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DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS

Inaugural Session         |           Session 1        |              Session 2       |          Session 3         |            Session 4        |        Valedictory

INAUGURAL SESSION

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Honourable Dr. Dalbir Singh

Chairman, One Globe Forum; Senior Advisor, Forum of Federations, Canada

Dr. Dalbir Singh is a prominent figure in Indian politics and governance. He began his career with a distinguished military service, engaging in counter-insurgency operations, teaching at the Army Combat School, and contributing to military intelligence. Transitioning into politics, he served as the National Secretary of the Indian National Congress, the country's largest political party. With an academic background that includes an honors graduate degree in Law and an MBA, he has held significant positions such as Chairman of Bhagat Singh College at the University of Delhi and membership in various governing boards, including the Universal Business School. Dalbir Singh's international experience includes serving as an observer during the 2004 National Elections in Uzbekistan. He is recognized for his extensive contributions in various domains, including conflict management, democracy, federalism, and globalization. He has presented papers and participated in international forums on topics ranging from public health to governance, fostering international cooperation and understanding. Dr.Dalbir Singh's commitment to promoting federalism and democratic governance is evident through his role as a Senior Advisor for the Forum of Federations in Canada. He is also actively involved in cultural promotion, environmental conservation, and empowerment initiatives. His notable honors include the Order of Friendship and Pushkin Medal from the Russian President and recognition from the President of India for his contributions to the infrastructure industry. Dalbir Singh continues to be a prominent figure in the global political and governance landscape.

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Honourable King Husein

Founder and CEO, Span Construction and Engineering, Madera, California, USA

King Husein is an Indian-American engineer and the founder and CEO of Span Construction and Engineering (Span), a metal building construction company based in Madera, California. He was born in Mumbai, India in 1959 and came to the United States in 1977 to study civil engineering at Brigham Young University. After graduating, he worked as a structural engineer for a few years before starting Span Construction in 1980. Span has grown to become one of the largest metal building construction companies in the country. The company has built over 187 million square feet of buildings, including warehouses, distribution centers, retail stores, and industrial facilities. Span is also the exclusive builder for Costco Wholesale worldwide. Husein is known for his commitment to quality and safety. He developed a suspension safety net system called SkyWeb, which has helped to prevent injuries and deaths on construction sites. Span also has a strict no-work-on-Sundays policy, which Husein believes is important for employee morale and productivity. Husein is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Metal Construction Association's Builder of the Year Award and the Associated Builders and Contractors' National Builder of the Year Award. He is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Association of Minority Contractors. Husein is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the construction industry. He is the co-founder of the National Minority Contractors Association and the chairman of the board of directors of the American Muslim Contractors and Engineers Association. Husein is a role model for many young people, especially those from immigrant families. He is a reminder that hard work and determination can lead to success, no matter where you come from.

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Rev. Prof. (Dr.) Vishwanath D. Karad

UNESCO Chair of Human rights, Democracy, Peace and Tolerance
President, World Parliament of Science, Religion and Philosophy

Rev. Prof. Dr. Vishwanath D. Karad - an eminent educationist having teaching experience of 40 years in College of Engineering as an Undergraduate and Postgraduate teacher, thinker a devoted teacher and a dedicated social worker, is a man of great vision, who is totally committed to the development of technical education and the cause of raising the qualities of life of the Indian masses for the betterment of tomorrow. He was awarded the Degree of Doctorate in Philosophy and Education by the International University of Washington. He is the founder of various initiatives such as “Maharashtra Institute of Technology, WORLD PEACE CENTER of MAEER's MIT, Pune, UNESCO CHAIR for Human Rights, Democracy and Peace, MIT World Peace University Shree Kshetra Alandi Parisar Vikas Samiti, Saint Shree Dnyaneshwara and Saint Shree Tukaram Endowment Lecture Series Trust. Apart from recognition for his works in education. He has been honored by the various awards such as National award for the year 1992 for the most outstanding work in Engineering and Technical Education for his commendable rural development work in the field of Environmental and Pollution Control at Shree Kshetra Alandi-Dehu, “Madhav - Mandakini Award” for his commendable work in the field of Rural Development - Environmental and Pollution Control at Shree Kshetra Alandi - Dehu in Pune district for changing the outlook of these holy places. He has been member of various organizations of national international repute.

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Honourable Swamiji Amritaswarupananda Puri,

President of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Civil 20 Troika; C20

Swamiji Amritaswarupananda Puri is the Vice-Chairman of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math and President of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Amrita University). He is the head disciple of renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma). He has been living in Amritapuri Ashram since its inception in the late 1970s. He holds a Master’s in Philosophy and is a renowned author and translator, has written: “The Irresistible Attraction of Divinity” (2019) and “The Colour of the Rainbow: Compassionate Leadership” (2014), as well as Amma’s Biography. He has also translated into English more than 10 volumes of conversations between Amma and devotees, for which he also served as a compiler. He is a magnificent singer and composer of bhajans and has traveled around the world more than 30 times with Amma in her service.

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Father Felix Machado

Priest for the Bombay Diocese

He was Ordained a Priest for the Bombay Diocese. He was Incardinated to Roman Catholic Diocese of Vasai. He was Appointed Archbishop (Personal Title) of Nashik, India. He was Ordained a Bishop by Oswald Cardinal Gracias and Appointed Archbishop (Personal Title) of Roman Catholic Diocese of Vasai. Machado has served as Undersecretary in the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican. He chairs the Office for Interreligious Dialogue of the Federation of Asian (Catholic) Bishops' Conferences (FABC); and Office for Interreligious Dialogue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).

