Invitation for the First Bihar Regional Conference on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development at IIT Patna, 10.45am, 30 June 2011

At the outset, let us appreciate your interest in Sustainable Development, that is important to steer the efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals by 2015. We would request you to be grace us with your presence and also Support the First Bihar Regional Conference on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development. The event, a part of Bihar Vision 2030 and is being organised by ‘The Oceanic Group’ in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Bihar and Jharkhand, NHRD, Patna & HHF from 10.45 am-5pm on June 30th at IIT Patna. The Event & Knowledge Partner is Radiance Media. There will also be a broad Actionplan circulated to be communicated online and offline reaching over ten lakh people across the state in rural, semi rural and urban areas and to the other stakeholders outside Bihar also.

This is the start of a partnership for the focused and sustainable development of the Eastern Indian state that has unfortunately lagged behind in development despite having the best of natural and human resources. We look forward to a strong support and partnership with you and your organisation. Some very important and prominent people have earlier also expressed their desire to do so. Many prominent Non Residents and Pravasis and their organisations are also a part of the support group. We not only involve the local people, but the natives of the areas who have gone out to distant lands to contribute and share their knowledge, network and resources in the areas we work.

The event will be covered extensively by the Media and will have government officials, international institutions, policymakers, academia, professional and research organisations and institutions, civil society leaders and corporates among the attendees and discussants.

Last week, the World Environment Day was celebrated by ‘The Oceanic Group’ in collaboration with India Habitat Centre & Helping Hand Foundation at Delhi with a Seminar on ‘CSR, Energy, Environment & Development’ on the evening of 4 June, 2011. The Distinguished Speakers were: Mr RV Verma, Chairman cum Managing Director, National Housing Bank, Ms Sushmita Shekhar, Deputy Secretary General, PHD Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Subhash Bhasker, Deputy General Manager (HRD, CSR & Sustainable Development), MMTC Limited and Dr Tanvir Aeijaz, Sr Asst Professor, Political Science, Ramjas College, University of Delhi. I moderated the session and announced the actionplan based on the suggestions, views and comments.

Background: There is no time left to think before we can control, manage or reverse the severe diseases and disasters that will take place due to dent in natural infrastructure mankind is making since last few centuries making more money, but leading worse lives (majority) and growing inequality, leading to domestic and external disturbances. Let's decrease our Greed and take care of Everyone's Basic Need. Indian Society was known for this as No Family had food before they would feed the hungry people, animals and even plants nearby. We always lived with nature with love and respect and got due results and were known as 'Sone ki chidia' (Golden Sparrow). Let's try to have a balance now, a smart mix of traditional & modern technology. This will be a Positive Change that can enable our future generations to live, else they will be wiped out after suffering from severe diseases and disasters. We will discuss this path and decide action led by the Living Gurus who have shown through their work at various places. We want that people should have the cleanest Air, to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, house to live and work (livelihood) to do and we in this process through our growing network and partners. We have started with small steps, which are becoming big with more people and groups joining us. We will Discuss and Develop the Sustainable Development Agenda for Our Decent Lives and Phasewise Actionplan to Implement it' by The Oceanic Group and its partners.

The Oceanic Group is taking the awareness and interaction based programmes to schools & colleges and further down to community in the urban and rural areas followed by action to combat Climate Change like Disaster Awareness, Mitigation & Adaptation, Waste Management & Treatment, Waste to Energy, Alternate and Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Natural Farming, Plantations & Afforestation, Goshala, Biogas, Ruralisation and promotion and development of Public or Group Transport. TOG has started promoting and implementing this Sustainable Development based society with Schools (Gurukul with mentor-mentee learning system), a Development, Skills, Culture & Media Research Training & Action Centres. We plan to extend it to 10 districts by the next Environment Day. It will invite eminent people have done good for the society with their family to share their experiences and enjoy a semi rural cultural, social and educational setting and natural food and local arts and crafts there. There are some partners, who are willing to support and work together.

