THE SUNRISE

G20 University Connect Engaging young minds, Lecture Series 24/02/2022

Pondicherry University took lead in organising the first event on G20 Indian Presidency on 23 rd January
2023 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Auditorium under the UGC program “University Connect” that aims at
holding talks to facilitate awareness amongst students, faculty members and staff on G20 Summit to be
held in India in the month of September 2023. The event was organised under the able leadership of the
Honourable Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Gurmeet Singh. Special speakers were Dr. Seshadri Chari, Member
Governing Council, Research and Information System for Developing Countries and Air Marshal Dr. M.
Matheswaran, AVSM VM (Retd), Chariman & President, The Peninsula Foundation, Chennai. The
program began with the Pondicherry University Anthem followed by screening of the Official video on
the theme of G20 Indian Presidency in 2023. The keynote speaker Dr. Seshadri Chari said that India

takes up G20 Presidency at a crucial time, at a

moment of crisis on various fronts with
numerous

political, health and climate-related issues. As a representative of BRICS and IBSA countries, India has
enormous potential to lead the Global South and propose a new world order that privileges both
national and international interests rather than focusing on narrow self-interests that fail to see
interconnectedness on a global level. India can contribute in rethinking the old developmental
paradigms based on hegemony and hierarchy in favour of an approach based on partnership and
egalitarianism. Air MarshallMarshall Dr. M. Matheswaran, too, emphasised the importance of timing in
India’s G20 Presidency discussing particularly the Ukraine conflict. He analysed that the rise of West was
based on the politics of coercion by the Developed countries. India’s strategic location in Asia and Indian
Ocean allows it the possibility to emerge as a leader who can reverse this Eurocentric model to one
based on multi lateralism and propose a universal, global and humanitarian interpretation of World
Order. There was a fruitful interaction with students who asked many interesting questions that were
answered by the special guests. The event came to a close with vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Richa
Tiwari and National Anthem .