SHILLONG, MAR 6: Former president Dr APJ Kalam will be teaching the students of IIM-Shillong as visiting faculty on the Societal Transformation with Technology and its Application. This announcement was made during the inaugural session of the third annual international sustainable conference held at the IIM-Shillong premises and in Kalam presence.
Kalam is in Shillong to take part in the conference and the news that he would be teaching the students of IIM-Shillong was received with a sense of thrill amidst frenzied excitement among the assembled students during the inaugural session on Wednesday.
The three days event is expected to witness interesting discussions which would provide burning thoughts to contemplate upon. IIM Shillong, as an institute hopes to achieve its aim of spreading development in the local and global front in a sustainable manner.
Beside Kalam Prof. Keya Sengupta, Director of IIM Shillong,. Peter Pruzan, Professor Emeritus Copenhagen Business School were also present during the inauguration.
Everyone sat in silence to listen to Kalam talks as he presented his thoughts and ideas on what he believes to be sustainable development integrating every strata of the society. He focused his talks on PURA ( Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas), a sustainable development system to empower three billion.
Kalam spoke of India’s aim to bring sustainable development through rural and urban infrastructure, quality education, healthcare, environmental upgradation, bringing vibrancy in the public institutions for better and enhanced delivery of essential public services on time, reforming the financial system for better global integration and a proactive regulatory system.
Kalam said, “India’s core competencies majorly lie in the sectors of Agriculture and food processing, Education and Healthcare, Information and communication Technology, Reliable and Quality Electric power, Surface transport and Infrastructure for all parts of the country and self-reliance in critical technologies and if these five areas progress in a coordinated way, will lead to food, economic and national security and help in achieving energy independence.”
Kalam explained the functioning of the PURAs and the anecdote as to how they can successfully be used to bring about sustainable development. The PURAs, he explained, require four levels of connectivity which have to be customized according to local competencies and needs.
Dwelling further Kalam said the connectivity are physical connectivity via good roads and railway networks, electronic connectivity by providing latest information through teachers and researchers on their pursuits like agriculture, fishery, horticulture and food processing and finally, knowledge connectivity.
Kalam also spoke about three of his dreams which have taken shape as vision, mission and realization – Space programme of ISRO ( Indian Space Research Organization), AGNI Programme of DRDO ( Defence Research and Development Organization) and PURA.
The entire event was webcasted live, and witnessed throughout the world at real time so that it was not restricted within the walls of the auditorium of the institute.
The three days event will also feature interactive sessions with speakers where stalwarts like Professor Peter Pruzan, Allen Sequeira, Advisor-Group HR, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Jayanta Bandyopadhyay, Advisor, International Union for Conservation of Nature would be deliberating on topics like : The future in our hands: Conceptual, economic, Ecological and Spiritual, Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystems: Futility of the traditional conceptual framework for development to name a few. – By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours