Baha'i Chair for Studies in Development, DAVV

The Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development, DAVV organized a roundtable on the theme ‘𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲‘ on 9 December 2025.

The speakers for the roundtable were 𝗠𝗿. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝘂 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗵, Founder and CEO, Clean-Water (Sustainable Water Technologies Pvt. Ltd.); 𝗠𝗿. 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗞𝗲𝗹𝗮, Co-Founder, Jaivik Setu and MD, Scientech Technologies; 𝗠𝗿. 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗠.𝗚., Project Coordinator, Integrated Water Management Program, Nagrath Charitable Trust; 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗸𝗮𝗿, Professor of Civil Engineering, Shri G.S. Institute of Technology and Science and 𝗗𝗿. 𝗡𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗮 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, Assistant Professor, Prestige Institute for Management and Research.

The Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development, DAVV organized a roundtable on the theme ‘𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲’ on 29 September 2025. The event was graced by the presence of the 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝗲-𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗿, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗥𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗶 and Special Guest 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻.

The speakers for the roundtable were 𝗠𝗿. 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗞𝗲𝗹𝗮, Co-Founder, Jaivik Setu and MD, Scientech Technologies; 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝘂 𝗨𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗵𝘆𝗮𝘆𝗮, Associate Professor, Prestige University; 𝗗𝗿. 𝗬𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗝𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗮𝘃, COO, Barli Development Institute for Rural Women and 𝗠𝗿. 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗷𝗮, Co-Founder and Director, Raheja Solar Food Processing.

Directs admissions are open for the Postgraduate Certificate courses. Few seats left.

The Baháʼí Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore is pleased to announce its offering of the following Postgraduate Certificate courses for the 2025/2026 academic year:

1. Environmental Ethics
2. Knowledge, Participation and Development

Those interested in enrolling for the courses can apply with the following Google link: https://forms.gle/xevF1dnSvmbJeSZu6

Those who are interested in the postgraduate certificate courses being offered by the Chair in the coming academic year can use this link to join our mailing list: https://forms.gle/gp8xBhDGf72zRQpbA .

The detailed brochure and application form will be shared with them soon.

Interest Form (Postgraduate Certificate Courses 2025-2026) Baha'i Chair For Studies in Development, Devi Ahilya University, Indore

As part of the lecture series titled '𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁', the Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development, DAVV Indore in collaboration with Choithram College of Nursing is organizing a lecture by 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗹 on 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟯 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 at 𝟯 𝗽𝗺 at 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗜𝗕 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺, 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗲 on the theme ‘𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀’. Those interested in participating in the lecture may register at the following link: https://forms.gle/ASnH8KVinxMcxdsu8

About the Speaker:

Dr. Siddharth Agarwal is a physician by training and has worked in the fields of research and programming in public health, nutrition, community empowerment, urban health, planning, policy support to National and State governments and towards global public health policy advocacy. He has been working for the cause of wellbeing, nutrition and health of disadvantaged populations for the past 26 years. He is the Founder and Director of Urban Health Resource Centre, a non-profit organization that works to address health, nutrition, wellbeing of 500,000 disadvantaged urban dwellers through demonstration programs in partnership with slum communities and government departments, and also engages in research, policy support, and advocacy. He is an Editorial Board member of the Journal of Urban Health, the former President of International Society for Urban Health and member of several national and international committees on public health/urban health.

The Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development in collaboration with School of Economics, DAVV Indore organized a symposium on the theme '𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮'. The event was graced by the presence of the Vice-Chancellor, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝘂 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗻 and Special Guest 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻. The Keynote Address was delivered by 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵, Professor & Executive Dean, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Sonipat, Haryana.

