Rourkela, Nov 8: The 44th Annual conference of the Indian Association for Study of Population (IASP) on “1.4 Billion Aspirations, One Sustainable Future: Unfolding India’s Path to Development” jointly organized by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, NIT Rourkela, commenced today.

This three-day conference started with an inaugural session at BB Auditorium, NITR and was joined by 150 registered candidates Demographers, faculties and research scholars from various reputed institutes and universities of the country like JNU, International Institute for Population Sciences, Jadavpur University, Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), BITS Pilani, IITs and NITs etc,. Padma Shri (Prof.) Digambar Behera who is the Former Dean (Research) and Head of the Pulmonary Medicine Department PGIMER, Chandigarh graced the event as the Chief Guest. Mr. William Hanlon Jr (Chief of Field Office, UNICEF, Odisha) attended the function as the Guest of Honour.

The session started with a welcome address by the convener of the conference, Prof. Jalandhar Pradhan (Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences). He said, “At a time when India has become the most populous country in the world, demographers and public health specialists need to think about how the aspirations of the 1.4 billion Indians would be accomplished.”

Joining the event, Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao (Director NIT Rourkela) said, “World’s most populous country India, poses challenges and immense opportunities for sustainable development. The challenges include managing rapid urbanisation, ensuring inclusive growth, addressing poverty and inequality, and providing access to education, healthcare, and basic amenities. However, this population growth also brings opportunities for economic growth, innovation, and social progress. By adopting sustainable development strategies, India can harness the demographic dividend, promote environmental sustainability, prioritise social inclusion, and innovation to create a prosperous and equitable future for all its citizens.”

William Hanlon Jr congratulated the department for organizing the conference and said, “With great optimism and hope I put up my concern about Climate Changes, Resource Depletion and Environmental Degradation, which are compromising on the world for the future generation. To face these challenges, we must harness the power of innovation and technology. India has already shown tremendous strides in renewable energy, biotechnology and Information Technology. By investing in research and development we can create solutions that will address the global fight against environmental degradation. We must also invest in a robust healthcare system recognizing the basic development of human existence.”

Chief Guest, Padma Shri awardee (Prof.) Digambar Behera highlighted crucial aspects of public health and nutrition with regard to the conference’s topic ‘India’s Path to Development’ with a particular focus on tuberculosis (TB). He said, “India has a goal for eliminating TB before 2025, five years ahead of the WHO's set target for 2030. Malnutrition emerged as one of the primary contributors to the TB epidemic, so it is important to integrate social sciences and medical sciences to achieve the crucial goals of zero hunger, universal access to nutritious food, and the elimination of TB. India's commendable performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a producer of vaccines and PPE kits, and extending support beyond its borders was acknowledged globally. This has emphasized the necessity of collaborating on robust healthcare systems, economic development, housing for all, and quality education etc. aiming for a brighter and sustainable future working together to build a prosperous world.”

Sriram Haridass (Deputy Representative, UNFPA India), Prof. Suresh Sharma (President, IASP), Prof. Usha Ram (General Secretary, IASP) also joined the inaugural programme and encouraged the gathering. Prof. Narayan Sethi (Head of, the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences) briefed on the conference and said “This conference will be a good platform for collaborations and networking among the researchers. This conference provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and academicians to present and discuss the latest innovations, best practices, trends and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered.” Dr. Jitendra Yadav (Treasurer, IASP) concluded the event with a vote of thanks. The conference features keynote addresses by renowned experts in the field, interactive panel discussions, oral paper presentations, and interactive poster sessions.

Read: Odisha News

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at NIT Rourkela is dedicated to excellence in research, education, and innovation in the humanities and social sciences. With a team of passionate faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, the department is pivotal in advancing research and addressing global challenges.

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