IDSK launches Rabindranath Tagore Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Development

KOLKATA: The Institute of Development Studies Kolkata (IDSK) on Friday announced the establishment of the Rabindranath Tagore Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, a new research and advocacy platform aimed at addressing climate challenges in eastern and northeastern India.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Press Club, Kolkata, attended by leading academics and administrators including Professor Ashutosh Ghosh, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta; Professor Om Prakash Mishra, President of IDSK; Professor Sibaji Pratim Basu, Vice-President of IDSK; Professor Amit Dey, Secretary of IDSK; Professor Byasdeb Dasgupta, Director of IDSK; and noted environmental journalist and academic Dr. Jayanta Basu. Members of the institute’s Governing Council, faculty members and research scholars were also present.

Chairing the event, Professor Om Prakash Mishra said the new centre will function under the Rabindranath Tagore Centre for Human Development Studies (RNTCHDS) and will focus on generating awareness, research and policy recommendations on climate change and sustainable development. The centre aims to emerge as a nodal platform for dialogue and advocacy on climate issues affecting West Bengal as well as the eastern and northeastern regions of India.

The initiative will engage in research, workshops and policy discussions and plans to collaborate with the state government, civil society organisations, businesses and the media to advance climate action and sustainable development strategies. Detailed programmes and activities of the centre will be rolled out in the coming months.

Speaking at the press conference, Professor Byasdeb Dasgupta highlighted IDSK’s academic and research achievements since its establishment in 2002 and outlined plans to expand the institute’s academic offerings. He announced that IDSK will introduce a two-year MA programme in Development Studies, the first of its kind in eastern India, with an intake of 30 students. The programme is expected to create career opportunities in the development sector as well as in media.

Dasgupta also revealed that the institute plans to launch two additional postgraduate programmes in Sustainable Development and International Relations in the near future. All three programmes will be offered in a self-financed mode.

Professor Ashutosh Ghosh emphasised the ongoing collaboration between the University of Calcutta and IDSK. He noted that the Rabindranath Tagore Centre for Human Development Studies is a joint initiative of the two institutions and seeks to promote research and academic engagement inspired by the ideals of Rabindranath Tagore, bringing together scholars, media professionals and development practitioners.

Dr. Jayanta Basu spoke about the significance of the newly formed climate centre, stating that it will focus on action-based research and policy dialogue. He stressed the urgent need to address climate change and sustainable development challenges in West Bengal and across eastern and northeastern India.

Professor Sibaji Pratim Basu and Professor Amit Dey also addressed the gathering, highlighting the institute’s commitment to expanding interdisciplinary research and academic engagement.

Concluding the press conference, Professor Mishra said the new climate centre will strengthen IDSK’s research initiatives and broaden its engagement with pressing environmental and developmental issues. He also announced that Dr. Jayanta Basu will assist in coordinating the activities of the newly established centre.

Established in 2002 by the Government of West Bengal, the Institute of Development Studies Kolkata is an autonomous centre of excellence in social sciences and is fully funded by the state government. The institute is recognised by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) under the category of “ICSSR Recognised Research Institutes”. Its multidisciplinary MPhil programme in Development Studies was launched in 2006 under the auspices of the University of Calcutta.