The panelists for the symposium were 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗵𝘁𝗮, Senior Economist and Senior Fellow at Institute of Human Development; 𝗠𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗴, Veteran Journalist, Former Chief Editor, Dainik Bhaskar group; 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝗔𝗵𝘂𝗷𝗮, Head, School of Economics, DAVV; 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝘄𝗲𝘁𝗮 𝗞𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹, Faculty, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore; 𝗠𝗿. 𝗔𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗸𝗲, Founder, Rangwasa Jaivik Gram Foundation, Indore; 𝗠𝘀. 𝗞𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗶 𝗗𝗶𝘅𝗶𝘁, Indore Representative, AIWC and 𝗗𝗿. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝘇𝗹𝗶, Head, Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development, DAVV. This symposium is part of a series of gatherings being organized by the Chair on the overall theme of ‘Building a More Caring World: Implications for the Family, the Community and the Market.’ JanakandJimmy McGilligan Davv Indore Arun D**e Arash Fazli

The Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development in collaboration with School of Economics, DAVV Indore is organizing a symposium on the theme '𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮' on 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟲 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 at 𝟭𝟬: 𝟯𝟬 𝗮𝗺 graced by the Vice-Chancellor, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝘂 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗻 and Special Guest 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻. The Keynote Address will by delivered by 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵, Professor & Executive Dean, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Sonipat, Haryana.

The panelists for the symposium are 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗵𝘁𝗮, Senior Economist and Senior Fellow at Institute of Human Development; 𝗠𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗴, Veteran Journalist, Former Chief Editor, Dainik Bhaskar group; 𝗠𝗿. 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗷𝗮, Founder and CEO, Raheja Solar; 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝗔𝗵𝘂𝗷𝗮, Head, School of Economics, DAVV; 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝘄𝗲𝘁𝗮 𝗞𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹, Faculty, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore; 𝗠𝗿. 𝗔𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗸𝗲, Founder, Rangwasa Jaivik Gram Foundation, Indore; 𝗠𝘀. 𝗞𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗶 𝗗𝗶𝘅𝗶𝘁, Indore Representative, AIWC and 𝗗𝗿. 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝘇𝗹𝗶, Head, Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development, DAVV.

The Bahá’í Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya organized a 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 on the theme ‘𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱: 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆.’ The roundtable was graced by the presence of 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝘂 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗻, Vice Chancellor of DAVV. The speakers for the roundtable were 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻, Director, Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development; 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝗵𝗿𝗮, Founder and Executive Secretary, Lakshya Child Development Centre; 𝗗𝗿. 𝗥𝗮𝗷𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗮, Deputy Director, National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) and 𝗧𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗝𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗮𝘃, Executive Director, Barli Development Institute for Rural Women. This discussion is part of a series of gatherings being organized by the Chair on the overall theme of ‘Building a More Caring World: Implications for the Family, the Community and the Market.’

As part of the lecture series titled '𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁', the Bahá'í Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore is pleased to announce a lecture delivered online by 𝗗𝗿. 𝗩𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗹 on 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟮𝟳 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 from 𝟯 𝗽𝗺 to 𝟰 𝗽𝗺 on the theme ‘𝗛𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺: 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝘀𝗽 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻’.

Those interested in participating in the lecture may register at the following link: https://forms.gle/Fwf6876B2JWZ4vyg8

Abstract of the lecture

This overview of pastoralism in the Himalaya, with a particular focus on Himachal Pradesh, draws upon research and observations over a thirty-year period, to try and understand the changing rationale for, and changing nature of, such extensive animal husbandry. We trace a sustained opposition towards pastoralism over the past century and a half, locating it within political, ecological, and cultural frameworks. We argue that despite this opposition, pastoralism has persisted over this period largely on account of the economic gains from animal husbandry. But we also argue that Himalayan pastoralism today is at a point of inflexion, and likely transitioning to household management of smaller herds as a means of retaining a toe-hold in pastoralism. We posit that present day pastoralist decision making is often premised on labour practices that opt for cash and temporary work rather than apprenticeship, and on altered herd management that revolves around dramatically smaller herds, managed over localized migratory routes rather than the much longer routes used in the past. We also argue that this involvement in herding is more peripheral to household economics, compared with the 1990s, when herding represented a predominant, overriding component of herder household incomes. At the outset, we note that our commentary is premised on anecdote and limited data, more hypotheses than trends discernible in long-term data. We anticipate that findings from ongoing research will support the broad argument that pastoralism in the Himalaya remains profitable, even as the contemporary logic of animal management has deviated from earlier models. And that profitability will likely sustain pastoralism in the near to medium term, even as the call to sedentarize grows louder, both within and outside the community.

