Dr. Rakesh K Chadda

Dr Rakesh K Chadda has been a former Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry and Chief, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. In the past, he has been Professor of Psychiatry at the Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences, Delhi and Head, Department of Psychiatry at UCMS & GTB Hospital, Delhi. Dr Chadda has also served as Consultant Psychiatrist in National Health Service of the UK in 2004-05.  Dr Chadda has over 40 years of experience in psychiatry. 

Dr Chadda specialises in general adult psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry (psychosomatics), addiction psychiatry, psychiatric rehabilitation and psychotherapy. He has a long experience of treating mental illnesses like schizophrenia, mood disorders, depression, anxiety disorders like panic and phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, personality disorders and other.  

Dr Chadda is Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists of the UK, Distinguished International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Honorary Fellow, World Association of Social Psychiatry, Honorary Member, World Psychiatric Association and Fellow, National Academy of Medical Sciences of India.  

Currently Dr Chadda is also President Elect, World Association of Social Psychiatry (WASP) for triennium of 2022-25. In the past, he has served as Secretary General, WASP during 2019-22.  

Dr Chadda has also written over 12 books and monographs including “Mental Health at Cross Roads”, Social Psychiatry: Principles and Clinical Perspectives, and Mansik Rog: Pehchan aur Upchar. He has published over 250 scientific papers in leading international and national journals and over 50 chapters in various books.

MBBS, MD (Psychiatry). FAMS. FRCPsych (UK), DFAPA (USA) 

• Hindi
• English
• Punjabi 

• General adult psychiatry 
• Severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder 
• Depression 
• Anxiety disorders like Panic, social phobia 
• Obsessive compulsive disorder 
• Consultation liaison psychiatry (Psychosomatic medicine) 
• Addiction 
• Lifestyle medicine 
• Psychosexual disorders 
• Psychotherapy and counselling 

• 2017-2024 
  Professor & Head, Department of Psychiatry & 
  Chief, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (Jan 2017- Sept 2023), AIIMS New Delhi 
• 2005-2016 
  Professor of Psychiatry, AIIMS, New Delhi 
• 2004-2005 
  Consultant Psychiatrist, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, National Health Service (NHS), UK   
• 1995-2004 
  Associate Professor (1995-1999), Additional Professor (1999-2002) and Professor (2002-2004), Head, Deptt of Psychiatry and Medical Supdt (1999-2000) 
  Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Dilshad Garden, Delhi 
• 1988-1995 
  Lecturer (1988-90), Senior Lecturer (1990-92), Reader & Head (1992-95), Department of Psychiatry. 
  University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, Dilshad Garden, Delhi  
• 1985-1988 
  Senior Resident 
  PGIMER Chandigarh (1985-87). LHMC & SKH (1987), AIIMS, New Delhi (1987-88) 

Dr Chadda has over 320 publications to his credit including 12 books and monographs, 58 chapters and over 250 research papers in leading international and national journals. 

Some of his books include including “Mental Health at Cross Roads”, Social Psychiatry: Principles and Clinical Perspectives, and Mansik Rog: Pehchan aur Upchar, Essential Psychiatry, Handbook of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Clinical Methods in Psychiatry, Covid-19 Pandemic and Mental Health. 

Research work of Dr Chadda has been published in leading international journals like the British Journal of Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, Lancet, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, Psychiatric Research, BJ Psych International and many others. 

Awards and Recognitions (14 Nationals award and one International)

• VN Bagadia Oration, GS Medical College-KEM Hospital Research Society, 2019
• Venkoba Rao Oration. Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, 2017
• NN De Oration Award, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, 2016.
• General Amir Chand Oration, National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), 2015
• DLN Murthy Rao Oration Award, Indian Psychiatric Society, 2013
• BB Sethi Award, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, 2013
• Balint Award, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, 2001.
• Dr Vimla Virmani Award, National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), 2001
• Tilak Venkoba Rao Oration Award, Indian Psychiatric Society, 1999.
• Tilak Venkoba Rao Award, Indian Council of Medical Research, 1997
• PPA II Award, Indian Psychiatric Society, 1997
• NIDA (USA) Travel Award, August 1995,
• G.C.Boral I Award, Indian Association for Social Psychiatr, 1995
• PPA I Award, Indian Psychiatric Society, 1990
• Bhagwat Award, Indian Psychiatric Society, 1991

• Honorary Member, World Psychiatric Association, 2023 
• Honorary Fellow, World Association of Social Psychiatry, 2016 
• Distinguished International Fellow, American Psychiatric Association, 2014 
• Fellow, Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), 2012 
• Fellow, National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), 2008 
• Life Fellow (Founding Fellow), Indian Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 1992 
• Life Fellow, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, 1991 
• Life Fellow, Indian Psychiatric Society, 1989 

Important Offices in Professional Societies 

• President Elect, World Association of Social psychiatry, 2022-2025 
• Secretary General, World Association of Social psychiatry, 2019-2022 
• Vice President, Addiction Psychiatry Society of India, 2020-24. 
• Associate Editor, British Journal of Psychiatry, 2021 onwards 
• Handling Editor, BJ Psych International. 2014 onwards 
• President, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, 2011-13. 
• Secretary General, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, 2001-2004, 2007-10   
• President, Indian Psychiatric Society, North Zone 2000-2001. 
• Vice President, Indian Psychiatric Society, North Zone 1999-2000. 

International and National Conferences Organised 

• WASP Asia Pacific Hybrid Congress, 2021, New Delhi, 16-18 Sept 2021 
• XXI Meeting of the International Association of Addiction Medicine, New Delhi, 13-16 Nov 2019. 
• First National Congress of Addiction Psychiatry, New Delhi, 27-29 Nov 2017. 
• XXII World Congress of the World Association of Social Psychiatry, New Delhi, 30 Nov-4 Dec 2016 
• XVI National Conference of Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, New Delhi, 28-30 Nov, 2008  
• XI National Conference of Indian Association for Social Psychiatry, New Delhi, 21-23 Feb, 1997. 

• A survey of burden and coping strategies of caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders –Principal investigator- Funded by ICMR, 2001-2003 
• Development of pharmacogenomics SNP database for critical candidate genes involved in drug response in schizophrenia – Multicentric study, funded by DBT, Principal investigator at AIIMS Centre, 2008-2010. 
• Intra-genic variation of Candidate genes in Depression and Suicide ideation: Association Study in Indian Population. Funded by Department of Science and Technology 2013-15  
• Genetic polymorphisms of serotonergic pathways genes and their association studies with disease severity and response to escitalopram treatment in patients with major depressive disorder.2017-2019, Indian Council of Medical Research.   
• National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, 2017-2019.   
• Detection of New Psychoactive Substances among Substance Abuse Treatment Seekers in India – Multi Centric Study. Funded by Department of Revenue, Government of India, 2017-20   
• NIHR Global Health Research Group on Psychosis Outcomes: the Warwick-India-Canada {WIC} Network, the University of Warwick, AIIMS, SCARF, University of Montreal; PI for AIIMS Centre, 2017-2021. 
• NIHR WIC - 12 Months Costed Extension Programme: Assessing the Feasibility and Impact of Physical Health Monitoring in Patients with First Episode Psychosis, PI for AIIMS Centre 2021-22