Central University of Kerala (CUK) Conducts Workshop on India’s National Security and Disaster Management

A five-day national-level workshop on India’s National Security and Disaster Management, organised by the Centre for Defence and Security Studies, commenced at the Central University of Kerala.

The five-day workshop is being coordinated by Dr. Reinhart Philip, Assistant Professor at the Department of International Relations and Politics, Central University of Kerala. The workshop will continue until 23rd August 2024.

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Day 1

The inaugural lecture, titled “Disasters and Public Action”, was delivered by Dr. B. Ashok IAS, Vice-Chancellor (i/c) of Kerala Agricultural University and Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Kerala, which highlighted the growing relevance of disaster management in the context of increasing natural calamities, drawing on examples from floods and landslides in Kerala. He discussed the rapid urbanization in Kerala, its impact on land pressure, and the exacerbating effects of climate change on the state’s fragile environment.

The workshop featured an interactive session with Brigadier Jeevan Rajpurohit (Retd) and Air Commodore Vijay Sathe (Retd).

Dr. Meera S., Assistant Professor in the Department of Law at the Central University of Kerala, discussed disaster law and policy in India, while Dr. V. Balakrishnan, Member Secretary of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board, addressed the workshop on the Biodiversity Act and environmental disasters.

The workshop was officially opened by Dr. Suresh Rangarajan, Head of the Department of International Relations and Politics.

Lt. Commander Anupama Thapliyal, Deputy Officer in Charge at the Naval History Division, Naval Base Mandovi, Goa, Highlighted India’s Strategic Assistance to Neighbouring Countries for National Security and Stability and emphasised the rationale behind India’s assistance to neighbouring countries, underlining its importance in maintaining a peaceful neighbourhood, fostering cordial diplomatic relations, and ensuring national security and stability.

The session commenced with, presenting on the topic “Indian Navy’s Benign Role and its Associated Mission.” She elaborated on the four critical roles of the Indian Navy: Military, Constabulary, Diplomatic, and Benign. Regarding the Benign role, she detailed its aspects as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Non-combatant Evacuation, and Search and Rescue Operations. She emphasised that the benign role will help in creating and building other primary roles of the Indian Navy.

The session also featured a presentation by Dr. Anbazhagi of the Department of Environmental Science on “Community Participation in Disaster Management.” Dr. Anbazhagi underscored the crucial role of community involvement in disaster management, advocating for a community-led and government-supported approach.

Air Commodore Nitin Sathe delivered a presentation on “Tsunami 2004: Disaster Management Lessons,” in which he detailed India’s adept handling of the 2004 tsunami, focusing on the rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He also referenced his book “A Few Good Men and the Angry Sea,” published in 2014, which provides an in-depth account of these operations. The session was chaired by Professor Suresh Rangarajan, Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies.

Lt. Commander Anupama Thapliyal speaking at the National Workshop

Day 2 : Technological Independence by 2035 is a National Military Objective, Says Colonel Y. Vijaya Kumar

Kasaragod, Periya: Achieving technological independence by 2035 is a crucial national military objective, stated Colonel Y. Vijaya Kumar, Group Commander of the NCC Group HQ in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. He was speaking during the third day of the ongoing five-day National Level Workshop on India’s National Security and Disaster Management, organised by the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the Central University of Kerala.

In his presentation on the “Role of Armed Forces in Securing India’s National Security”, Colonel Vijaya Kumar underscored the essential responsibility of the armed forces in safeguarding and promoting national values, aims, and interests. He highlighted the foundational national values, including Sovereignty, Socialism, Secularism, Democracy, Republicanism, Justice, Equality, and Fraternity, emphasizing the armed forces’ role in their protection.

Colonel Vijaya Kumar explained that India’s national aims are focused on comprehensive development and creating a secure internal and external environment that allows for inclusive socio-economic progress. He outlined the critical national interests, which involve preserving sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, maintaining the nation’s democratic, secular, and federal character, and safeguarding India’s strategic, political, economic, and military goals.

Discussing national security, Colonel Vijaya Kumar noted that it involves the protection and promotion of national interests against both external and internal threats. He identified the key national security objectives, including maintaining a credible deterrent capability, ensuring the defence of national territory, airspace, maritime zones, and cyber-space, and fostering a secure internal environment. He also stressed the importance of expanding constructive engagement with other nations to promote regional and global peace.

A significant portion of Colonel Vijaya Kumar’s address focused on the National Military Objectives (NMOs), which he detailed as preventing war through strategic and conventional deterrence, defending territorial integrity, providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief, supporting civilian authorities, and participating in international peacekeeping. The session was chaired by Prof. Suresh Rangarajan, Head of the Department of International Relations and Politics and Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies.

Colonel Y. Vijaya Kumar speaking at the National Workshop

AI Drives Global Innovation, But Language Limitations Endure, Prof. Vasu Renganathan Highlights

Though AI (Artificial Intelligence) has revolutionized the modern world at a multifaceted level, its limitations in various languages remain a significant challenge, stated Prof. Vasu Renganathan, Department of South Asian Studies, University of Pennsylvania, USA. He was speaking during his keynote address at the International Seminar on AI and Large Language Models for Dravidian Languages. The two-day seminar, hosted by the Department of Linguistics, Central University of Kerala, in collaboration with Natyarathnam Kannan Pattali Smaraka Kathakali Trust and Linguistic Diversity Study Centre, Kannur University, commenced on Wednesday.

In his inaugural address, Prof. Vincent Mathew, Vice Chancellor (i/c) of the Central University of Kerala, underscored the significant role of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in fostering multidisciplinary studies, which is crucial for advancing AI applications in diverse linguistic contexts.

Presiding over the function, Dr. A. Ashokan, Syndicate Member, Kannur University, emphasized the urgent need for incorporating training in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into language teaching curricula.

Prof. G. Umamaheshwar Rao (Former Honorary Professor at the Department of Linguistics, CUK, and Former President of the Linguistic Society of India), Prof. Joseph Koyippally (Dean of the School of Languages and Comparative Literature, CUK), Dr. Rijumol (Campus Director of Kasaragod Campus, Kannur University), and Dr. P.K. Jayarajan (Joint Secretary of the Natyarathnam Kannan Pattali Smaraka Kathakali Trust) delivered the felicitation address.