Bhubaneswar, Jan 24: India’s approach to localising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has drawn global attention and appreciation, said Suman Bery, Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, at a one-day national seminar on SDGs held at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) on Saturday.
The remark underlined how India has moved beyond a one-size-fits-all development strategy and is instead tailoring global SDG targets to local realities.
The seminar, titled ‘KISS vis-a-vis Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): Advancing India’s SDG Agenda through Transformative Education, Volunteerism and Community-Centred Action’, focused on institutional models that translate global development goals into measurable local action.
Reflecting on his engagement with Odisha, Bery said this visit would remain his most memorable, as he commended Dr Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT and KISS, for creating an education-led development model that has transformed the lives of tribal children across the state and beyond.
Bery emphasised that SDG localisation is central to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat. He pointed out that several states are now aligning district- and block-level planning with SDG targets. A new governance model is taking shape, where chief ministers, state planning bodies and local institutions are setting outcome-driven goals and building delivery mechanisms to address region-specific challenges while remaining aligned with national and global priorities.
Arvind Virmani, Member, NITI Aayog, elaborated on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat. He stated that everyone should contribute to the realization of Vikshit Bharat. Individuals, institutions, societies, and states all play a role in this endeavor. Highlighting the significance of the New Education Policy (NEP), he stressed the need for quality basic education and skill development. These elements are crucial for the next 10-15 years and are interconnected with several other factors.
Dr. Pravakar Sahoo, Program Director, NITI Aayog said, KISS exemplifies a Sustainable Model. KISS serves as a vehicle for achieving sustainable goals. “The favourable demographics we possess lay the groundwork for Vikshit Bharat, and KISS is effectively contributing to this aim”, he stated. The goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) encompasses quality education, quality healthcare facilities, and skill development. Both KIIT and KISS are actively pursuing these objectives, he remarked.
Among others, Ms. Abha Mishra, State Head of UNDP Odisha; Dr. Md. Nadeem Noor, Head of Office at UNFPA, Odisha; Dr. Soula Kyriakos, Co-Founder and President of the International Executive School in France; Ms. Arushi Ray, a former UN Practitioner (UNHCR); and Shri Ashok Kumar Parija, Chancellor of KIIT DU attended the seminar. Dr. Achyuta Samanta extended a warm welcome to the guests, while Prof. Saranjit Singh, Vice-Chancellor of KIIT DU, expressed the votes of thanks.
