The IQAC, C.K.B College, Teok in association with the Department of English and the Department of Education jointly organized an international webinar on “Mental Health Issues on the wake of the Outbreak of Covid-19 Pandemic” on 27^th July 2020. The resource persons for the webinar were Dr Samudragupta Bora, Associate Profeessor & Group Leader, “Neurodevelopmental Follow-up and Outcomes” Mater Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of  Queensland, Australia and  Dr. Neeta Kalita Baruah, Professor, Department of Education, Dibrugarh University and chairperson, Centre for studies, in Applied Psychology, Dibrugarh University.

At the very beginning, Dr. Moyuri Chetiya, Assistant Professor, Department of English, C.K.B College, Teok, gave an introduction to the webinar. Dr. Chetiya welcomed all dignitaries, resource persons, college fraternity, and other participants to the webinar. Following that, Dr. Bijoy Krishna Pachani, Principal, C.K.B College, Teok, delivered an inaugural speech in which he thanks IQAC, C.K.B College, Teok and the faculty members of the two departments for hosting an international webinar on a timely issue. Furthermore, he expressed hope that the webinar would not only address mental health problems that had arisen as a result of the pandemic, but would also provide light on various strategies to manage emotionally during the period.

Following the inaugural speech of the principal, Dr. Neeta Kalita Baruah began her presentation with a discussion of mental health concepts and how they affect daily life, relationships, and physical health. She then went on to discuss the magnitude and burdens of mental health issues. She also explains the distinction between mental disease and mental health, as well as the interconnections of mental health states. Dr. Kalita highlighted the common causes of mental ill-health during the pandemic while discussing numerous components of mental health disorders. She also focused on pandemic stress and adolescents in particular. Dr. Kalita concluded her talk by discussing mental health promotion and the importance of psyco-social interventions.

Dr. Samudragupta Bora began his talk by discussing how to manage our mental health during the pandemic in a strategic way. He claims that we must develop our own well-being strategy and assess our own particular circumstances. He went on to say that one must recognise one’s feelings, monitor them, and determine the source of stress. He emphasised the importance of mental and emotional support from family and friend in dealing with stress. He focussed on the positive role of social media during the epidemic in providing many tools to confront these difficult days; but he also warns that fabricated news and incorrect information disseminated via social media can be not only misleading but potentially harmful.

Dr. Bora then spoke on finding a balance between psychological and emotional well-being. He claims that while Covid 19 necessitates physical separation, we must remain linked to the world, society, and individuals around us through the numerous ways at our disposal. Physical separation is not the same as social separation. During the lecture, he also emphasised the significance of Virtual Book Club. Dr. Bora concluded his lecture by emphasising the necessity of getting enough sleep, exercising, eating well, and acquiring new skills in order to cope with these difficult days in a more positive and efficient manner.

Dr. Moyuri Chetiya, the webinar’s assistant coordinator, delivered a vote of thanks on behalf of the organising committee at the end of the session. She thanked Dr. Bijoy Krishna Pachani, the principal, Dr. Binoy Brot Rajkhowa, the IQAC Coordinator, the faculty members, and the participants for their assistance and cooperation in making the webinar a success.