The Indian Rheumatism Association (now Indian Rheumatology Association), Karnataka Chapter was registered in 1995, with Dr. K. M. Mahendranath as its founding President. The chapter was established with the vision of advancing knowledge, education and excellence in the diagnosis and management of rheumatic diseases. Colloquially, rheumatologists across the state proudly refer to the chapter as the Karnataka Rheumatology Association (KRA).
The roots of rheumatology practice in Karnataka can be traced back to 1983, when Dr. Mahendranath established a private rheumatology centre in Bengaluru, laying the foundation for the specialty and, eventually, for the growth of KRA. The association gradually expanded, with Dr. B. G. Dharmanand and Dr. Chandrashekhara joining in 1997, followed by Dr. Satish Kalanje in 1998.
A significant milestone in the development of academic rheumatology in Karnataka came in 2001, when St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru, introduced rheumatology services. This evolved into a full-fledged Department of Rheumatology in 2011, under the leadership of Dr. Vineeta Shobha.
Rheumatology services and academic programmes are now established in several medical colleges across Karnataka, including St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru; JSS Medical College, Mysuru; and SDM Medical College, Dharwad.
The state has also become an important centre for super-speciality training in Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology. DrNB Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology programmes are available at St. John’s Medical College, Manipal Hospital Bengaluru and Narayana Health, Bengaluru. JSS Medical College, Mysuru, now offers a DM in Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology. The expansion of training programmes has played a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of rheumatologists and strengthening rheumatology services across the state and beyond.
KRA has had the distinction of successfully hosting three IRACONs in Bengaluru, reflecting its strong academic standing and organisational capabilities:
● IRACON 1997 – Organising Secretary: Dr. K. M. Mahendranath, Scientific Chair : Dr A N Chandrashekaran
● IRACON 2002 – Organising Secretary: Dr. H M Vishwanath, Scientific Chair : Dr. K. M. Mahendranath
● IRACON 2024 – Organising Secretary: Dr. Nagaraj S, Scientific Chair : Dr Vineeta Shobha
In addition to these national conferences, KRA has organised two zonal conferences (SZIRACON 2018 Mysuru & SZIRACON 2026 Mangaluru), three Advanced Rheumatology Courses and an international conference — the first and to date, the only Indo-B.S.R meeting. The Advanced Rheumatology Courses featured rheumatology luminaries as international faculty, including Dr. Robert Lahita, Dr. Peter Maddison, and Dr. Paul Emery. These academic initiatives have provided valuable platforms for scientific exchange, continuing medical education and professional collaboration.
Patient education and public awareness have always remained an important priority for KRA. The association has been at the forefront of conducting patient-awareness programmes, both collectively as an association and through the initiatives of individual members with an aim to improve awareness about rheumatic diseases, encourage early diagnosis and treatment, and dispel common misconceptions surrounding chronic rheumatic disorders.
The official KRA website (https://www.irakarnataka.org/) also serves as an important educational resource, providing patient information, educational videos and links to reliable sources of further information.
Spearheaded by Dr Vineeta Shobha, KRA has emerged as one of the leading state chapters contributing to multicentric and collaborative rheumatology research in India. Its members have participated in national and international research initiatives, contributed to publications in peer-reviewed journals and developed several important regional cohorts.
Some of the notable KRA collaborative research initiatives include:
● KRA Lupus Pregnancy Cohort
● Karnataka Psoriatic Arthritis Cohort (KPsAC)
● Karnataka Biologics Cohort (KBC) Study Group
● KRA Behçet’s Collaborative Study
● KRACC – KRA COVID Cohort
● KRA Sarcoidosis Cohort
● KRA Economic Burden (KRAeb) Cohort Study
These initiatives reflect the association’s commitment to generating locally relevant evidence and contributing to the broader body of rheumatology research.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATIONAL BODY
The chapter takes particular pride in having produced three Presidents of the Indian Rheumatology Association:
● Dr. K. M. Mahendranath [2001-2002]
● Dr. B. G. Dharmanand [2021-2022]
● Dr. Chandrashekhara S [2023-2024]
Their leadership at the national level reflects the significant contribution of Karnataka rheumatologists to the growth of the specialty in India.
From a small group of just a few rheumatologists, KRA has evolved into a vibrant and rapidly growing professional association with nearly 90 members today. Bengaluru alone has approximately 50 rheumatologists and eight paediatric rheumatologists, while rheumatology services and training programmes continue to expand across Karnataka. KRA also offers travel bursaries to students to attend international conferences as well as research grants to students and consultants.
KRA remains committed to its fundamental objective of ensuring that high-quality rheumatology care is accessible to all sections of society, while simultaneously promoting education, research and professional development.
The remarkable journey of KRA has been shaped not only by its academic and professional achievements, but also by the camaraderie, mutual respect, cohesion and collaborative spirit of its members. Blessed with considerable expertise, resources and innovative minds, KRA continues to evolve as one of the most dynamic state chapters of the Indian Rheumatology Association.
Official logo of Karnataka Rheumatology Association
KRA family at SZIRACON 2026 at Mangaluru
Recent walkathon organized as part of Rheumatology awareness month – April 2026
Copyright 2026 IRA eNewsLetter. All rights reserved. | Powered by BoxCloud
