DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan political leader Dr. Lobsang Sangay will address the 5th annual national conclave of Indian student Parliament with a theme on ‘Inspiring Youth for Strengthening Democracy’ in Pune in the southern Indian state of Maharashtra on 12 January.
A galaxy of eminent personalities from the Indian government, parliament, media and film industry will be speaking at the three-day event from 10-12 January. The speakers include union cabinet ministers Manohar Parikar, M Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Renuka Chowdhary and Prakash Javadekar and Congress Party’s General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, former CNN-IBN editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai, senior journalist, author and BJP leader M. J. Akbar anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare, Parliament Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal among others.
The conclave will bring together over 10,000 student leaders from all states of India. Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay will speak and interact with the student leaders on a very important and relevant academic session, ‘Religion In Storm or Storm In Religion?’ on the third day of the conclave.
There will be sessions on topics such as Media: Truth or TRP; Heroes of India – Agents of Change; Temples of Democracy Under Siege : A Global Perspective; Caste: Impairing or Repairing Indian Democracy? and 33% – Is it a Real Tool for Women Empowerment?.
The conclave is being organised by Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad Foundation, which aims to encourage youth to strengthen the foundations of democracy. The event is supported by UNESCO Chair for Human Rights, Democracy Peace & Tolerance World Peace Centre, Pune, India and Indian government.
Every year 10 to 12,000 politically and socially active students from 450 universities, 25,000 colleges and 28 states of India, make way to participate at the flagship three day’s annual conclave after a rigorous selection process adopted by the colleges independently.
“Naturally, when such large numbers of active and fertile minds come to an agreement for a common purpose, the possibilities are endless. Our efforts are focused on creating a healthy democratic system in India, which can produce a pool of competent public leaders and policy makers, holding national spirit and abiding commitment to our motherland,” the organisers said.
