'The Conclave 2024' Concludes with Two Days of Vibrant Discussions

The Conclave 2024 organized by Pratidin Media Group in New Delhi successfully concluded on Sunday. The two-day-long conclave witnessed engaging discussions and notable figures from politics, academia, activism, sports, and entertainment sector.

Organized by Pratidin Media Network in collaboration with Dalmia Cement and Annapurna, this third edition of the region’s premier media conclave took place in New Delhi’s The Ashok Hotel on October 5 and 6.  

The third edition of ‘The Conclave 2024’ was inaugurated on Saturday by Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal. The event commenced with ceremonial lamp lighting, followed by a warm welcome from Sadin-Pratidin Group owner, Shri Jayanta Baruah. In his opening remarks, Baruah highlighted the importance of the Conclave as an intellectually rich platform for addressing the pressing issues facing Northeast India. 

Jagdeep Dhankar emphasized that the event marked a significant milestone for the media house, as it was being held in the National Capital.  In his speech, he also spoke at length about the northeastern region and its marvels. Meanwhile, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressed his pride in the recognition of the Assamese language as a classical language. He also took the opportunity to commend the Sadin-Pratidin Group for its steadfast and impartial reporting.

The first day saw seven sessions including one-on-ones and panel discussions. Sadin-Pratidin Group Director Smitakshi B Goswami discussed security of women and children in a session titled ‘Igniting Compassion: Taking action against child trafficking’ with Nobel laureate and social activist Kailash Satyarthi.

During the session, Mr Satyarthi highlighted the significant strides made in Assam, where child marriage has been reduced by an impressive 81% and also reflected on the importance of combating child exploitation and the potential for complete eradication of the harmful practice in the state.

The next session featured All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Sachin Pilot in a one-on-one session with Pratidin Time consulting editor Mrinal Talukdar on ‘New age politics, state elections 2024, rise of Opposition, and more’. Mr Pilot exuded confidence in the Congress party’s prospects, particularly in Haryana, while delivering a scathing critique of the BJP's governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mr Talukdar stayed for another session with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on ‘Coalition Politics, New NDA and Modi 3.0’. Rijiju highlighted explained that the ongoing clashes in the state are not a fight against the Government of India, but a clash between two ethnic communities that is sadly gone on for far too long. He stated that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government has been doing its best.

After lunch, the fourth session, a panel discussion on the session titled ‘Adaptation and resilience strategies toward addressing the challenges of climate change’ featuring Mr Jatindra Sarma, former Kaziranga National Park Director, Dr Dipankar Saharia, Sr Director TERI, Dr Mitul Baruah, Associate Professor at Dept of Sociology at Ashoka University, and Kham Khan Suan Hausing, Professor and former Head of Dept of Political Science at University of Hyderabad was hosted by  Pratidin Time political editor Nayan Pratim Kumar. With Assam already grappling with erratic weather patterns, floods, and declining tea production, the conclave echoed an urgent call to rethink strategies before time runs out. Each panellist shed light on critical issues impacting the region and warned that half-baked policies would spell disaster.

This was followed by Pratidin Time executive editor Sunit Kumar Bhuyan who took over with an interview with Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam in a session titled ‘Is Manipur far away from Delhi?’ When Bhuyan asked why he chose to write to the Home Minister instead of the Prime Minister, Akoijam explained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears too busy with foreign affairs, visiting countries like Ukraine and the United States. He remarked that this situation would go down in history as an unusual occurrence where a Prime Minister does not address the conditions of a state.

Pratidin Media Network Director of Business, Rishi Baruah than sat with External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to discuss geopolitics in a session named ‘India and its neighbours’. Dr Jaishankar discussed India’s position in the race for global supremacy amid complex geopolitical dynamics involving the United States, China, and Russia. He also addressed recent developments concerning Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh and outlined India's plans for engaging with the incoming administration.

On Day 2 of the Conclave 2024, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena sat for a tête-à-tête with Mrs. Smitakshi B. Goswami. Mrs. Goswami introduced Atishi as the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi, commending her commitment to education, healthcare, and social welfare. In the candid conversation, Atishi expressed confidence in the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) potential for a landslide victory in the upcoming elections.

Next, Rishi Baruah then hosted Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for an interaction. CM Sangma emphasized the significant presence of the National People’s Party (NPP) in the Northeastern states.

Sunit Bhuyan then hosted Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain; Athletics Federation of India vice president Lakhya Konwar; and Badminton player Arjun Madathil Ramachandran. The session titled 'The Future of India in Olympics: Challenges & Opportunities' began with Bhuyan asking Lovlina about her journey from her small village to the grand global stage. Reflecting on her humble beginnings, Lovlina shared that her entry into sports was not originally planned. When asked about the challenges faced during his career, Arjun spoke candidly about the financial struggles athletes endure. Lakhya Konwar, re-elected as the General Secretary of the Assam Olympic Association, outlined his vision for Assam’s sports future.

This was followed by a compelling panel discussion on ‘Beyond Breaking News: Reimagining journalism for a healthy democracy’ which brought together prominent voices to reflect on the challenges and responsibilities faced by the media today. The panel featured political activist Yogendra Yadav, Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim, 4 pm News Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Sharma, and East Mojo Editor-in-Chief Karma Paljor. Moderated by Maini Mahanta, Editor of Nandini Magazine, the session addressed the question of how the media can continue to serve as the “fourth pillar of democracy” amidst the pressures of breaking news and sensationalism.

After lunch, Pratidin Time Editor-in-Chief Nitumoni Saikia hosted a session brought together key figures from Assam’s political landscape for an intense discussion on the theme, "Regional Parties and Their Role on the National Platform." The panel featured prominent political leaders, including Akhil Gogoi, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Dilip Saikia, and Pramod Boro, who engaged in sharp exchanges over the future of regional politics in the face of the growing influence of national parties like the BJP and Congress.

Nitumoni Saikia stayed for another session titled ‘Vision, Passion and Creativity: What is required to reach out to the global audience?’. He was joined by Joi Barua; renowned filmmaker from Meghalaya, Dominic Sangma; award-winning filmmaker from Assam Utpal Borpujari; and musician and guitarist Kalyan Baruah. The panellists weighed in on the eternal debate of art vis-à-vis business, highlighting that one's true passion towards an art form will always succeed.

As the sessions concluded, Sadin-Pratidin Group Director Smitakshi Goswami presented the vote of thanks. Bringing an end to two days of relentless deliberation, Joi Barua accompanied by guitarists Kalyan Baruah and Manasquam Mahanta performed live for ‘The Conclave 2024’ in a cultural session.

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