Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur hosted the 6th BRICS Development and Governance Conference on Wednesday.

A collaborative effort of the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - brought together scholars, policymakers, and industry experts to explore avenues for innovation and address global challenges.

Prof. Ram Kumar Kakani. Director IIM Raipur urged attendees to maximize the conference's potential for intellectual cooperation and decision-making.

Prof. Jose A. Puppim, FGV/EAESP, Brazil guest speaker emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts among nations to address global challenges.

The keynote address by V. Srinivas, Secretary to the Government of India, DARPG, shed light on initiatives and reforms to enhance citizen engagement, improve grievance redressal mechanisms, and promote administrative efficiency.

He further emphasized the significance of e-governance, administrative reforms, and efficiency in decision-making processes, ultimately aiming for the digital empowerment of citizens.

The first panel discussion, ‘Digitalization and Good Governance,’ featured experts such as Santosh Misra, PWC, Prof. Nidhi Sharma (IRS retd.), IIM Raipur, Prof. Alexey G. Barabashev, National Research University, Russia, Dr. Shirin Madon, London School of Economics & Political Science, UK, and Prof. Lekha Chakraborty, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (Moderator). Discussions revolved aroun the transformative potential of digital technologies, challenges of inclusion and efficient service delivery, and the need for standardized methods of measuring and analyzing data across BRICS countries.

‘Challenges and Opportunities for Young Scholars in BRICS,’ was moderated by Prof. Jose A. Puppim featured insightful discussions on challenges and opportunities for young scholars. The discussions illuminated pathways for sustainable development and governance in BRICS nations.

The 6th BRICS Conference on Innovation served as a platform for meaningful discussions, fostering collaborative efforts to address global challenges and drive innovation for sustainable development and governance.