About SNA

STUDENT NURSES ASSOCIATION

The Student Nurses Association (SNA) is a nation-wide organisation. It was established in 1929 at the time of the Annual Conference of the Trained Nurses’ Association of India (TNAI). The Nursing Superintendent of the Government General Hospital, Madras, Miss L.N. Jeans, was the first Honorary Organising Secretary of this Association. The pioneer unit of SNA was established at the General Hospital, Madras, followed by Christian Rainy Hospital, Madras and the Presidency General Hospital, Calcutta.

It is remarkable that the growth of SNA Units has been persistent ever since its inception. In the year 1954, the SNA celebrated its Silver Jubilee and there was significant increase in the number of units by then. The number rose to 117 and the membership to 4,259. The S.N.A. celebrated its Diamond Jubilee with almost three fold increase in the number of units and seven times increase in membership, i.e., 355 units and 29,233 members. By September 30,1998, the number of SNA units were 518 and the total membership of SNA was 45,171. The present number of SNA units, till August 2001 is 506 and the membership is 43,453.

The SNA and TNAI used to have combined Annual Conference, but due to the increase in number of delegates it was felt in 1960 to hold separate Conferences for the student Nurses. Since 1961 the student Nurses are having separate Biennial Conferences. These are held alternately with TNAI Conferences.

The students are being given more and more responsibility to manage their affairs both at the State and national levels. In 1975 it was agreed by the TNAI Council that one student representative be included in the State Branch Executive Committee on trial basis before the students are included in the TNAI Council as representatives of SNA.

As work of the Association increased, the need for a full time Secretary for the SNA was felt and in 1947 Miss I. Dorabji was appointed as SNA Secretary . Miss M. Philip succeeded Miss Dorabji in 1964, when Miss Dorabji joined TNAI as Secretary. Miss Philip continued as SNA Secretary till 1967. In 1970 with the reorganisation of TNAI the designation of the SNA Secretary was changed to SNA Advisor.

Mrs. Narender Nagpal was appointed first SNA Advisor in 1973 and she served in this capacity upto 1978. Miss D.K. Singh succeeded Mrs. Nagpal after the latter’s appointment as Secretary, TNAI. Mr. T. Stephens succeeded Miss Singh in 1981. On Mr. T. Stephens’ retirement in 1983 Miss Jaiwanti P. Dhaulta took over as SNA Advisor. On appointment of Miss Dhaulta as Secretary-General, TNAI, in 1996, Lt.Col. (Miss) M. David took over as SNA Advisor. On her retirement in March 1998, Mrs. Sujana Chakravarty became the SNA Advisor.