Professional Profile
Born in 1952 in Tamil Nadu, India, Dr. Thirunavukarasu Manickam is a distinguished psychiatrist with an illustrious career spanning over four decades. He completed his M.B.B.S. at Thanjavur Medical College in 1974 and pursued postgraduate training at Madras Medical College, Chennai, earning a D.P.M. in 1979 and an M.D. in Psychiatry in 1981. In 1988, he underwent postdoctoral training at the Jewish Hospital affiliated with Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, where he gained expertise in the latest advancements in managing alcoholism and chemical dependency.
Dr. Thirunavukarasu Manickam began his professional journey in 1981 at Madras Medical College, Chennai, serving in the Department of Psychiatry. He worked extensively across various setups, including mental health facilities and general hospitals. Madras Medical College, a bicentenary institution, provided him the platform to contribute significantly to undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.
Throughout his tenure, Dr. Thirunavukarasu Manickam was actively involved in clinical research, including drug trials, particularly at Stanley Medical College, Chennai, where he served as the Head and Professor of Psychiatry. He held key academic leadership roles, serving two terms as a Senate member and one term on the Governing Council of Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. Additionally, he served two terms as President of the Faculties of Medicine.
A respected examiner and inspector for Psychiatry across numerous institutions in India, Dr. Thirunavukarasu Manickam has authored and edited several textbooks for medical students. He also published widely in the Tamil vernacular, promoting mental health awareness among the general population. His publications have received critical acclaim, including a Government award for “Best Book of the Year” in 1998.
Dr. Thirunavukarasu Manickam has made over 1,000 appearances in electronic and mass media, advocating for mental health awareness. He has participated in numerous national and international conferences, presenting papers and organizing events, including serving as Organizing Secretary for three national conferences of the Indian Psychiatric Society. His contributions during the tsunami relief operations in Sri Lanka were commended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In his later career, Dr. Thirunavukarasu Manickam served as the Head and Professor of Psychiatry at SRM Medical College and Research Centre, affiliated with SRM University, where he continued to shape the future of psychiatry through education, research, and clinical excellence.
“Life is to live
Not to suffer
Not to make other people to suffer.”
People are aware of Psychiatric problems and issues at the earliest. But the diagnosis is done only after the established cases. In this process lot of time is lost. So, the disease has impaired the life of the individual in multiple dimensions and areas. There is stigma about the psychiatric conditions. Since the person who suffers from psychological issues are not aware that he or she suffers from an illness which is curable by proper treatment. They try to manipulate the environment to get some relief. In this process the disease becomes chronic. Because they lack insight somebody must help them to initiate and continue the therapeutic alliance. Those persons who have very good social support they recover very well. Educate the society about the importance mental health, mental unhealth, mentally not healthy and mentally ill population. Common people think and believe that mental illnesses are not life-threatening illness. All faculties in medicine add years to an individual life, but the mental health add life to the years. Mental health increases the quality of life which is very much appreciated in the therapeutic process. Psychiatric problems are completely treatable if it is identified and interfered early. But now it is considered as a killing disease, If not treated properly . The mission is to improve the quality of life of an individual which will in turn improve the society at large, so the society will be without any adversities.
Positions Held
