Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Mar 21: A two-day International conference on “Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: Prospects and Challenges for India [SUSTIND]”, was inaugurated today at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University.
This event is a collaborative effort of IIT Jammu, YSI South Asia Working Group and School of Economics, SMVDU. YSI is an initiative of the Institute for New Economic Thinking, New York.
In the inaugural programme, Prof Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, SMVDU, focused on the importance of the conference. He emphasized on the top down approach to achieve sustainable development goal.
Prof Manoj S Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu, in his presidential address, mentioned how technology can bridge the gap to achieve SDGs.
Sunanda Nair Bidkar, Director, South Asia, INET New York, in her introductory remarks, enriched the audience by focusing on the objectives and functioning of YSI in general and the conference in particular.
Prof Meenakshi Rajeev, Department of HSS IIT Jammu, coordinator of the event, briefed about the two day activities. Padma Bhushan Prof B N Suresh, Chancellor, Indian Institute of Space Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, was the chief guest and keynote speaker of the event. He noted that space data can be used to track some of the achievements of SDGs.
Shantmanu, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department, J&K Government, was the guest of honour. He highlighted the importance of sustainability of individual.
Prof Ashutosh Vashistha, Dean, Faculty of Management, Dr Rooplal Sharma, Head School of Economics, SMVDU and faculty members of different institutions graced the occasion. The formal vote of thanks of the inaugural session was delivered by the organizing secretary, Dr Pabitra Kumar Jena, Associate Professor, SMVDU.
The other core members of the organizing team include Program convener Dr Kakali Majumdar, Prof SMVDU: Bikram Barman and Christina Kujur from YSI; Dr Shafkat Shafi Dar, Dr Amitash Ojha, Dr Hardeep Singh from IIT Jammu as well as scholars and students. Young scholars from across the country are attending the conference.
Besides, two panel sessions, one, on “Challenges of Achieving SDGs for India” and the other, ‘Prospects and Challenges of J&K region in achieving SDGs”, were part of the event.
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