Discussion and workshops will focus on mental health, the family burden of mental disorders, and rehabilitation of people with mental illnesses.
Delayed marriages, slumping businesses and even deaths have been linked to demonetisation. But could the Centre’s move be having an impact on mental health too? This is one of the crucial questions psychiatrists from across the globe will discuss this week, when India hosts the World Congress of Social Psychiatry.
The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS and the Indian Association for Social Psychiatry will host more than 130 psychiatrists between November 30 and December 4.
The topics will revolve around the theme of “social psychiatry in a rapidly changing world”.
Watch What Else Is Making News
Discussion and workshops will focus on mental health, the family burden of mental disorders, and rehabilitation of people with mental illnesses.
The issue of how demonetisation has impacted mental health will also figure in the discussions.
“There will be scientific sessions on a broad range of topics — deliberations that will help devise strategies to find solutions to many issues related to mental health. In this context, we would also discuss the impact of demonetisation on mental health in India,” said Dr Sudhir Khandelwal, chief, NDDTC.
“At present, there is no empirical evidence on demonetisation and its impact on mental health. But there are instances of marriages being delayed or people losing their jobs. In such situations, people might experience anxiety, stress and adjustment-related issues. There are long-term impacts of such a problem, and patients have to be sensitised on how to handle such situations,” Dr Khandelwal said.
Story continues below this ad
The discussion will also focus on how previous policy decisions have caused a burden on mental health, as well as on sensitising the population in such situations.
“There have been studies on Afghan refugees and the impact on mental health. There are also studies on political coups in different countries that have impacted the mental health of a population. The sudden change in regimes in countries have resulted in increase in burden on mental health. We will use this existing literature and discuss how demonetisation will impact mental health,” Dr Khandelwal said.
As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues.
He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations.
Areas of Expertise
Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety.
Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps.
Global Collaborations
Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects:
The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry.
Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time.
Awards & Recognition
His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors:
Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism
SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia)
Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club)
Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots).
Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision.
Social media
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99
X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More