Education

Dr. Priyanka Saha pursued her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at Tripura Medical College and Dr. B.R.A.M. Teaching Hospital in Agartala, Tripura, graduating in May 2012. Her journey in psychiatry began with her MD in Psychiatry at the prestigious National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, where she trained from July 2017 to June 2020. Furthering her specialization, she completed a DM in Addiction Psychiatry from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, in February 2024.

Professional Experience

Currently, Dr. Saha is serving as a Senior Research Officer at the Addiction Treatment Facility, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS, New Delhi. Since February 2024, she has been actively contributing to a project funded by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which focuses on establishing and implementing a capacity-building mechanism for addiction treatment facilities across India.
Prior to this role, she was a DM Senior Resident in Addiction Psychiatry at NDDTC, AIIMS, New Delhi, from February 2021 to February 2024. In this capacity, she gained extensive experience in managing complex cases of substance use disorders. Earlier, from July 2017 to June 2020, she worked as a Junior Resident in the Department of Psychiatry at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, where she developed her clinical skills in psychiatric assessment and treatment.
Before her specialization in psychiatry, Dr. Saha served as a Resident Medical Officer at INSCOL Hospital, Chandigarh, from January to August 2015. Additionally, she gained early medical experience as a Resident Doctor in the Department of Urology at R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata, from June 2012 to January 2013.

Contributions

Dr. Saha has been an active participant in both national and international conferences. Her presentations at national forums include a profile study on patients with problematic gaming, presented at the Annual National Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society (ANCIPS) in Kolkata (January 2020), and a case report on alexia without agraphia presented at the TSS-RAO Conference at NIMHANS (February 2020). She also shared her insights on caregiving in opioid use disorder at ADDICON 2022 in Bengaluru and on the mental health of homeless women at ADDICON 2023 in Jaipur.
On the international stage, Dr. Saha presented a case report on intravenous use of Tapentadol at the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) Conference held in New Delhi in November 2019. In March 2023, she addressed the 31st European Congress of Psychiatry in Paris, where she discussed how substance use affects caregiving perceptions. Additionally, she delivered a presentation on community management of opioid overdoses at the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Conference in Florida, USA, in December 2022.
Dr. Saha has also contributed significantly to community health initiatives, including the School Mental Health Programme and District Mental Health Programme in Karnataka. Her efforts in providing substance use awareness to youth and organizing health camps demonstrate her commitment to mental health outreach. She has been actively involved in various initiatives under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other community programs, where she educated the public on the harms of substance use and strategies for harm reduction.

Achievements

Dr. Saha has received numerous accolades for her academic and professional accomplishments. She was awarded Honours in Anatomy during her MBBS and secured the position of first runner-up in a quiz competition held during the International Symposium on Dementia at the National Conference of Alzheimer and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI). In recognition of her contributions to the field of addiction psychiatry, she received the prestigious International Travel Award from the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry during their annual conference in Florida in December 2022.

Extracurricular Activities

Beyond her professional life, Dr. Saha is an accomplished artist and musician. She has represented India in various international art competitions, including achieving a Semi-Honorable Mention in the Art Olympia International Open Art Competition held in Japan in 2019. She also earned a Silver Prize at the 8th Kanagawa Biennial World Child Art Exhibition in Japan in 1995. Remarkably, at the age of nine, she organized the first child art exhibition in northeastern India.
Her passion for the arts is complemented by her background in music, where she has been recognized at the national level. These creative pursuits highlight her diverse talents and commitment to excellence in all areas of life.