The Conclave was being organised by the India Today Group as a continuing programme of recognising the major achievements of the states of the nation within a competitive framework. The Chief Ministers of states like Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Puducherry were present on the occasion along with several ministers and bureaucrats from states that were to receive the awards. MrPrakash Jawadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, was the Chief Guest for the function. The session was presided over by Mr Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial Director (Publishing).

At first the different Chief Ministers came forward to speak of the achievements of their respective governments. Thus Mr V. Narayana Swamy from Puducherry pointed towards the economic development in his state; Mr Jairam Thakur from Himachal Pradesh referred to environmental initiatives and developments in education; Mr Prema Khandu from Arunachal Pradesh explained the challenges of development in a hill state; N. Birendra Singh from Manipur discussed how they had managed to bring insurgency in the state under control.

Then MrJavadekar came forward to congratulate all the states on their accomplishments and quipped that cooperative federalism was exemplified as cooperation through competition. Along with Mr Aroon Purie, founder-publisher and former Editor-in-Chief of India Today, he then unveiled the new State of States issue of the magazine. Finally the awards were handed to all the dignitaries.

The occasion was instrumental in bringing together dignitaries from both the Central and state governments and facilitated the interaction on the roles to be played by each in the New India