Greetings from Pondicherry!
I am happy to inform you that under the dynamic, dedicated, innovative and able leadership of our Vice Chancellor, Prof J A K Tareen, we are going ahead with organizing the first International Conference of MISARC on the theme kindly approved by you, namely, "South Asia in 2020: Towards a Greater Unity and Interdependence," during November 22-24, 2010. The main focus of the Conference will be to identify ways and means for promoting and deepening economic and socio-cultural unity and interdependec among SAARC countries that may encourage political cooperation as well.
As the attached list of participants (not exhaustive) and programme will show, a lot of leading scholars, diplomats, journalists and members of think tanks are attending the meet. They include: Ambassador Madan Bhattarai, Currently, Freign Secretary, Govt. of Nepal, Kathmandu; Dr Ravindra Kanhal, Senior Fellow, Social Science Institute, Kathmandu; (nominated by Prof Nischal Nath Pandey); Prof. K. Tudor Silva, Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; Ambassador Sumit Nakandala, Sri lanka's former Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai and Ambassador in Nepal; Mr Ibrahim Zuhuree, Assistant Director, Head of SAARC Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Maldives; Professor Neelambar Hatti, Senior Advisor, Nordic Centre for Peace Studies, Department of Economic History, Lund University, P O Box – 7083, SE – 22007 Lund, Sweden; Ambassador Lakhan Lal Mehrotra, IFS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India & United Nations’ Envoy in Cambodia and Indonesia, Sridhar Krishna Swamy, ex-coorespondent of the HIndu from Washignton, DC and Leading shcolars on SAARC studies from all over India. Though delay in grant of visa / last minute problems prevented experts from Islamabad, Dhaka and Kabul from attending the meet, they have promised me to send their full papers, which will be included in the proposed volume that will be published after the Conference.
We extend you our heart-felt gratitude for providing us the opportunity to work for promoting peace, goodwill and cooperation among people and states of South Asia in particular and the world in general.
With respectful regards and profound thanks.
Sincerely,
Prof. N K Jha, PhD (JNU)
Professor & Director, Madanjeet Singh Institute of South Asia Regional Cooperation (MISARC)
Programme
Day One: November 22, 2010 |
|
Inaugural Session: 10.00 - 11.30 a.m. | |
Invocation | |
Opening Remarks | Prof. N.K. Jha |
Inaugural Address | Ambassador Lakhan Lal Mehrotra, IFS (Retd.) |
Felicitation Address | Prof. D. Sambandhan |
Presidential Address | Prof. J.A.K. Tareen |
Vote of Thanks | Prof. Mohanan B Pillai |
Tea Break: 11.30 - 11.45 a.m. |
|
Working Session – I: 11.45 - 1.30 p.m. |
|
Economic and Trade Relations | |
Chair: Ambassador Madan K. Bhattarai |
|
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Prof. K. Tudor Silva & Ambassador Sumith Nakandala |
Towards Sociology of Poverty in South Asia: The Need for Regional Cooperation in Understanding and Responding to Poverty |
Mr. Raju Narayana Swamy, IAS | India’s Trade Relations with Pakistan: Effectiveness of SAFTA for Deeper Integration |
Dr Rose G |
The Role of SAARC in Achieving Peace through Economic Integration |
Dr. Anand Kumar |
Common Market and Common Currency in SAARC: Challenges and Prospects |
Dr. Rahul Tripathi |
Whither Common Currency in South Asia? An Optimist Assessment |
Ms Amrita Saha |
India’s Prospects for Further Trade Development with South Asia: Analysis for Bangladesh |
Lunch Break: 1.30 - 2.30 p.m. |
|
Working Session – II: 2.30 - 4.00 p.m. |
|
Search for a Common Identity | |
Chair: Prof. S. R. Chakravarty | |
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Dr. Ravindra Kanhal |
South Asia: Search for a Common Identity |
Dr. Subhash Shukla & Dr. Rishi Kant Pandey |
South Asia's Search for a Common Identity: A Case for Developing a Common Socio-Cultural Identity |
P M Joshy |
The Politics of Identities: A Study on Social Capital and Region Building in South Asia |
Ms Tanzia Anjum |
South Asian Common Regional Identity: A Dream or Reality |
Dr. S. Prabhakar |
Parliamentary Initiatives towards South Asia |
Tea Break: 4.00 - 4.15 p.m. |
|
Working Session – III: 4.15 - 5.45 p.m. |
|
Cultural and Educational Cooperation | |
Chair: Prof. P. M. Kamath | |
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Dr. M. Saleem Kidwai |
Role of Cultural and Educational Exchanges |
Dr. M.J.Vinod |
Recasting South Asian Identity: A Study of the Role of the ‘State’ and ‘Geopolitical’ Factors |
R.D. Padmavathy |
Seizing the Opportunity for Change: Promoting Unity and Building Interdependence through Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Programme |
Dr. M. Balamurugan |
Education in South Asia: Role of Institutions |
Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava |
Conflict in South Asia: A Cultural Solution to Political Problems |
