BIS Stakeholder Conclave in Puducherry Highlights Standards for SDG 17 Partnerships

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Chennai Branch Office, organized a Stakeholder Conclave on 26 September 2025 in Puducherry, focusing on the theme “Shared Vision for a Better World — SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals”. The event brought together a diverse mix of government officials, industry leaders, academicians, civil society representatives, and environmental experts, fostering dialogue on how partnerships, enabled through standards, can contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth.

Opening and Welcome Session

The programme began with a traditional invocation and lamp-lighting ceremony, symbolizing knowledge and enlightenment. Shri Arun Pucchakayala, Scientist-E and Director, BIS Chennai, delivered the Welcome Address. He underlined BIS’s efforts to build bridges of partnership through standards, stressing that progress must be achieved by sustainable means and coordinated stakeholder participation.

Shri S.D. Dayanand, Scientist-F, Senior Director, and Head of BIS Chennai Branch Office, set the programme objectives. He emphasized the importance of bridging knowledge and application, urging participants to cultivate mutual understanding of challenges while co-developing strategies that enhance quality, safety, and sustainability. He noted that future BIS initiatives would be more responsive to local realities, ensuring standards become effective tools for inclusive progress.

Presidential Address by Puducherry Lt. Governor

The Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Shri K. Kailashnathan, delivered the Presidential Address. He described standards as a universal language that ensures product quality, safety, and global acceptability. Stressing the role of partnerships, he called for aligning standards with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also highlighted major government initiatives, including:

• Ayushman Bharat (healthcare access),

• Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance),

• Jal Jeevan Mission (safe water supply),

• National Solar Mission, and

• Green India Mission,

noting their crucial contribution to achieving sustainability targets.

Technical Sessions and Expert Insights

The conclave featured a series of technical sessions delivered by experts and practitioners:

• Dr. Sendhil Kumar Natarajan, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Puducherry, presented on alternative energy solutions, with a strong emphasis on solar energy applications for sustainable development.

• Shri Arun Pucchakayala delivered a technical address on regulatory convergence, explaining how standards simplify compliance, facilitate market access, and support industry competitiveness.

• Dr. G. Srinivasan, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Puducherry Technological University, discussed the local mapping of SDGs to Puducherry’s development issues, stressing the urgency of action to overcome existing challenges.

• Dr. V. Venkatesh M.S., Specialist Surgery, Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital & Post Graduate Institute (IGGGH & PGI), Puducherry, explored the public-health dimensions of standards, with focus on medical device quality, infection control, and patient-safety norms, crucial for resilient health systems.

Interactive Deliberations and Closing

The conclave facilitated interactive group discussions, bringing together industry representatives, environmental regulators, and civil-society organizations. These dialogues emphasized the role of partnerships in ensuring quality assurance, sustainable practices, and collective progress toward SDG 17.

The programme concluded with closing remarks by Shri Gowththam B.J., Scientist-D and Joint Director, BIS Chennai, who reaffirmed BIS’s mission to expand stakeholder engagement through similar region-level initiatives. Participants expressed appreciation for the practical insights shared during the event and noted that such conclaves build awareness, foster collaboration, and strengthen trust in adopting standards for inclusive development.

Way Forward

BIS highlighted its commitment to continue organizing region-focused stakeholder engagements. Following successful conclaves in Thiruvallur, the Puducherry event marks another milestone, with more programmes planned across Tamil Nadu in the coming months. These gatherings aim to amplify awareness of standards, promote cross-sector partnerships, and encourage sustainable practices at regional and national levels.