Chennai (VSK). Bharat is bestowed with massive maritime resources with about 7500 Kms long coast and an Ocean named after it. Our long-term plans for the blue economy have to envision sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem, improved livelihoods and job creation.
The 3rd World Ocean Science Congress (WOSC 2024), scheduled from 27-29 February at IIT Research Park, Chennai with the focal theme ‘Sustainable Utilization of Oceans in Blue Economy’ will deliberate the ocean of possibilities in harnessing ocean resources, mitigating challenges of climate change, ensuring security, evolving technologies and bringing coastal communities together for a better future. In the context of the evolving geopolitical challenges need for policy responses will also be discussed.
WOSC 2024 will include scientific sessions, plenary lectures by the eminent scientists, technocrats and administrators of the country like Dr. AS Kiran Kumar, Former Chairman, ISRO; Dr. TG Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE; Dr. Vasant Shinde, DG, Maritime Heritage Complex, Gandhi Nagar and Dr. Malini V Shankar, Vice Chancellor Indian Maritime University and Prof. R Murali, IIT Chennal, Ocean Summit with participants from various Indian Ocean Rim countries as well as coastal states of Bharat, Fishermen’s meet with participants coastal states of Bharat, a program for the Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP), Panel Discussions and Exhibition. The Exhibition will showcase advances in technology in different domains related to ocean including ocean exploration, resources, observations and the Maritime history of Bharat. The Exhibition is open to students and public and will provide a peep into the various ocean related domains.
WOSC 2024 is being organized by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chenna; Vijnana Bharati and IIT Madras along with Ministry of Earth Sciences. It has been endorsed as an event of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Various MOES institutions including INCOIS, Hyderabad, NCPOR, Goa, IITM, Pune, CMLRE, Kochi, NCESS, Tiruvananthapuram, ICAR CMFRI, CSIR NIO, AICTE and Ocean Society of India are collaborating for the success of WOSC 2024.
It will be inaugurated on 27th February, 2024 at 10.00 am. T K Ramachandran, Secretary, Govt. of Bharat, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways; Dr. N Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR; Shekhar Mande, President, Vijnana Bharati & Former DG, CSIR; Prot V Kamakoti Veezhinathan, Director, IIT, Madras; Dr. Ranjit Rath, CMD, Oil India Ltd.; Madhu S Nair, CMD, Cochin Shipyard Ltd; Dr. GA Hamadass, Director, NIOT and Dr. Satheesh Chandra Shenol, Vice President Vijnana Bharati & Former Director, INCOIS are expected to grace the occasion.
The Ocean Summit on 28 February Earth Sciences will be led by Dr. M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The Valedictory Function on 29 February will be inaugurated by L. Murugan, Minister of State, Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of Bharat. Dr. VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog; Padma Shri Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru & Former Secretary, MOES, Govt. of Bharat and Dr. PS Goel, Hon, visiting Professor, NIAS and Former Secretary, Molis, Govt. of Bharat will grace the occasion.