'Child is not a miniature adult' is a well-known fact. Health care needs of children and adolescents differ from those of adults. Pediatrics as a specialty came into existence 6 decades ago. Neonatology developed as a super specialty as paediatricians took over care of neonates from obstetricians in 1970. National Neonatology Forum was established in 1980. Nearly 2 decades later, 10 paediatricians understood the need of providing exclusive specialized care to adolescents and took the road less traveled by establishing Adolescent Health Academy (AHA IAP), a specialty chapter of Indian Academy of Pediatrics, in 1999 at Cochin.

Dr. Dileep Mukherjee was the founder chairperson of AHA IAP and Dr. MKC Nair was the Convener. In May 1999, IAP adopted the Policy on Age of Pediatric Care (https://indianpediatrics.net/may1999/may-461-463.htm) that stated

For fulfilling the professional obligations of pediatricians to the society at large, the purview of pediatrics commences with the fetus and continues through newborn, infancy, preschool and school-age including adolescence up to and including 18 years of age.

In tandem with the above policy, Dr. Swati Bhave, President IAP 2000, declared her tenure as the year of Adolescent Care'. She constituted a 'National Task Force on Adolescent Health' for a period of 5 years. This Task Force held training workshops for IAP Presidents and Secretaries of IAP State Branches. IAP Adolescent immunization and Growth Charts were also prepared. And since then, Adolescent Health Academy has continued to surge forward and has contributed to the following path-breaking programs till date:

• International Training Program in Adolescent Health, New Delhi, 2002 led by Dr. Swati Bhave
• Post Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Pediatrics, CDC, Trivandrum, Kerala University, 2004 led by Dr. MKC Nair, President IAP 2004
• Adolescent orientation program, WHO, New Delhi, 2005
• The first textbook of Adolescent Medicine by Dr. Swati Bhave, 2006.
• Adolescent Friendly School Initiative (AFSI), National Training Program, led by Dr. Naveen Thacker, President IAP 2007
• 'Adolescent Care in Office Practice', National Training Program, led by Dr. CP Bansal, Chairperson AHA 2011
• 'Difficult Adolescent in Office Practice', National Training Program led by Dr. Rohit Agrawal, President IAP 2012
• 'Mission Kishore Uday' (MKU), Comprehensive Adolescent Health Program led by Dr. CP Bansal, President IAP 2013 that was conducted successfully in 51 Cities. Dr. JS Tuteja was the National Chairperson, Dr. Atul Kanikar, National Coordinator and Dr. Preeti Galagali National Convener of MKU 2013
• 'Adolescent Health Ambassador' and 'Parenteening', National Training Programs led by Dr. Pramod Jog, President IAP 2016
• ' Mission Kishore Uday', Adolescent Suicide Prevention and Intervention, National Training Program, led by Dr. Santosh Soans, President IAP 2018 and Dr. Digant Shastri, President IAP 2019. Dr. Preeti Galagali is the National Convener and Dr. Sandip Trivedi is the National Coordinator of MKU 2018-19
• '2020-2021 CAHA conducted AWESOME AYA in collaboration with CIAP for Pediatricians ... 1 physical & 28 virtual platform
• '2021 CAHA conducted Mission School Uday in collaboration with CIAP
• 'Released Guidelines For paediatricians, parents, teachers & students on Hazardous Junk Food, Media Use, Suicide prevention & School opening guidelines