A virtual session on Wednesday evening brought together former students of the London School of Economics and stakeholders in the India-UK ties.
Debanjan Chakrabarti, the director, east and Northeast India, British Council, delivered the keynote address at the session. He contextualised the session against the backdrop of the India-UK ties.
“India and the UK are about to sign a free-trade agreement. Earlier this year, Boris Johnson and Narendra Modi signed a roadmap for the next 10 years. Education and innovation are at the heart of the roadmap,” said Chakrabarti, who is an alumnus of a different UK institute (University of Reading) but has “very fond memories of LSE”.
Aatreyee Guha Thakurta
Debanjan Chakrabarti
Rajive Kaul speaks at the session
“The contribution from the UK alumni units in India and the knowledge and skill set they bring to the table are of great importance to India-UK ties,” he said.
Aatreyee Guha Thakurta, the assistant director, education (mobility and internationalisation) India and South Asia, British Council division and Rajive Kaul, the president of the Indo-British Scholars’ Association, were the other speakers at the session.
The session was organised by Nayantara Palchoudhuri, alumni leader for LSE.
The programme had old-timers who graduated from the LSE in the 1980s as well as 2020 graduates.
Harihar Bhattacharyya, a professor of political science at the University of Burdwan and author of multiple books, was one of the participants.
Bhattacharya, who did his PhD from LSE between 1985 and 1989, said the institute had provided him with “enlightenment”.
“It gave me the confidence to think originally and differently,” he said.