IIT-Roorkee inaugurates 2-day flagship annual extravaganza National Social Summit 2021
Roorkee: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee inaugurated its annual flagship event, ‘National Social Summit 2021’, virtually on Friday, 26th March 2021. The inaugural event was graced by the presence of dignitaries, including Dr. Roderico Ofrin (WHO representative to India), Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar (former Deputy Director, ICMR), Dr. Randeep Guleria (Director, AIIMS, Delhi) and Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi (Director, IIT Roorkee). The theme of this year’s event is kept as ‘Envisioning Better Healthcare Evolution’ with the objective of developing and proposing innovative solutions and designs to tackle the country’s ongoing socio-medical problems, paying a deserving tribute to our frontline healthcare workers and building a community of social enthusiasts.
“I am happy that for this year’s social summit, the NSS team at IIT Roorkee has come up with a theme centred around Covid-19. In addition to the blood donation and road safety campaigns, the annual Social Summit has made a unique mark in the annual calendar of NSS. The list of speakers is truly impressive and I am sure it will be of immense benefit to our students and faculty.” said Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee
This year the event is being organized under the patronage of UNESCO and NITI Aayog and in collaboration with WHO Country Office for India as the Knowledge and Technical partner, the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP).
“Initiatives like National Social Summit 2021 put the spotlight on health, its challenges, equities and possible solutions. A deep sense of equity is the core value of public health, and WHO-India’s collaboration with NSS IIT Roorkee as a knowledge partner will envision better healthcare evolution,” said Dr. Roderico Ofrin, WHO representative to India
The two-day cultural extravaganza, which will be organized on 27th and 28th March 2021, will witness engaging panel discussions, impact series, online health workshops, activities and competitions like strat-a-thon, sociothon, case-study, treasure hunt, policy case competition, among others.
“I congratulate IIT Roorkee for organizing National Social Summit 2021. It is a great event with the presence of so many luminaries. The summit is looking at envisioning better healthcare after Covid which is very important because as we move ahead, it is important that we don’t forget the lessons we have learnt in the past,” said Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, Delhi
This year, NSS IIT Roorkee is taking a step forward to dedicate the edition of its annual flagship event to the healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and all social service warriors, who are battling against the threat of Covid-19.
“Today, different social entrepreneurs are coming from engineering backgrounds. The way IIT Roorkee is working on public health priorities and issues like education, road accidents, and anti-microbial resistance make me humbled. The pandemic is not yet over. If people decide to make a difference with initiatives like Social Summit that multiply values, they can influence different human beings for their participation in ensuring better health behaviours,” Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, Former Deputy Director, ICMR
The National Social Summit is the flagship social festival of the National Service Scheme (NSS), IIT Roorkee. It aims to inculcate a culture of social justice by coming together & proposing technical & policy solutions through a sustainable model to the country’s socio-economic problems. Participation is open to all individuals, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, and curious minds across India.