Indian Biodiversity Congress 2017 to See Participation from All States

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
As many as 800 delegates from all states and Union Territories, as well as from countries like Nepal, France and Malaysia have confirmed participation at the fourth edition of the Indian Biodiversity Congress 2017 scheduled to be kicked off on March 10 in Puducherry.
Responding to the call for papers and poster submissions that are to be presented at the prestigious biennial national event, a big number of 560 papers in 12 sub themes have been have been selected for presentation by the IBC 2017 secretariat. For the first time, all states in India’s North East will have their participation at IBC 2017.
Besides, the Indian Biodiversity Congress (IBC) 2017 would be represented by a cross-section of experts working in biodiversity and related fields in India have confirmed participation. They include NGOs, bureaucrats, policy makers, community members and conservationists from across India and abroad.
Organised by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA), in association with the Pondicherry University, Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Puducherry, Navdanya, Pondicherry Science Forum and various government and non-government organisations, the IBC 2017 will get underway on March 10 and will run till March 12 at the Pondicherry University, Puducherry. The focal theme of IBC 2017 is Climate change and biodiversity.
Eminent personalities in the field delivering the plenary, keynote and invited lectures in the three-day seminar would include Dr. Vandana Shiva, Founder, Navdanya, New Delhi, Dr. Ram Boojh, National Programme Officer, Ecological Sciences, UNESCO, New Delhi, Dr. Balakrishna Pisupati Former Chairman NBA, Prof MK Prasad, Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Kochi, Dr. V. S.Vijayan, Former Director Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History and former Chairman, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Prof. P.S. Roy, (NASI Senior Scientist Platinum Jubilee Fellow),University Centre for Earth and Space Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Dr. Jose Kallarackal, Consultant Scientist, Formerly Scientist G, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, Dr. Joss Brooks, Pitchandikulam Bioresource Centre, Auroville, Dr. P.S Easa, Former Director, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, Dr. A.G. Pandurangan, Director, JNTBGRI, Palode, Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala, Dr.V.R. Prabhavathy, Principal Scientist, MSSRF, Chennai, Dr.K. Kathiresan, Dean and Director, Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Dr. N. N. Reddy, Principal Scientist (Horti), ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad, Dr.P.E. Rajasekharan, ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) , Bengaluru, Prof. N. Mathivanan, Director & Head, Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras, Chennai, and Dr. M.K. Ramesh, Professor of Law, National Law School of India University, Bangalore.
Various institutions and universities such as University of Delhi, University of Kerala, Pondicherry University, Sambalpur University, Bharathiar University, IIT Kharagpur, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Assam University, Aligarh Muslim University, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Forest Research Institute Dehradun, French Institute of Pondicherry, Kerala Agricultural University, MG university, S.P.Pune University, Bharathidasan University, The Gandhigram Rural Institute-Deemed University, Tamil Nadu Fisheries University, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, National Institute of Ocean technology, Zoological survey of India, Wildlife Institute of India, Environment Law and Development Foundation, ICAR – National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bangalore, GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development, ICAR – Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Salim Ali Centre For Ornithology and Natural History, Alagappa University, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh, University of Madras, Centre for Lake Conservation, Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute(EMPRI), Tata Trusts Mumbai will be participating in IBC 2017.
This makes Indian Biodiversity Congress (IBC), the largest get together of scientists, conservationists, environmentalists, civil society groups and local communities in India to review the status, trends, challenges and opportunities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, said to Dr P. N. Krishnan, Emeritus Scientist, Malabar Botanical Gardens, Kozhikode, and Secretary General, IBC 2017. Besides, IBC 2017 will also host a Civil Society Meet and Children’s Conclave on Biodiversity as part of the mega event. The four-day IBC 2017 will have as its focal theme, “Climate Change and Biodiversity” this year.