Bhubaneswar, April 4: The 36th Meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development Studies (NCDS), Bhubaneswar decided to take proactive measures to transform the Centre into a globally recognised institution of excellence rooted in Odisha’s developmental priorities.
The BoG meeting held on April 2, under the chairmanship of Development Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh, marked a significant step forward in strengthening the institutional vision of NCDS and concluded with a forward-looking consensus to transform the Centre into a globally recognised institution of excellence rooted in Odisha’s developmental priorities. The meeting witnessed the presence of eminent members from academia, government, and policy institutions.
Among those present were Prakash Chandra Mohanty, Director, NCDS (Convener & Secretary of the Board); Prof. Jagneshwar Dandpat, Vice-Chancellor, Utkal University; Prof. Bidhu Bhusan Mishra, Vice-Chancellor, Sambalpur University; Prof. Uday Shankar Mishra, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai; Prof. Navaneeta Rath, Former Professor, Utkal University; Prof. Sanghamitra Sheel Acharya, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Prof. Umakant Dash, Vice-Chancellor, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune; Dr. Nitin Kumar, ICSSR, Ministry of Education, Government of India; Sambit Tripathy, CMD, Livelihood Alternative, Bhubaneswar; and Prashant Kumar Mishra, Finance Department representative, along with distinguished faculty members of NCDS.
The Board engaged in substantive deliberations on strengthening the institutional framework, enhancing the quality and impact of research, and expanding collaborative partnerships with leading national and international institutions. Special emphasis was placed on promoting interdisciplinary and policy-oriented research aligned with Odisha’s developmental priorities, particularly in the domains of social inclusion, gender equity, livelihood enhancement, and sustainable development.
The BoG also placed on record its appreciation for the proactive and visionary initiatives undertaken by the Government of Odisha under the leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister. The State’s sustained investments in higher education, research, and innovation were acknowledged as instrumental in positioning Odisha as an emerging hub of academic excellence and knowledge-driven development.
In his concluding remarks, the Chair commended the contributions of all members and underscored the importance of deepening synergies between academia, government, and civil society to effectively address contemporary socio-economic challenges. The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to further strengthen NCDS as a premier centre for advanced research, policy engagement, and capacity building at the national and international levels.