About the speaker

Vasant Saberwal is the Director of the Centre for Pastoralism. His research interests have lain at the intersection of the politics of science and its use in shaping the terms of access to grazing, forest and water resources. He has worked on pastoral communities of the Himalayas for well over 3 decades. He did a PhD in Political Ecology, with a focus on Himachali pastoralism, and post-doctoral research in the Western Ghats. His publications include Pastoral Politics: Shepherds, Bureaucrats and Conservation in the Western Himalaya (OUP, 1999), Battles Over Nature: Science and the Politics of Wildlife Conservation, co-edited with Mahesh Rangarajan, (Permanent Black, 2003) and with Ashwini Chhatre, Democratizing Nature: Politics, Conservation and Development in India (Oxford University Press, 2006). His films, co-directed with Sanjay Barnela, include the award winning documentaries, River Taming Mantras and Hunting Down Water, part of a five-part series on the political economy of water. He helped launch the inter-disciplinary journal Conservation and Society, and was Executive Editor from 2002 to 2004.

The Baháʼí Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore is pleased to announce its offering of the following two Postgraduate Certificate courses:

1. Environmental Ethics
2. Knowledge, Participation and Development

Those interested in enrolling for the course can apply through the following Google form: https://forms.gle/6SE1pVMk3X5PPDHN8

As part of the lecture series titled '𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁', the Bahá'í Chair for Studies in Development at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore is pleased to announce a lecture delivered online by 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗥𝗮𝗷𝗲𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗦. 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮 on 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟮 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 from 𝟯 𝗽𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝟰 𝗽𝗺 on the theme ‘𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮’.

Those interested in participating in the lecture may register at the following link: https://forms.gle/QwwVQVm2AxqaKwvu6

Abstract of the lecture:

This lecture draws attention to technology generation and deployment. The literature on technological change for the environment and for development in India, reveals several crucial interactions. Some beget programmes and investments from the state. Some do not. Two illustrations, technological and institutional innovations involved in the cultivation of rice in Punjab and the revival of millets in Odisha reveal how the state acknowledges and addresses these interactions. These new interactions or reformed nexus created between the environment and development, also constitute the state's engagement with and the interactions between environmental problems and development challenges. A historically and institutionally informed engagement with the dominant frameworks of technological determinism and social constructivism, reveal the knowledge politics involved in the investments in technologies. While a constructivist framework explains much of conservation technologies and practices at the environmental front, it is technological determinism that appears strong in the case of agricultural modernization for development. This lecture problematizes the conceptualization of technology as embodied capital. This was the core of the internationally generated high pay-off input model that was institutionalized as part of the green revolution and demanded industrial capacity building for the production of technologies. With the global acceptance and evolution of this conceptualization of technology (as industrially produced artefacts), came a reconceptualization of the interactions between the environment and development as those that could be solved with technologies or capital-intensive inputs. There was also a redesign of the state’s programmes or systems for the generation, dissemination and adoption of these technologies. A brief discussion on India’s potential agroecological transitions exposes the problem located in this techno-centric framing. While technologies are necessary for environment friendly agroecological transitions, they do not come as capital-intensive inputs with selective perception of the set of interactions between the environment and development. They are agro-ecosystem specific, flexible and fungible in given local knowledge contexts, and do not have given target and control mechanisms built into them. Globally, climate change adaptation and mitigation demand the same insights into important interactions. There is a lot of work necessary, on reframing the sustainability problem and highlighting environmental challenges that question our cognition of the environment-development interactions.

About the speaker:

Rajeswari S. Raina is a Professor with the Department of International Relations and Governance Studies, in Shiv Nadar University (Institution of Eminence), Delhi NCR, India. She has a background in the agricultural sciences and a PhD in Economics. Her research is inter- and trans-disciplinary, mainly in institutional economics, science, technology, society (STS) studies, and the substantive relationships that underpin agriculture, human and ecological wellbeing. Her publications and public engagements with governmental, academic and civil society organizations and networks, are on institutions and policy processes, post-growth possibilities, mobilizing public support and piloting living soils, inclusive innovation (in rural India and China), decentralized agroecological and social-ecological system transformations, international environmental assessments and knowledge based bio-economic capabilities.