Growth and development are the integral components of 'Pediatrics'. Growth denotes increase in size or body mass and development is the maturation of functions of the bodily organs. Growth and development are cncerned with metamorphosis from human embryo to a healthy adult. Felt need of increasing awareness in these two fields of pediatrics resulted in the development of the division of Indian Academy of Pediatrics as IAP Growth and Development Chapter. Subsequently, noticed the need of emphasising the behavioural aspects separately because normal and abnormal behvioural patterns should not be misjudged and be tackled with expertise.

Following inclusion of care of adolescents in the domain of pediatricians, the knowledge in the field of child behaviours became an important issue. So the need based modification was done by renaming the chapter as IAP Growth, Development and Behavioural Pediatrics (IAP - GDBP).

This Chapter has immense potential for scientific activities and gaining popularity in our country for the emerging problems of obesity among affluents in addition to the existing problem of under nutrition, for the better understanding of the developmental problems and recent updating of knowledge being possible through internets resulting in benefits to the victims and for the increasing trends of behavioural problems in children and adolescents in modern societies.