Manav Rachna University (MRU) organized a National Seminar on Alternative Politics: Peace and Sustainability in collaboration with Institute of Peace Research and Action (IPRA). The day-long seminar sponsored by ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Sciences Research) provided a platform to discuss and debate over the idea of Alternative politics, peace and its associated dimensions. A Centre of Peace and Sustainability was launched on the occasion by Prof. Ved Prakash, Former Chairman, UGC in the august presence of Dr. SusheelaBhan, Chairman-IPRA; Dr. Prashant Bhalla, President, ManavRachna Educational Institutions (MREI); Dr.  Amit Bhalla, VP, MREI; Dr I K Bhat, VC, MRU; Dr Sanjay Srivastava, MD-MREI and other senior academicians as well as industry experts.

In her address Dr. SusheelaBhan stressed upon creating conditions in the society where peace can be promoted. She said: “We must create a third rung of leadership of youngsters and shape their mindsets to take on the difficult approach of peace while working for the greater good”.

While praising the vision of Dr. O P Bhalla, Prof. Ved Prakash said that education is the means to empowerment. 

Prof. P.K. Chaubey, an economist and alumnus of the University of Allahabad conducted the session on Alternative Politics: Gandhian Thought wherein he discussed various aspects of Gandhiji’s life and the milestones of his journey. He said, “Initiatives of Gandhiji are multi-faceted, and his concept of non-violence was very assertive but not aggressive”.

Prof. Raj Nehru, VC- Shri Vishwakarma Skills University conducted the session on ‘Democracy, Liberty and Alternative Politics’. He commenced by saying, “Gandhiji is a universal figure and his international reach is phenomenal. Gandhi not just symbolizes national ethos but the ethos that have no boundary”. He also spoke about the polarization of opinion, populism, multi-ethnicity, modernization, and economic inequalities. He mentioned the Theory of Emotional Intelligence of Daniel Goldman and said that self-awareness and self-management are necessary.

This was followed by the Session Two on ‘Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Alternative Politics’ and ‘Peace through a Gender Lens: Role of Women in Conflict Resolution’ which was conducted by Dr. SubhanjanSengupta, BIMTECH and Dr. Krishna Menon, WISCOMP respectively. This session was chaired by Prof. Maitryee Chaudhary, JNU.  The thought that women bear a large human cost of casualties imposed by conflicts amongst men and they ought to be given a larger role in resolution of such conflicts so as to obviate their sufferings, was discussed.

Chaired by B.K. UrmilDidi, the third session was on ‘Religion, Spirituality and World Peace’, and ‘Human Values: Peace and Sustainability’. Prof P.N. Razdanand Ms. Jaya Rao,Bharat Soka Gakkai discussed how all religions have a common thread of propagating human values, brotherhood and peace. Global ideas like ‘VasudevKutumbakam’ were emphasized.