The day started with the welcome address by Dr V.N Bajpai, Director, Institute of Technology and Science, who referred to the theme and spoke about how digitalisation is at the forefront of developments. Shri Arpit Chadha, Vice Chairman, I.T.S Mohan Nagar, lauded the initiative and exhorted the students to expand the boundaries of their knowledge. Dr Rajeev Johari, Convener, Research Convention 2024 provided an overview of the day’s events. There Were knowledgeable insights from Director PR, Shri Surendra Sood, ashe emphasised on the innovative capacity of Indians.

In his address Dr. Kathua emphasised the pivotal role of digitalisation in shaping a resilient economy. Guest of HonourDr. Mohapatra Explored economic policies, innovation, and the crucial role research plays in shaping resilient economies in his insightful speech. Ms. Venkataraman delved into sustainable aviation practices, emphasising on the importance of green innovation in the aviation sector.

The inaugural session was followed by three panel discussions. The first was offline. The other two were online sessions involving VCs of distinguished institutions and a selection of international experts, respectively.

Panel Discussion I

The first panel discussion the day was held in offline mode. The theme for the discussion was ‘Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Startups, Culture and Sustainability’. The session was moderated by Dr S.P. Sharma, Chief Economist and Deputy Secretary General, PHDCCI. Dr Sharma provided the context for the discussion through his remarks, where he referred to various financial crises, and how the Indian economy performed in such situations. The other panelists included Dr Divya Sethi, consultant, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India; Mr Arunoday Bajpai, Chief Operating Officer, IIM Lucknow Enterprise Incubation Centre; Mr Himanshu Singhal, CEO, NSUT-IIF (Netaji Subhash University of Technology Incubation & Innovation Foundation, Delhi); Ms. Sarita Sharma, Founder and Director, Orangestar Logistics Pvt. Ltd.; and Mr Vikas Madan, Director, EDSOL Informatics Pvt. Ltd.

Dr. Sethi, with her expertise in culture and sustainability, provided valuable insights into the interconnectedness of cultural practices and sustainable development.Mr. Bajpai shared profound insights into the challenges and opportunities within the defence and aerospace sectors.Mr. Singhal discussed the evolving landscape of innovation and artificial intelligence. Ms. Sharmashared valuable experiences and insights into the challenges and advancements in international logistics.Mr. Madan contributed perspectives on education entrepreneurship.

The diverse expertise of the panellists and the engaging discussions reflected a commitment towards providing a platform for in-depth exploration of contemporary issues in entrepreneurship and innovation. The session offered valuable takeaways for students and faculty alike, fostering a culture of knowledge exchange and collaboration.

Panel Discussion II

The post lunch section of the Convention began with an interaction among decision makers of leading national and international universities on the theme ‘Towards a Resilient Economy’. The distinguished personalities in attendance included Dr Mayank Saxena, Pro Vice Chancellor, Sage University, Indore; Dr. Sandeep Poddar, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Lincoln University, Malaysia; Dr. Devendra K Panda, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Medi-Caps University, Indore, M.P.; and Dr. M. K. Vajpayee Vice-Chancellor, Sir Padmavat Singhania University, Udaipur.

Dr Saxena, who was the moderator, kicked off the sessionby emphasising the pivotal role of innovation and creativity in the contemporary world. He underscored the need for organisations to recalibrate themselves under new technologies, fostering an environment conducive to continuous adaptation.Dr. Poddar delved into the realms of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, elucidating the three pillars of Industry 5.0 – human-centric approaches, sustainability, and resilience.Dr. Panda urged the audience to embrace change for sustainability, citing examples from the green energy sector and highlighting India's strides in the Make In India program.Dr. Vajpayee emphasised the significance of research in educational institutions in order to drive meaningful change. He advocated a robust research culture in schools and colleges, underscoring its potential for contributing to societal transformation and economic resilience.

The session enabled the gathered audience to visualise some of the real life scenarios in innovation, technology, green energy and the educational sector as envisaged by the discussants,

Panel Discussion III

The final session of the Convention was an interesting one with an assortment of national and international scholars coming together for wide ranging discussions on a variety of topics. The participants consisted of Mr. Shivananda Salgame, Co-Founder and Director, Guru-G Learning Labs & Samsrushti Health; Ms. Amélia Brandão, Director, Centre for Economics and Finance, University of Porto, Portugal; Dr. Divya Sharma, Assistant Director, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India; Dr. Rachna Chaudhary, Co-Founder, Media Value Works LLC USA; Founder MVW, Network International India.

Mr. Salgame initiated the interaction stressing on the significance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they play a crucial role in shaping a resilient economy.Ms. Brandão next explored the intersection of sustainability and green marketing, discussing how AI and digitalisation, including the metaverse, can be instrumental in achieving sustainability goals.Dr. Sharma covered challenges facing sustainable fisheries, defining principles and key research areas such as stock assessment, ecosystem modeling, socio-economic research, technology for sustainability, and climate change impacts. Last but not the least, Dr. Chaudhary explored components of digital communication, leveraging it for resilient growth, customer engagement, marketing, and future trends,sharing recommendations on effectively using digital communication for transformative purposes.

From SDG goals to sustainability in various sectors and the power of digital communication, the session covered a diverse range of topics. The Q&A session that followed the panel discussion facilitated further exploration and engagement among the participants, making it a successful and informative endeavor.

The Sixth Research Convention at I.T.S. Mohan Nagar appeared to be the most ambitious one so far in its scope and breadth of vision. Participating dignitaries lauded the institution for choosing highly relevant issues for thought provoking deliberations. Faculty members and students returned enthused after day long engrossing sessions that enhanced their individual perspectives.