Sambalpur, September 01^st, 2023: IIM Sambalpur, one of the premium B-schools in the nation, hosted a special thought-provoking lecture on the G20 Presidency under the G20 University Connect Program, propelled by the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The purpose of this initiative is to nurture global awareness and cultivate the leadership potential of B-school students on matters of worldwide significance since they will be the leaders of tomorrow. Spearheaded by RIS (Research and Innovation System), the G20 University Connect lecture series has already made a significant impact by involving 65 Universities across diverse States and Union Territories, actively engaging numerous students in the process.

The event began with an official video, introducing the overarching theme of India’s G20 Presidency for 2023.

Followed by the Special Lecture, by the keynote speaker, Former Ambassador J.K. Tripathi, IFS (Retd.) Diplomat, the Government of India, elaborated on the importance of the G20 Presidency. He said that through this platform India can show the way to the world in various sectors, like we are the pioneers of the digital economy. Less than 50 countries in the world can have access to a digital economy or digital payment system. Furthermore, we can share our experience in solar power, clean energy and experience in startups. Mr. Tripathi further said that as part of the G20 Summit, there have been a number of meetings on trade practices and supply lines, supply chain which have given a very sound implementation of such issues. Not only that, India has also suggested at various levels that there has to be a change in the practices rules and regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which has to directly and especially assist the emerging market and developing countries as well as developing economies. The former Ambassador also threw light on the brief history of the G20 and said that it is the only international organization that includes members of the G7, BRICS, and other important international bodies, allowing it to serve as a bridge between affluent and developing nations.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, emphasized the significance of the event. Prof. Jaiswal informed that according to the IMF report, India has become the fifth-largest economy in terms of GDP and is currently the fastest-growing economy in the world. He said, as per the report, if the growth trend continues over the next few years, India will become one of the top three GDP countries globally, along with the US and China. Prof Jaiswal elaborated that as per the report, female participation in higher education in India is below 15%. And if it improves by about another 20 points, India will become the third-largest GDP. Therefore, if we further strengthen the diversity index and make ourselves among the top 40 the way we have done the innovation index, the Indian economy will surpass the US economy. Prof. Jaiswal proudly shared that IIM Sambalpur has already taken the initiative in terms of improving its gender diversity. With 60% gender females percentage in the recent MBA batch, the institute has achieved the highest female ratio among the top schools in India.

The event concluded with the Q&A session, moderated by Mr Ali Syed, RIS, followed by a vote of thanks by Prof. Padmavathy Dhillon, Faculty IIM Sambalpur. The event served as a platform for interactive discussion on the G20 Presidency and its broader implications in terms of education, research, and other diverse perspectives on a global level. 

It is to be recalled that the initiative has been collaborative research between the Research and Innovation System for Developing Countries and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).