Ladakh must draw on community resilience to address emerging challenges: Bhanu Prabha

National conference on inclusive future, collective action concludes

LEH: Collective action and community resilience will be crucial to preserving Ladakh’s natural resources and responding to emerging challenges, Administrative Secretary, Higher Education Department, UT Ladakh, Bhanu Prabha, IAS, said on Friday as a two-day national conference on an inclusive future concluded at Eliezer Joldan Memorial (EJM) College, Leh.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the conference on “Towards Inclusive Future: Dialogue and Collective Action”, Prabha underlined the role of communities in addressing challenges confronting the region and in safeguarding its fragile natural resources.

The conference, organised by the Department of Social Work from September 10-11, brought together administrators, academicians, scholars, social work practitioners and delegates from universities and institutions across the country.

Prabha appreciated the efforts of EJM College’s Department of Social Work in organising the academic gathering and emphasised that collective responses would be needed to address issues emerging from social and environmental change.

The conference concluded with participation from senior academic and administrative officials, including Sindhu Central University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Rajeev Ratan Sharma, who attended as chief guest, and Prabha as guest of honour.

Prof Sanjay Roy of the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi, attended as special guest, while Dr Sameena Iqbal, State Programme Director, PM-USHA, and Prof Tsewang Mutup, Director, College Development Council, were also present.

Prof Roy said the social work profession needed to continually adapt to changing socio-economic conditions and contemporary challenges, underlining the importance of keeping professional practice responsive to developments in society.

Dr Iqbal reiterated PM-USHA’s support for academic initiatives and said such platforms enabled knowledge exchange and collective learning.

EJM College Principal Prof Stanzin Yangdol said the conference was intended to generate meaningful dialogue and actionable knowledge that could be carried by participants to their institutions and communities.

Head of the Department of Social Work and organising secretary Dr Yangchan Dolma presented a report on the two-day conference, detailing its objectives, technical sessions, symposia and outcomes. Delegates from institutions across the country participated in the academic deliberations.

The conference was funded under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) and supported by the college’s Internal Quality Assurance Cell. It was organised in association with the Professional Social Workers Association of Jammu and Kashmir, India Network of Professional Social Workers Associations and Human Welfare Volunteer Organisation.

Jammu & Kashmir Bank, Leh, and Punjab National Bank, Leh, supported the event as sponsors.

The concluding session included feedback from participating delegates, followed by the felicitation of dignitaries, collaborators and other participants. Certificates were also distributed to paper presenters, session chairs and participants.

The conference concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Yangchan Dolma, who acknowledged the contributions of the dignitaries, collaborators, delegates and organising committees, with particular appreciation for Assistant Professor Jaspreet Singh and Dr Tanushree Malakar for their support in conducting the event.