Sr. Dr. Joan Chunkapura MMS has been selected for Dr. D W Mategaonkar NATIONAL AWARD 2023 by Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI) New Delhi, for outstanding service in the Healing Ministry

Sr. Dr. Joan Chunkapura MMS received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Delhi University & specialization in Addiction Treatment from Minnesota and got training in Family Therapy from Florida, USA. She  joined the  Movement called All Kerala Joint Christian Temperance Movement which started in 1963 as an ecumenical programme giving awareness against alcoholism. In 1987 under her leadership started TRADA De-addiction Cum Rehabilitation Centre at Kottayam and still she is actively working for the cause of the addicts and their families, through prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.Under her leadership, TRADA IRCA has received the National Award from the President of India for the Best IRCA in 2014, for the outstanding work in the field of Prevention of Alcohol and drug addiction. 

Since 1987, she is giving awareness generation classes on the ill effects of alcoholism and drug addiction such as in Parishes, Schools, Colleges, factory workers, SHGs & the public. She has organized the first All India Conference on Substance Dependence, HIV/AIDS and Mental Health in 2000 at Kottayam, Kerala, India which was inaugurated by the then Lt. Governor of Kerala, Retd. Justice Sukh Dev Singh Khang. Thereafter every year she conducts State conferences on Substance Abuse, Mental Health,  HIV/AIDS, Family, Suicide, Parenting, Youth Problems, Internet addiction, Palliative care and on current issues in order to awaken the society on these matters. She is a resource person in the  National and international Level conferences . In the year 2012 she has attended and presented a paper on Relapse Prevention at the 6th Asian Recovery Symposium organized by Colombo Plan  at New Delhi. She speaks in All India Radio, Shalom  T.V., Asianet etc. She contributes articles in Journals, Magazines and news papers. She is author and co-author of  22 books in Malayalam and English on Counselling, Mental Health, Addiction, Family therapies, Psychotherapies and Transitions in life etc..

At present she is rendering outstanding service as the Secretary of TRADA and Principal of TRADA Institute of  Social Sciences, Kottayam. She also renders services at IHM Hospital, Bharananganam and the programme coordinator of  Ayushya Centre for Healing and Integration, Ithithanam, Changanacherry. She is a committee member of the Central Education Board of CMAI (Christian Medical Association of India) and Board of Studies of Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong.  She guides research scholars on various topics.  She is an adjunct faculty member of  Martin Luther Christian University since 2004.

For the outstanding services she received FIGODAP & Social Welfare Dept. Memento (2009), Kerala Sabhatharam Award, All Kerala Catholic Congress Award (1987), Gandhi Peace Award, Faith Award (2001), Rotary Vocational Excellence Award (2014),  Life Time Achievement award by AKJCTM (2015), Fr. Thomas Thythottam Jubilee Foundation Award (2019),  Dr. D W Mategaonkar NATIONAL AWARD by Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI) New Delhi (2023).