On 16 March, the Association of Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows (ACSF) in India celebrated the founding of the association with a panel discussion on, ‘Global Prosperity – the three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic, and environmental’. Alongside Commonwealth Alumni, the event brought together alumni from other UK scholarship programmes, including Chevening and GREAT, and others who had studied in the UK.
The event started with the welcome note by Dr Kailash C Petkar (2011 Split-site Scholar), Senior Scientist, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India and executive member of ACSF. Following his opening remarks, he invited Dr Lata Suresh (2013 Professional Fellow), executive member of ACSF to set the context for the panel discussion and introduce the panel.
Panellists:
- Dr Archana Thakur, Joint Secretary, University Grants Commission
- Dr Sanjay Mishra, Senior Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India
- Professor Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain, Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (SAC-PM), Sharda University
- Dr Pratibha Jolly (1986 Academic Fellow), Principal Investigator, Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) supported by Department of Science and Technology
- Dr Dhruva Chaudhry (2009 Academic Fellow), President, ACSF and Fellow, Senior Professor, and Chair, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Dean Academic Affairs at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak
Panellist discussed that sustainable development in India requires a multifaceted approach to address the complex interplay between social, economic, and environmental factors. By fostering social inclusion, promoting inclusive economic growth, and prioritising environmental conservation, India can build a more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable future for all its citizens. Collaboration between government, civil society, academia, and the private sector is essential to drive forward sustainable development initiatives that are tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities of the Indian context.
The discussion concluded with a Q&A between panellists and attendees. Following this, panellists and members of ACSF unveiled the third edition of the Association of Commonwealth Scholars and Fellow’s email newsletter.
The event ended with the vote of thanks by Dr Adarsh Kumar (2011 and 2014 Academic Fellow), Professor, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS, Executive Member and Editor in Chief of the newsletter. Attendees were invited to continue discussions during a networking session.
