December is the month of festivities, of hope and expectations, of optimism and positivity in making resolutions for the New Year that is to be ushered in. However, positive intent has to be backed up by pragmatic and relentless hard work to come close to achieving the pre-set goals.  

In an organization, pragmatically, one person can not change anything: a la John Rambo. It needs a group of people who are driven by a common goal and to have the backing and patience of the people they represent, viz. you.

I am indeed privileged to have a great group (the EC) to work with. In this EC, we have people with different skills-sets needed to oversee most tasks to their finish. If any chore needs outside help, the EC will certainly rope-in experts from within the general membership of the IOS as task-driven-consultants to get the job done.

After the first EC meeting, I am sure what we achieve in our term of office as caretaker of our beloved Society will be a credit to the diligence and hard work of members in the present EC. Things left undone during my tenure, if any, will naturally reflect lacunae in my dreams or that in my leadership ability, or both.

The EC is aware of the multiple issues that need to be resolved ASAP. Amongst them, the following are easily identifiable (not necessarily in the same order of chronology):

• Steps to deal with the Service Tax issue have already been initiated before my term began. A proper follow-up will be ensured.
• The Constitution needs to be placed under a microscope and amended democratically with transparency. These amendments will have far reaching consequences and need to perused with logic and foresight. Learning from the experience of the last AGM, the EC will find a way to pass the pre-circulated amendments at the next AGM at 45th IOC, Mangalore in the minimum time possible without making members feel unhappy that the said exercise has been rushed and pushed with undue haste.
• The all round conduct of the Annual Conferences will be carefully reviewed objectively with a motive of ensuring that Delegates and Traders get optimum utility of time, effort and monies spent without compromising on the quality content of the Conferences.
• PG Students’ Convention too will be scrutinized in a similar manner. The DCI norms/suggestions expect every MDS student to have a certain number of presentations. This is extremely impractical for the Organizing Committee of a PG Convention/Conference to offer under the prevailing conditions. Opportunities will be created by the EC to allow these norms to be met.
• Significant proportions of our members teach at various Dental Colleges. They are under the hammer to author publications and to make presentations at national and international level. Opportunities to do so are presently woefully inadequate. The EC will identify ways to set this right.
• Continuing Education being an entity that is becoming increasingly important, the role of Study Groups that are officially recognized by the IOS is also becoming more important. All aspects of such official Study Groups will be analytically dealt with by the EC without leaving any rancor amongst its members.
• Many qualified Orthodontists are yet to become members of IOS. EC will find ways of getting them to join our folds. 
• Public Awareness about orthodontics and the reason for the lay person to seek the help of an IOS member need a systematic upgrading. Suitable tangible ways to bring about a change will be prospected by the EC in devising a long term benefit for the membership of IOS.
• With growth in IOS membership, grievances (personal/collective) will need a redress forum to lend a healing touch to the issue at hand. The EC wishes to find a way to launch and sustain such a meaningful forum.
• The need to get a print version of Members’ Directory (in addition to the digital form) will also be met with by the EC.
• Whilst doing all this (and, perhaps even more), if the EC can help raise the general standard of orthodontic care within India and also simultaneously create the right vibes within the orthodontic fraternity beyond our country in showcasing our talent and growing strength in numbers, we would be naturally delighted.

Daunting task-list it may be, but the EC looks upon their tenure as one full of challenges and is happy to be invested with the confidence of the IOS membership at such a delicate, important and critical time for the IOS.

I only request of every member to be patient and supportive to the efforts of the EC and to come up with suggestions/constructive criticism about the ways and means the EC should follow in ensuring that we all can be proud of being an Orthodontist and an IOS member.

Jai Hind, Jai IOS.

Girish Karandikar