Amritapuri (Kollam): 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.