The_Centre_for_Inner_Asian_Studies_(CIAS),_School_of_International_Studies,_Jawaharlal_Nehru_University_takes_immense_pleasure_to_share_that_the_UGC_Area_Studies_Programme_recently_concluded_a_Young_Researchers’_Conference_themed_on_‘Central_Asia_Today’_on_15_November_2018._Divided_into_five_sessions_on_a_variety_of_issues,_a_total_of_34_research_scholars_presented_their_papers_encompassing_diverse_topics,_issues,_ideas_and_analyses._The_conference_was_inaugurated_by_Chief_Guest_of_the_event_Prof._M._Jagadesh_Kumar,_Vice_Chancellor,_Jawaharlal_Nehru_University,_with_welcome_address_by_Prof._Sharad_K._Soni,_Chairperson,_CIAS._With_keynote_address_by_Prof._Chintamani_Mahapatra,_Rector,_Jawaharlal_Nehru_University_where_he_gave_a_macro_view_of_Central_Asia_and_its_location_in_the_world_politics._Dr._Ambrish_Dhaka,_CIAS,_SIS_gave_the_formal_vote_of_thanks._With_this_enlightening_session,_the_conference_began_with_full_fervor.
The_first_academic_session_was_themed_on_“Society,_Politics_and_Economy_in_Central_Asia”_which_was_chaired_by_Prof._Sharad_K._Soni._A_diverse_range_of_papers_were_presented_which_dealt_with_globalization_and_regional_security_in_Central_Asia,_prospects_and_challenges_of_regional_cooperation_in_Central_Asia,_new_regionalism_in_Central_Asia_and_major_powers,_success_of_globalization_experiment_in_Kazakhstan_and_labour_migration_in_Central_Asia._The_parallel_session_was_themed_on_“religious_revivalism,_extremism_and_terrorism_in_Central_Asia”_and_chaired_by_Dr._Preeti_Das,_Centre_for_Russian_and_Central_Asian_Studies,_SIS,_JNU._Regional_and_national_issues_regarding_the_theme_was_presented_in_the_session_which_includes_the_relevance_of_revivalism_to_radicalisation_with_comparative_study_of_Central_and_West_Asia,_Islamic_Movement_of_Uzbekistan_as_a_security_threat_to_Central_Asia,_Taliban-IMU-ISIS_nexus,_Central_Asia’s_influence_in_religious_extremism_in_Xinjiang_and_narcotics_as_non-traditional_security_issue_in_Central_Asia._The_second_session_was_themed_on_“Central_Asia_and_its_neighbourhood”,_chaired_by_Dr._Sheetal_Sharma,_Centre_for_European_Studies,_SIS,_JNU._Various_neighbours_and_global_power_presence_in_Central_Asia_were_dealt_in_the_paper_presentations_covering_topics_such_as_Russian_foreign_policy_towards_Central_Asia,_China’s_role_as_pivot_of_“New_Great_Game”,_Afghanistan_and_Central_Asian_ethnicities,_Central_Asia’s_relations_with_Iran,_and_Xinjiang.
The_third_academic_session,_themed_on_“water,_environment_and_climate_in_Central_Asia”,_was_chaired_by_Prof._Sangeeta_Thapliyal,_CIAS,_SIS,_JNU._Water_being_a_vital_and_crucial_resource_in_Central_Asian_region_was_largely_discussed_through_issues_such_as_water_as_non-traditional_security_threat,_water_conflicts_and_diplomacy,_water_war_leading_to_crisis,_Aral_Sea_crisis,_environment_degradation_and_health_hazards._The_session_was_thoroughly_interactive_as_water_as_a_source_of_conflict_in_the_region_has_been_highly_debatable._The_parallel_session_was_themed_on_“Central_Asia_and_India”,_being_chaired_by_Dr._Tsetan_Namgyal,_CIAS,_SIS,_JNU. _Papers_covering_multiple_dimensions_of_Central_Asia_and_India_Relations_were_presented_which_include_Central_Asia-India_historical_links,_regional_geopolitics,_challenges_and_opportunities, _India’s_attempts_to_expand_Influence_in_Central_Asia,_strategies_and_prospects_of_India’s_economic_engagement_in_Central_Asia,_India’s_connect_Central_Asia_policy,_India-Tajikistan_relation_and_its_defence,_security_and_strategic_dimensions._Regional_cooperation_as_well_bilateral_relations_were_dealt_through_these_papers_.
The_final_session_of_the_conference_was_graced_by_Ambassador_Ashok_Mukherji_as_the_valedictory_speaker_and_chaired_by_Prof._Chintamani_Mahapatra,_Rector,_JNU._Ambassador_Ashok_Mukherji_shared_his_vast_experience_as_a_diplomat_and_explained_the_importance_of_linkages_in_diplomacy._He_also_emphasized_on_the_role_of_education_and_field_visit_in_acquiring_the_basic_knowledge_of_a_country._He_emphasized_on_the_new_regime_in_Uzbekistan_which_could_be_a_watershed_moment_for_the_region._He_also_explained_the_role_of_Turkey_and_Saudi_Arabia_in_the_Central_Asia._About_India_and_Central_Asia,_he_suggested_that_India_should_focus_on_manufacturing_in_the_region_as_well_and_Buddhism_and_Sufism_can_be_used_for_the_revival_of_India-Central_Asia_relations._Dr._Mahesh_Ranjan_Debata,_Director,_UGC_Area_Studies_Programme,_CIAS_and_coordinator_of_this_conference,_gave_the_vote_of_thanks._With_this,_the_conference_was_concluded_with_sharing_of_knowledge,_research_and_ideas_by_young_doctoral_scholars,_faculty_and_guests._Dr._Mukesh_K._Mishra,_Research_Associate,_UGC_ASP,_CIAS_and_seven_doctoral_research_scholars_of_CIAS_(Mr._Rohit_Kumar,_Ms._Amina_Bibi,_Mr._Abhijeet,_Mr._Narendra_Sharma,_Ms._Pooja_Singh,_Mr._Anand_Gupta_and_Ms._Shubhra_Kumar)_assisted_in_preparing_the_rapporteurs’_report.