospace industry and to provide aeromedical solutions with honestly, integrity and deep sense of service.
In recognition of the various achievements at this institute, the Presidential Colour was awarded to this prestigious institute on 21 Nov 2005. The institute has the distinctive honour of being the first independent medical unit of the Armed Forces to be awarded the Presidential Colour.
While IAF is the epicenter of all activities related to the fields of aerospace medicine, the activities of the Society are also executed through research and medical evaluation at establishments like AFCME, No 1 & 2 AMTC at Hindan and Hyderabad respectively, Command Hospital Air Force Bangalore and Air Force Institute of Dental Sciences at Bangalore. Last but not the least the medical set up at the peripheral centers located at various air force bases play a pivotal role in achieving the objective of the society.
