BENGALURU: The game of musical chairs continues at the National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, with the Centre appointing an interim director for the apex mental health institute for the third time in a row, in the absence of a regular director. With mental health becoming a key and long-term fallout of the pandemic, the absence of a national policy and framework on mental health is being acutely felt. A regular director of NIMHANS at an unprecedented time like this is not just a requirement, “it’s a necessity,” said sources.
“On the instructions of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), Senior Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shekar Sheshadri, has been appointed as the officiating director until his retirement or until the regular director assumes charge of the post,” NIMHANS stated in an official release on Thursday. Prof Sheshadri will look into the functions of the director till November 16, 2021 as per the MoH&FW order, dated June 9.
Prof Shekar Sheshadri has taken over charge from the senior-most faculty member and Senior Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr Satish Chandra Girimaji, who was appointed as the officiating director upon the superannuation of Senior Professor of Epidemiology, Dr G Gururaj, on April 13, after he attained the age of 65. The latter was appointed as interim director of NIMHANS in December last year after the retirement of the then Director, Dr B N Gangadhar. The MoH&FW had appointed Head of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Prof M V Padma Srivastava, and she was to assume charge on February 1, but her appointment did not come through because of some technical issues.
The director, NIMHANS, is appointed for a period of five years by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on the recommendations made by the search committee, which are vetted by the Union Health Ministry. According to sources, the ACC is yet to meet and formally announce the appointment of the new director. The director’s post became an open selection post after 2012 when NIMHANS was made an Institute of National Importance (INI) by Parliament.
Eight candidates had applied for the director’s post after it had fallen vacant with the superannuation of the then director Gangadhar.Those who had applied for the director’s post included the Head of Department (HoD), Psychiatry, Dr Prathima Murthy, former HoD, Psychiatry Dr Prabha Chandra, former HoDs, Neurology, Dr Nalini and Dr Pramod Pal and former HoD, Neurosurgery, Dr Malla Bhaskara Rao. Three candidates from outside NIMHANS, including Dr Padma, had applied for the top post after the Health Ministry advertised for the post in March last year. The interview was conducted virtually by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.