The Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum (EHNF) 2025, set for December 10–11, was announced during a press conference at Gauhati Town Club. This forum aims to unite global leaders in sustainability, corporate strategies, diplomacy, science, academia, and youth innovation to create a collaborative roadmap for ecological resilience and sustainable development in the Eastern Himalayan region.
The EHNF 2025 will adopt a multi-venue format, using four major academic institutions in Assam—Gauhati University, IIT Guwahati, Cotton University, and Assam Royal Global University—as hosts for thematic sessions. These sessions will focus on Sustainable Land Futures, Water & Energy, Forests & Biodiversity, and Sustainability & Social Entrepreneurship, with the goal of enhancing engagement among academia, industry, and community stakeholders.
Key figures attending the press conference included Ranjit Barthakur from the Balipara Foundation, Dr. Narayan Sharma from Cotton University, Prof. Diganta Munshi from Assam Royal Global University, Dr. Hemen Deka from Gauhati University, and Dr. Dhrubajyoti Saharia from Gauhati University. They emphasized the urgent necessity for coordinated action among universities, corporations, and local communities to tackle climate and ecological challenges faced by the Eastern Himalayas, along with the important role of youth-led innovations in conservation efforts.
The forum is expected to host a distinguished lineup of national and international leaders, including Her Excellency May-Elin Stener, Norway’s Ambassador to India; Kesang Wangdi, former Ambassador and Chairman of the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation; Sundara Ramam from Tata Steel; and Dr. Vibha Dhawan from TERI, among several other leading experts in sustainability.
Furthermore, notable corporations and sustainability partners will actively participate, including representatives from Tata Power, Google, NRL, Luminous, Schneider Electric, Coca-Cola, Tata Consumer Products, Mahindra Group, SEROS, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank. Their discussions will focus on nature-positive business strategies, green innovations, and sustainable transitions in the Eastern Himalayas.
Over the two-day event, discussions will center on critical themes such as nature-based solutions, climate-resilient infrastructure, circular economy models, youth-driven technologies, and ecological methods for development planning in the Eastern Himalaya and the broader Third Pole region. The Balipara Foundation, leading the initiative, emphasized its commitment to fostering resilient and inclusive ecological futures through strengthened collaborations across communities, research institutions, industries, and government agencies, aiming to protect and restore one of the world’s most vital biodiversity hotspots.
