India’s ancient pursuit of excellence — from Nalanda to diamond-cutting — and the institutional gaps blocking its renaissance at Bharat@2047.
A multi-university panel moderated by Dr. Sudhakar Gandhi explores what India must reclaim to fulfil its civilisational potential by 2047. Scholars from Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu, and Bengaluru converge on a striking diagnosis: India once produced masters in every field — architecture, medicine, mathematics, music — driven by a culture of relentless excellence. That culture is now fading, replaced by mediocrity and dependence on foreign publishing platforms.
The discussion calls for institutional reform in knowledge dissemination, indigenous peer-review infrastructure, and a reconnection with Vedic values of collective prosperity as articulated in the Rig Veda — practical frameworks for a nation reclaiming its intellectual identity.
About the Speakers:
Prof. P. Raveendran is the Vice-Chancellor of University of Calicut. He is a renowned chemist and academic leader with a Ph.D. from IIT Madras. He has held research positions at the University of North Carolina, Göttingen University, and Japan’s AIST. Formerly Dean and Professor at the University of Calicut, he has also served at IIT Chennai. His career reflects a commitment to scientific excellence and higher education advancement.
Sudhakar Gande is the CEO & MD, Jupiter Capital and the Chairman, FICCI Taskforce on Aerospace & Air Defense. He is a seasoned business leader with over 30 years of experience in strategy, corporate finance, and investment banking. He has held senior roles at American Express Bank and led a major private sector bank in India. An IIT Delhi and FMS alumnus, he was honored with the Indo-US Outstanding Business Leadership Award in 2016.
Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan is the Vice Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad and was honored with the Padma Shri in 2025. His career, spanning over three decades, is marked by academic excellence and a deep commitment to promoting Urdu and Persian studies in Bharat and beyond.
Prof. Dr. N. Panchanatham is the Vice-Chancellor of Gandhigram Rural Institute and former VC, Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University. He is a distinguished academic and administrator with over 34 years of experience in higher education. He has served in key leadership roles including Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and Head of Business School and published 450+ research papers, guided 65 Ph.D. scholars, authored 75 books, and received 50+ national and international awards. A committed institution-builder, he has led major accreditation successes and social outreach initiatives across India.
Prof. B. Sudhakar Reddy is the Honorary Director of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Southern Regional Centre, under the Ministry of Education. A respected scholar and academic administrator, he has played a pivotal role in advancing social science research and policy-oriented scholarship across southern India.
