Third Pre-Summit of the World Summit on Disaster Management (WSDM) 2025 Concludes Successfully at JNCASR, Bengaluru
Focus on Technology-Based Disaster and Climate Risk Management
Bengaluru, 24 May 2025 : Amidst the growing challenges of climate change and natural disasters, the third pre-summit of the ‘World Summit on Disaster Management (WSDM) 2025’ was jointly organized by the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) and the Himalayan Academy of Science and Technology (HAST) at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru. The summit witnessed participation from over 200 delegates from India and abroad.
Inaugural Ceremony:
The summit was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot, who emphasized the crucial role of technology in disaster management and the need for collaborative efforts among states.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, in his video message, congratulated UCOST and the organizers for hosting the pre-summit and shared that the main summit would be held in Uttarakhand this November.
Bharat Ratna Prof. C.N.R. Rao and Dr. Indumati Rao also joined the event virtually. Prof. Rao appreciated UCOST’s initiative in promoting scientific cooperation among states, while Dr. Rao expressed concern over the accelerated melting of glaciers.
UCOST Director General Prof. Durgesh Pant highlighted the cultural and social ties between Uttarakhand and Karnataka and proposed an indigenous disaster management model named the ‘Silkyara Framework’, which focuses on pre-disaster scientific preparedness.
Details of Thematic Sessions:
Session 1: Technology and Disaster Risk Management
Chair: Dr. Dinesh K. Tyagi
Key Speakers: Shri Rajendra Singh Bisht, Dr. Anshu Sharma, Dr. Kiran Rajshekaria, Dr. Geeta Priya, Dr. C.N.N. Prabhu, Shri Rajendra Koppa Ramarao
Key Discussion: Inclusive and Sustainable Technological Innovation
Session 2: Space-Based Observation Systems
Chair: Prof. Vinod Sharma
Key Speakers: Prof. P.K. Joshi, Dr. Anil Gupta, Dr. G.S. Rawat, Dr. Santonu Goswami, Dr. Uttam Kumar, Prof. Praveen Kumar
Key Discussion: Satellite-Based Early Warning Systems
Session 3: Expert Insights and Innovations
Chair: Prof. Vinod Menon
Key Speakers: Dr. Kapil Joshi, Shri Venkatesh Iyer, Dr. Rashmi Dixit, Shri Shubham Tomar, Dr. H.S. Sudheera, Shri Pradeep Motwani
Key Discussion: Integration of Traditional Knowledge and Science
Session 4: Women in Leadership Roles
Chair: Dr. Archana Pillai
Key Speakers: Dr. Manisha V. Ramesh, Mrs. Meena Gupta, Dr. Reema Pant, Dr. Preeti Rao, Ms. Suchi Vohra, Dr. Jayashree Bhatt
Key Discussion: Community-Based Solutions through Women’s Leadership
Valedictory and Felicitation:
All speakers and organizers were felicitated by Prof. Durgesh Pant. The organizing committee included Shri Prahlad Adhikari, Prof. Umesh Waghmare, Prof. N.S. Vidyadhiraj, Prof. Sheeba Vasu, Prof. Jayashree Bhatt, Prof. Arun Tyagi, Mr Amit Pokhriyal, Mr Jitendra, and Sandeep.
The summit marked a significant step towards inclusive, technology-driven, and forward-looking disaster management strategies. It laid a strong foundation for the main World Summit on Disaster Management (WSDM 2025) scheduled to be held in November in Uttarakhand.
