XIM commenced 9th Annual Sustainability Summit 2024
Satish,Samanta,Odishabarta
“Respect and Care for Life on Land: Towards Sustainable Mining Practices”
Bhubaneswar,17/01/24:School of Sustainability, XIM University (New Campus), Odisha, successfully organized the 9th Annual Sustainability Summit 2024 on the Theme“Respect and Care for Life on Land: Towards Sustainable Mining Practices”from 17th to 19thJanuary2024.
17thJanuary 2024 – Day 1:The day commenced with Alumni Interaction in association with Alumni Committee, School of Sustainability, XIM University. This was followed by student interaction with the Strategic AcademicAdvisory Board (SAAB) Members of the School of Sustainability.The day ended with a Board meeting amongst all the SAAB (16 members) andnon-SAAB members that comprised of all the faculties from School of Sustainability.
18th January 2024 – Day 2:The event commenced with the much-awaited inauguration of the Miyawaki Forest in XIM University, Bhubaneswar (New Campus).
The inauguration of the summit began with a welcome note by Prof. Dr. Sutapa Pati, Dean School of Sustainability, XIM University. This was followed by Keynote addresses given by Dr. Aditi Haldar, Mr. Pankaj Satija, and Dr. T.K. Chand, which focussed on the importance of sustainability in management education and how it is an integral part of every sector and industry. The speakers passionately delved into the vision of “Zero Net Mining,” advocating for a future where extraction is balanced by restoration through green sinks and afforestation. The ceremony concluded with the theme reveal for the 10th Annual Sustainability Summit, 2025 as “SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure”.
This was followed with the panel discussions. The Themes for the panel discussions are as follows:
Themes:Corporate Panel- Restructuring the mining industry: shaping the value chain with Resource efficiency and circular economy Academic Panel- Measuring Impact & Sustainability Metrics: The Role of the Research and Academic Community.
The Corporate Panel delved into reshaping the mining industry by emphasizing resource efficiency and circular economy, aligning with the goal of minimizing environmental impact and fostering sustainable practices in the value chain. The Academic Panel explored the role of research and academia in measuring and advancing sustainability metrics, providing a comprehensive perspective on ensuring responsible mining practices that respect and care for life on land. Together, these discussions aimed to drive a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious approach to mining.
The subsequent event, “Stories of the Wild”comprised of the speakers sharing their profound encounters with the wild in India, providing a unique insight into the enchanting tapestry of our country’s diverse ecosystems. This was followed by a “Research Colloquium” comprising of poster presentations and oral presentations on the topic of sustainable mining. The summit concluded with a cultural program.
19th January 2024 – Day 3:The summit concluded with a field visit to Daitri Iron Ore Mines and Chromite Mines, and also a visit to the Odisha Conclave held in Bhubaneswar for a few students. The visit to the mines included informative briefings by representatives from OMC. The field visit also had aClimate Court session, whichfostered deliberation and discussions on crucial topics related to the mining industry and environmental considerations.
The sponsors of the event were S R Rungta Group, Jindal Steel & Power, OMC, JSW, Hindalco (Aditya Birla Group), and LTIMindtree.
Speakers:Keynote Speakers:Mr. Pankaj Satija, Managing Director & Executive In Charge, TATA Steel Mining Ltd.Dr. T.K. Chand, President, Vedanta.
Corporate Panel Discussion:Moderator: Dr. Aditi Haldar, Director, Global Reporting InitiativeDr. Satyajit Dwivedi, Regional Director, SASMr. Devraj Tiwari, Head Planning, Tata Steel,Mr. Jitender Ghangas, Associate Director – CSR, Mr. Ashutosh Saha, Sustainability Manager, Hindalco.
Academic Panel Discussion:Moderator: Mr. Digvijay Singh Bisht, Air Quality Analyst and Field Coordinator, UN Environment ProgrammeProf. Khanindra Pathak, Dean (Infrastructure), IIT Kharagpur,Dr. Sankha Chakrabortty, Assistant Professor, KIIT Bhubaneswar,Prof. Roopa Madhav, Professor, NLU Delhi,Prof. Digvijay Singh Bhist, Air Quality Analyst, UN Environmental Programme,Mr. Vivek Choudhary, Scientist, CEMDE Delhi University.Dr. Sachida Nanda Sahu, Principal Scientist, CSIR
Stories of The Wild:Dr. Gowri Shankar Pogiri, Director, KCRE & Co-Founder Kalinga Foundation.Mr. Sumant Rajguru, Managing Director, Chitraka Earthmovers and Builders Private Limited.