TOG has also invited people and is forming a continuously expanding and inclusive Core Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development of prominent leaders, scientists and scholars, officers, corporates, NGOs and media persons to combat climate change and strive to achieve sustainable development. Many speakers at these seminars have agreed to be a part of the committee. We look forward to your continued support and leadership for sustainable development.

About The Oceanic Group: The Oceanic Group (TOG) is a non profit society with focus on Environment, Energy, Health, Education and Sustainable Development. TOG has partnered with the India Habitat Centre for the successful and popular Interactive Seminar Series on Climate Change since 2007 and organized 14 Seminars on various aspects of Climate Change, Environment, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Disaster. Eminent speakers like Mr Rajendra Singh, Chairman, Tarun Bharat Sangh & Recipient of Ramon Magsasssay Award for Community Leadership, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister for Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt of India, Mr Nitin Desai, SG, WSSD 2002 & Former Under Secretary General, UN, Mr Suresh Prabhu, MP & former Environment Minister, Dr Prodipto Ghosh, former Environment Secretary, Mr JK Dadoo, Secretary, Environment, Forest & Wild Life, Govt of NCT of Delhi & Chairperson, DPCC, Mr Surya P Sethi, Principal Adviser (Energy), Planning Commission, Dr Jyoti Parikh, Executive Director, Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe), Mr Shailesh Pathak (Former IAS), Managing Director, PE Indian Infrastructure, Mr HS Kingra, Joint Secretary & Special Officer (CWG), Sports Authority of India, Mr Deepak Mukharji, Head, Corporate Affairs, Shell India, Mr VK Bhargava, Director, Petroleum Conservation Research Association, Mr Nitin Das, director of film, A Fable from the Himalayas, Ms Ishita from Spitiecosphere, Dr Suvrokamal Dutta, Chairman, Global Council for Peace and Columnist, Mr Himanshu Thakkar, Coordinator, South Asian Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), Mr David Moosa Pidcock, technologist, Technology Relocation services and Safe Energy Devises and System (SEEDS), Dr PP Sangal, former director, Central Statistical Organisation, Prof Anand Patwardhan, Executive Director, Technology Information Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC), Mr Bhurelal, Member UPSC and Ex Chairman, EPCA, Padmashri Prof Syed Hasnain, Ex VC, Calicut University, leading expert on Glaciers, Mr Bhaskar Chatterjee, Secretary, Dept of Public Enterprise (DPE), Government of India, Dr RB Singh, Dept of Geography, Delhi University, Mr Ramesh Kumar, Managing Director, Beltron Communication Ltd, Mr Ashok Sharma, Sr Journalist, The Financial Express, Dr Muhammad Mukhtar Alam, Executive Director, Centre for Ecological Audit, Social Inclusion and Governance. Dr PP Sangal, former Director, Central Statistical Organisation, Prof Chandan Ghosh, Head, Geo Hazards, NIDM, Prof Rajiv Sinha, Professor of Engineering Geosciences, Dept of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Amb Nigam Prakash (IFS Retd), Chairman, Radiance Media, Mr Yogendra Bali, Sr Journalist, Ms Sonika Kaliraman Malik, First Woman Bharat Kesari Wrestler, Ms Sunita Godhara, Asian Marathon Champion, Dr VP Singh, Reader, Department of Social Work, Dr BR Ambedkar College, University of Delhi & Dr Shalini, Founder, Dr Kumar Harsh Memorial Foundation, Dr Sudhir Pande, former Special Secretary & Director General of Forests, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Dr Vijay Prakash Ojha, Climate Economist and Professor at IMT, Ghaziabad, Mr Anurag Varma, Editor – Broadband, The Times of India and Mr Kumar Amitabh, journalist and film maker put forward their views and prospective solutions.

Thanks & Warm Regards!

Ajit Kumar
Managing Editor & CEO, Radiance Media
President (Hon), The Oceanic Group
Founder, Social & Green Business

1994-A Fresher's Story performed at Zakir Husain College in 1994

7th Seminar on Renewable Energy and Climate Change as held on 5th August 2008.