The Alumni Association of Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women organised a National Seminar on “Sustainability as a Global Responsibility: Bridging Disciplines for a Greener Future”, highlighting the active role of alumni in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The event brought together alumni serving as resource persons across academia, governance, industry and civil society, with around 235 alumni participating.
The seminar focused on key SDGs including quality education, gender equality, climate action, sustainable economic growth and social justice, with speakers drawing on professional expertise and real-world experience. The welcome address was delivered by Dr R Annapoorani, President of the Alumni Association, who emphasised the growing responsibility of alumni as global citizens and the importance of sustained alumni–institution collaboration for promoting sustainable practices.
The presidential address by Dr V Bharathi Harishankar, Vice Chancellor, stressed that sustainability must balance present development needs with future requirements and encouraged alumni to act as change agents by integrating sustainability into their professional and personal lives.
The inaugural address was delivered by Dr Rekha R Warrier, Scientist-G and EIACP Coordinator, ICFRE–IFGTB, Coimbatore. She highlighted the role of forests and tree-based food systems in food security and nutrition, while also addressing global food inequities and national initiatives such as Mission LiFE. The keynote address by Dr Suma Parahakaran, Senior Lecturer II, INTI International University, Malaysia, focused on ethics, water sustainability, value-based education and governance, drawing insights from a UN-HABITAT project.
Special lectures were delivered by Dr R Y Hiranmai on the transition from the Green Revolution to the Evergreen Revolution, Dr Srimathi Kandasamy on managing carbon footprint for business competitiveness, and Dr Nandini Jagannarayan on environmental sustainability for economic growth. Technical sessions featured research paper presentations, followed by a multidisciplinary panel discussion moderated by Mrs Kavitha Palanisamy, Advocate and Director, LAWgical Solutions.
The seminar reinforced Avinashilingam’s commitment to sustainability-driven education and inspired participants to translate academic insights into meaningful action for a greener future.
