Amritapuri (Kollam) 20th December 2024: The International Conference on Tsunami Risk Reduction and Resilience (ICTR³), organized by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in association with the Amrita School for Sustainable Futures, the UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation and Development, and the Amrita Centre for Wireless Networks and Applications, concluded at the university’s Amritapuri campus. 

Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, the chief guest at the valedictory ceremony, expressed happiness over such a significant global conference being held in a small region like Alappad. He commended Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) for their efforts in seamlessly blending tradition with science in their work. 

Dr. M. Ravishankar, Principal of the Amrita School for Sustainable Futures, welcomed the gathering. Other speakers included Dr. T.M. Balakrishnan, Director of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services; Zoichiro Yasukawa, Chief of UNESCO's Disaster Risk Reduction Unit; Dr. Maneesha V. Ramesh, Provost of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham; Prof. Vinod Menon, founding member of the National Disaster Management Authority; and Dr. Sudha Arlikatti, Head of Research at the Amrita School for Sustainable Futures. 

As part of the event, a video titled “20 Years of Tsunami” was screened. The three-day conference, began on December 13, marked the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and featured over 45 delegates from 15 countries. Discussions focused on tsunami preparedness, risk management, and resilience-building measures. 

The conference included expert lectures, discussions, workshops, research paper presentations, and exhibitions. Delegates also visited the Alappad Tsunami Memorial and nearby affected areas, where survivors shared their experiences. Students and faculty from various Indian and international universities actively participated in the event.

About Amrita University:

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is a distinguished multi-campus, multidisciplinary university, accredited with an A++ rating by NAAC. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is ranked 81st globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2024, showcasing its dedication to meaningful education and research. The university spans nine campuses across five states.

The university holds two UNESCO Chairs—one for Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development and another for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment.

Headquartered in Coimbatore, Amrita operates across nine campuses in five states and is involved in over 500 global collaborations, including with Harvard University and the University of Oxford. Founded by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), Amrita continues to embody her vision of education and research driven by universal values.