More than 80% of the world population live in Low And Middle Income Countries (LAMIC). The greatest burden of mental disorders is borne by them. Yet, the representation of scientific literature depicting the plight of this population is conspicuous by its scarcity.

The Society for Mental Health in LAMIC (SoMHiL) aims to promote behavioural science in LAMIC. The objective is to form a global consortium for research and exchange of clinical dialogues on psychiatry and allied health sciences with an attempt to bridge the LAMIC-non LAMIC gap.

SoMHiL strives to tap new ideas coming from young minds before being bogged down by conventional thinking and to understand mental illness from the cultural viewpoint to formulate preventive and therapeutic approaches. The Open Journal of Psychiatry & Allied Sciences (OJPAS®), edited by Shyamanta Das and published by Academy Publisher in collaboration with SoMHiL on behalf of Academia Dysphrenia is such an endeavour.

To enrich that endeavour, in association with Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), Guwahati, SoMHiL hosted a guest lecture by Professor Chittaranjan Yajnik, the Director, Diabetes Unit, KEM Hospital, Pune, India to illuminate on the DOHaD (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease) model of early life insults leading to later diabetes at Academic Hall, GMCH.

It was attended by the outgoing Principal-cum-Chief Superintendent of GMCH, Registrar of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS), faculties and postgraduate trainees of various departments, and undergraduate students of GMCH along with nursing students. Also, the event was broadcast live through National Medical College Network (NMCN) across 50 medical colleges of India simultaneously.

Professor Yajnik is an eminent researcher in the medical field, best known for his path-breaking study to ‘characterise Indian diabetic patients’, leading to the concept of the ‘thin-fat insulin resistant Indian’. He is a stalwart in the field of epigenetics of diabetes unique to India.

The deed of trust, namely SoMHiL was declared on the 20th Day of September 2017 at Guwahati and registered in the Kamrup Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Assam, India with Mythili Hazarika as President, Bornali Das as Secretary, and Atanu Baruah as Convenor. Bornali Das delivered the introductory note and Mythili Hazarika offered the vote of thanks.

The guest lecture was followed by a Focused Group Discussion in the seminar room of the Principal-cum-Chief Superintendent, GMCH among endocrinologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals including psychologists and psychiatric social workers as well as community medicine specialist.