Diaspora : GOPIO - FICCI Conference in London

The Kalam Charisma

President Kalam in Belfast. From L. to R.: GOPIO Executive Vice President and Honorary Consul of India for Northern Ireland Lord Diljit Rana, Dr. Kalam, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness and Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shanker Mukherjee

On June 9, 2009, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India delivered keynote address at GOPIO-FICCI joint conference, entitled “Is a New Global Order Emerging? The Potential Role of India.” Dr Kalam, known as the ‘People’s President’, spoke about the powerful potential of India, its role in the scientific and business communities and the launch of his own project - the World Knowledge Platform. Other speakers included Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, GOPIO International President Inder Singh, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) President Harsh Pati Singhania, Lord Diljit Rana, Lord Richard Newby, Lord Meghnad Desai, FICCI Secretary General Dr. Amit Mitra, and international human rights lawyer Dr. Bonita Meyersfeld.

On June 10, 2009, Dr. Kalam spoke at a GOPIO organized luncheon in Belfast, Northern Ireland where over 100 people including GOPIO Int’l president Inder Singh and GOPIO Ireland president Dr. Prabhu Kulkarni of Dublin had come to attend the event

The event, chaired by Lord Navnit Dholakia, considered the future role of India in the new global order. The conference aimed to engage a select community of business and political leaders to strategize both about the economic vitality of Indian commerce and its long-term potential to enhance global income and eradicate national poverty. The panelists, including economists, business leaders and lawyers, provided commentary on the potential of political and economic leadership of India and its responsibility to eradicate poverty at home and abroad. Lord Desai concluded that there is a pause in the economy, which Dr. Mitra identified as an opportunity for upsurge in meaningful development, sustainable growth and, coupled with a motivated new government in India, an empowered India in a new global order. 

The conference was held at the Nehru Center, London and attracted members of the Indian community and many students of Indian origin in the fields of politics, science and international relations.

On June 10, 2009, Dr. Kalam spoke at a GOPIO organized luncheon in Belfast, Northern Ireland where over 100 people including GOPIO Int’l president Inder Singh and GOPIO Ireland president Dr. Prabhu Kulkarni of Dublin had come to attend the event. Lord Diljit Rana, GOPIO Executive Vice President, and resident of Belfast was the host of the gala function. The former president was also given an honorary degree by Queens University Belfast, whose Vice Chancellor Peter Gregson noted that “few people so clearly personify the term ‘Renaissance Man’.”

July 2009


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