Dr. Mumtaz Begum |
The Attribute of a Civilization is the Power of Uniting the Diverse |
Cultural Programme: 6.30 - 7.30 p.m. |
|
Day Two: November 23, 2010 |
|
Working Session – IV: 9.30 - 11.30 a.m. |
|
Environment and Development | |
Chair: Prof. Neelambar Hatti | |
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Prof. B.C. Uperat |
Climate Change and Security in South Asia: Need for a Comprehensive Regional Approach |
Dr. G. Poyyamoli |
Community Based Eco-cultural Heritage Tourism for Developmental Cooperation in the South Asian Region - A Conceptual Framework |
S. Vijayanand |
Cooperation on Dealing with Climate Change, Global Warming |
Dr. Rabindra Prasad Singh |
The Theory and Practices of Environmental Economics and SAARC |
Ms. Shan Eugene |
Environmental Refugees: A Debauchment of Rights |
Shruti Rao and Simren Thomas |
Globalisation and its Effect on Environmental Regulations in SAARC 2020 |
Dr. Lily Arul Sharmila |
The Forms of Environmental Governance for the Development Paradigms in South Asian Countries |
Tea Break: 11.30 - 11.45 a.m. |
|
Working Session – V: 11.45 -- 1.15 p.m. |
|
SAARC: Prospects of Multilateral and Bilateral Cooperation | |
Chairperson: Prof. Bhawani Singh | |
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Prof. Cloud Arpi |
The Concept of a South Asian Confederation: Historical Background |
Prof. S.R. Chakravarthy |
SAARC: Prospect of Peace and Cooperation in the New Decade |
Neelam Choudhary |
The Young SAARC: Some Issues |
Prof. Purusottam Bhattacharya |
Towards a More Co-operative South Asia: Recent Improvements in India-Bangladesh Relations |
Mr. Parashmani Chandra |
Transnational Management of Rivers: South Asian Perspectives |
Dr. Sudhir Singh |
India-Pakistan Relationship: Prospects of Peace & Cooperation |
Lunch Break: 1.15 - 2.15 p.m. |
|
Working Session – VI: 2.15 - 3.45 p.m. |
|
Media and Confidence Building Measures | |
Chairperson: Prof. K. Tudor Silva | |
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Dr. B.K. Ravi |
Media Cooperation South Asia – An Exploratory Study |
Santhosh Mathew Veranani |
The Challenges and Future of Media in Pakistan |
Dr. Dharmesh. V Dhawankar |
New Electronic Media – A harbinger of Unity and Co-operation among SAARC Nations |
Dr. K. Manikandan & Dr. D. Purushothaman |
SAARC and Confidence Building Measures: An Analysis |
Mr. Jayanta Ganguly |
Harnessing the Transnational in South Asia |
Tea Break: 3.45 - 4.00 p.m. |
|
Working Session – VII: 4.00 - 5.30 p.m. |
|
Curbing Terrorism | |
Chairperson: Prof. P S Jayaramu | |
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Prof. Bhawani Singh |
South Asia and Home-Spun Terror |
Prof. P S Jayaramu |
Combating Terrorism in South Asia |
Dr. Anil Kumar Mohapatra |
The Menace of Terrorism in South Asia: A way out. |
Day Three: November 24, 2010 |
|
Working Session – VIII: 9. 30—11. 30 a. m. |
|
Curbing Terrorism & Protecting Human Rights | |
Chairperson: Prof. Y Rafeek Ahmed | |
Panelists |
Paper Titles |
Prof. P M Kamath |
South Asian Regional Cooperation in Curbing Terrorism and Promoting Human Rights: A 2020 Perspective |
Prof. Karori Singh |
Free Trade in SAARC Region: Implication and Consequences |
Sabu Thomas |
Hosts becoming ‘Dishes’: Examining the Impact of Terrorism on Regional Stability in South Asia |
Dr. V.P. Nedunchezhiyan |
Counter Terrorism: The “Life line” of the States of South Asia in 2020 |
Dr. L. Mothilal |
Prevention of Terrorism is better than Cure: An Insight for the Policy Maker of the Nation |
Dr. Suresh. R |
Human Rights Protection and Promotion in South Asia: The Need for Regional Institution |
Dr. S. Indira |
Cooperation on Social Issues among South Asian Countries |
Mr. Abu Salah Md. Yousuf |
SAARC Social Charter: Progress and Prospect |
Tea Break: 11.30 - 11.45 p.m. |
|
Concluding Session: 11.45 - 1.00 p.m. |
|
Chairman: Prof. M. Ramdass | |
Summing Up |
Prof. N K Jha |
Felicitation | Mr. R. Raghavan |
Vote of Thanks | Dr D. Purushottaman |
- - -
External
Dear Prof. Jha,
Let me take this opportunity to thank you and the whole organizing team for a successful completion of the Seminar. I also thank Ambassador Madanjeet Singh, Vice Chancellor Prof J A K Tareen and you for invitation extended to me and the warm hospitality received. I must say I have gained a lot of information that is very relevant when we make various decisions at SAARC level.
On a personal note, I will be writing to you about possibility of doing a Phd in Pondicherry University related to South Asian Studies.
Best Regards
Ibrahim Zuhuree, Head, SAARC Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Maldives
Dear professor Jha,
Please allow me to thank you for your impeccable hospitality during the conference. I hope my presence was of some use. I truly enjoyed my stay at the guest house. I certainly hope I will have another opportunity of visiting your University and for a alonger period. nce again, thank you for your generous hospitality.
Best wishes,
Neelambar