[1] Dr Laxmikant Rathi from Amravati, Maharashtra is the current president of the Indian Psychiatric Society.
[6] The Society promotes the prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders and improves the general mental health of people.
[7] On 19 January 2014, Dr Indira Sharma, the former president of the Indian Psychiatric Society, expressed her opinion that homosexuality is unnatural.
The Society pointed out that American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973.
The statement disapproved of the Conversion Therapies and urged mental health professionals to refrain from providing such services.
Stating that there is no evidence to support the exclusion of LGBTQA people from marriage, the Society cautioned that discrimination leads to mental health issues.
[13][14] During her term as the president of the Indian Psychiatric Society, Dr Indira Sharma suggested early marriage as a way to curb sexual crimes.
The members raised concerns about uploading her speech on the society's official website, as required by the rules.
Dr T S Sathyanarayana Rao, the editor of the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, suggested that the Society examine a written article supporting her claims before uploading her speech.
[15] In the days following the end of Dr Indira Sharma's term as the president of the Indian Psychiatric Society, the Times of India interviewed her about the views she expressed during the panel discussion on the decision of the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling of Delhi High Court and re-criminalise homosexuality.