South Asian Cochrane Network
1st Annual Essay Competition

We received 23 entries from undergraduate students in the health sciences (India 16; Pakistan 7) and 11 from postgraduates (India 8; Bangladesh 1; Pakistan 1; Sri Lanka 1), an encouraging beginning for this event.

The panel of judges comprised Dr. Sridhran Ramaratnam: Director, Ramaratnam Epilepsy Research Foundation, Chennai, INDIA (Chair); Dr. Chrishantha Abeysena: Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, Univeristy of Kelaniya, Ragama, Colombo, SRI LANKA; . Prof. Omar Rahman: Pro-Vice Chancellor, Centre for Health Population and Development, Independent University, Dhaka, BANGLADESH; Prof. Prathap Tharyan: Professor of Psychiatry & Coordinator, South Asian Cochrane Network, Christian Medical College, Vellore, INDIA; Prof. Rajiv Sarin: Professor of Radiation Oncology & Director, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, INDIA; Ms. Batool Haider, Epidemiologist and Senior Instructor (Research),Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, PAKISTAN; Prof. Thambu David, Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, INDIA and Dr. Lakshminarasiman Ranganathan, Co-director, Nerve, Centre, Chennai, INDIA. Entries were scored seperately for undergraduates and postgradutes for content, orginality and organization, appropriate references and overall appeal.

The winners of the 1st South Asian Cochrane Network Essay Competition are:

India:         1st place: Ananth Kesav Vellimana, Final Year Medical Student, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
                 2nd place: Divya S. Iyer, Intern, Christian Medical College, Vellore
                 3rd place: Sarah Cherian, Third Year Medical Student, Christian Medical College, Vellore

Pakistan:   1st place: Samira Ahmad Bawany, 2nd Year Medical Student, Aga Khan University, Pakistan;
                2nd place: Muhammed Murtaza, Third Year Medical Student, Aga Khan University, Pakistan
                3rd place: Hassan Khan, Fifth year Medical Student, Aga Khan University, Pakistan

Bangladesh:  
1st place: Hasnain Sabih Nayak, MPH Student, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

India:     
1st place: Dr. Karthik Selvaraj Murugappan, Final Year PG, Department of Orthopedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences
2nd place: Dr. Lancelot Mark Pinto, 3rd Year Dip.N.B. in Respiratory Medicine, P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai
3rd place: Dr. Raina Chawla, 2nd year PG Obstetrics and Gynecology; Kasthurba Medical College, Manipal

Pakistan:
1st place: Dr. Kashif Nisar, Biochemistry Trainee Year 1, Foundation University Medical College, Islamabad, Pakistan

Sri Lanka:       
1st place: Uthpala Wickramasinghe, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya

The overall winners of the 1st South Asian Cochrane Network Essay Competition

The overall winners will each be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 5000 and a certificate and fully funded to attend the 2nd South Asian Regional Symposium on Evidence Informed Health Care that will be held at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India on April 9, 2008. The winner of the first (if not the overall winner) and second prize from each country among Undergraduates and Postgraduates will be awarded certificates from the South Asian Cochrane Network and a prize sponsored by John Wiley and Sons, the publishers of The Cochrane Library. Third prize winners will be awarded certificates.
We congratulate all those who submitted essays for their excellent work and hope that this experience will encourage them to acquire the skills to appraise evidence effectively and to apply the principles of Evidence Based Medicine in their daily lives and future careers as health care professionals.

The SACN Essay Competition Panel of Judges