107th Indian Economic Association (IEA) International Conference Concludes

Jaipur: The 107th Indian Economic Association (IEA) International Conference successfully concluded at Apex University, Jaipur. The event was graced by many prominent personalities from both India and abroad, and several individuals who have made significant contributions in the fields of economics, education, and sports were honored.

The closing ceremony saw the participation of Prof. (Dr.) Vinay Kumar Pathak, Chairman of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) as the Chief Guest, and Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Maharishi University, Lucknow as the Special Guest. The event was presided over by Prof. Adya Prasad Pandey, President of the Indian Economic Association.

In his address, Prof. (Dr.) Vinay Pathak, Chairman of AIU, emphasized the importance of focusing on creative and constructive work to strengthen and guide the country’s economic policies in the right direction. He highlighted the crucial role of Indian education systems and universities and stressed that the IEA should prioritize these areas to bolster the country’s economic framework.

Prof. Pathak also pointed out that in the current times, as the country faces economic changes and challenges, enhancing competitiveness through education, research, and innovation is key. He called for universities and educational institutions to play an active role in fostering creative thinking and entrepreneurship among students, which would contribute to the nation’s economic progress.

The closing ceremony also included a welcome address by Prof. America Singh, Chairman of the IEA Apex Body and Vice-Chancellor of Vikrant University, Gwalior. Dr. Ravi Juneja, Chairman of Apex University, was also present at the event.

**Awards and Honors Ceremony**

During the ceremony, various awards were presented, including:

- **IEA First Sagar Juniwal Award** and ₹11,000 in cash was awarded to Prof. (Dr.) D.M. Diwakar.
- **Atal Bihari Vajpayee Gold Award**: Dr. Ashutosh Pant, an academician and economic expert, received this honor.
- **Indian Economic Association Fellow Award**: Dr. Sultan Singh, Director of Vikrant University, Gwalior, and Dr. Ashok Acharya, Director of Singhania Law College, were honored.
- **JK Mehta Academic Excellence Award**: Dr. Sachin Gupta, Assistant Professor at Mohanlal Sukhadia University, received this award.
- **Best Researcher - Prof. P.R. Brahmanand Memorial Award**: This award was given to researchers who made notable contributions in their respective fields.
- **V.K.R.V. Rao Lifetime Achievement Award**: Dr. Charan Singh, Chair Professor at RBI, IIM Bangalore, was awarded this prestigious honor.
- **IEA Platinum Sponsor Award**: This award was presented to Kaushalendra Singh from Oman.

In addition, individuals who performed exceptionally in sports were also recognized. These included:

- Shri Ram Singh Shekhawat (Padma Shri awardee)
- Shri Sandeep Singh Chouhan (IG Police, Rajasthan)
- Shri Pushpendra Singh Rathore (Additional SP, Greater Jaipur Municipal Corporation)
- Shri Gajendra Singh Rathore (Former District Sports Officer)
- Dr. Kuldeep Singh Jhalla (Sports Administrator & Advisor)
- International Roll Ball Player Shri Ramesh Singh

Other prominent individuals, including Lions Club President Shri Piyush Soni Jain, were also honored for their contributions to sports.

The event was conducted by Dr. Sachin Gupta, Dr. Indu Varshney, and Dr. Kuldeep Singh Jhalla, whose excellent moderation made the ceremony even more impactful.

In conclusion, the Indian Economic Association’s international conference not only celebrated excellence in economic policy and research but also acknowledged outstanding contributions in sports, education, and other sectors of society. The event concluded with Prof. D.K. Asthana from IEA expressing gratitude and thanks to all the distinguished guests present at the ceremony.