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Prof. Katherine Marshall

Professor and Senior Fellow; Executive Director, World Faiths Development Dialogue 

Professory and Senior Fellow; Executive Director, World Faiths Development Dialogue at Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University | United States Prof. Katherine Marshall is a distinguished figure in the field of international development, boasting a career spanning nearly four decades. She currently holds the position of Senior Fellow at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Additionally, she serves as a Professor of the Practice of Development, Conflict, and Religion in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown. Prof. Marshall's extensive professional journey includes a significant tenure at the World Bank from 1971 to 2006. Throughout her tenure, she held various leadership roles with a notable focus on Africa. She served as the Country Director for the World Bank's Africa region, overseeing projects in both the Sahel and Southern Africa. Her mandate also encompassed ethics, values, and faith in development work while counseling the World Bank's President from 2000 to 2006. She played a pivotal role in addressing critical issues such as leadership, conflict resolution, women's rights, and ethical considerations. Beyond her work at the World Bank, Prof. Katherine Marshall has been deeply involved in the establishment and growth of the World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD), where she serves as the Executive Director. She actively participates in various advisory boards and NGOs, including AVINA Americas, the Niwano Peace Prize International Selection Committee, and the Opus Prize Foundation. She is a board member of IDEA (International Development Ethics Association) and part of the advisory council for the International Anti-Corruption Advisory Conference (IACC). Her commitment to global issues is underscored by her membership in the Council on Foreign Relations and her core group membership in the Council of 100, an initiative fostering understanding between the Islamic World and the West

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Mr. Rahul V. Karad

Managing Trustee & Executive President,
MAEER's MIT, Pune,
Executive President, MIT-WPU

• Shri. Rahul Vishwanath Karad is an enterprising young educationist at the forefront of the 72 institutes strong MAEER's MIT Group of Institutions, Pune with over 55,000 students under its fold. He is also the Executive President of MIT-World Peace University, the newly recognized State Private University of MIT Group of Institutions at its flagship Kothrud campus in Pune. A graduate in engineering and a postgraduate in management from Cardiff U.K, Shri. Rahul, is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, U.S.A. Shri. Rahul is advancing the inherited vision and mission of his visionary academician father Prof. Dr. Vishwanath Karad, Founder MIT Group of Institutions, with a fearless passion and deep-rooted patriotic intent in his heart. He holds a firm conviction in channelizing the power of youth to augment their active participation in our pluralistic democracy. His true nationalistic consciousness keeps finding expressions through numerous activities that he initiates and infuses a renewed sense of pride and patriotism amongst the young budding minds. Addressing his burning desire in contribution to Nation Building prompted him to trudge a new path reflecting in the shape of MIT School of Government. With his energized focus and genuine involvement, the School is honing and nurturing the next generation of Indian Political Leaders and his efforts are appreciated, placed and valued in the national context. The school being the first of its kind in Asia has attained success in the process of activity and has risen manifold in stature and prestige by its concentrated efforts of strengthening the fabric of Indian Democratic Leadership. • He firmly believes, involvement of youth in a wide variety of social, national and international issues will be a key determinant of our success and excellence. To do so, and for the composite development of youth, it is essential that they be well exposed, informed, enlightened, connected and spirited. To achieve this goal, a purposeful platform like “INDIAN STUDENT PARLIAMENT” (BHARATIYA CHHATRA SANSAD) was founded by him. Potentially and objectively, this platform is also a breeding ground for the youth to assume various leadership roles in order to strengthen the very essence of democracy.

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Honourable Haji Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade

Spiritual Leader of Muslims in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus

Haji Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade is a prominent religious leader and scholar of Azerbaijani descent, born on August 26, 1949, in Cil, Lankaran Rayon, Azerbaijan. He is best known for his role as the Sheikh ul-Islam and Grand Mufti of the Caucasus, overseeing religious matters in a vast region that includes the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Georgia, and various regions in the Russian Federation, such as Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Karachay–Cherkessia, and Adygea. Additionally, he serves as the chairman of the Religious Council of the Caucasus. Haji Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade is began his religious education in Lankaran and later pursued advanced studies in Uzbekistan, attending the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah in Bukhara and Tashkent State University, where he completed his religious education in 1975. Upon returning to Azerbaijan, he assumed several significant roles within the religious community, including acting secretary of the Caucasian Muslims Office and leadership positions at the Taza Pir Mosque in Baku. In 1980, he was elected chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office and became Sheikh ul-Islam, a position he has held for many years. Haji Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade is also recognized for his involvement in international organizations, serving on the Management Board of the World Islamic Congress, the Management Board of Eurasia Islamic Council, and as the co-chair of the CIS Interreligious Council. His influence and contributions to Islam have earned him recognition, including his inclusion in the book "500 Most Influential Muslims of the World" in 2009. Haji Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade is has received various honors and awards during his career, including the "Lenin Order of Friendship Among the Peoples" (1988, USSR), the "Order of Glory" (1994, Egypt), the "Order of St. Vladimir, First class" (2001, Russian Orthodox Church), and the "Order of the Golden Fleece" (2009, Georgia). His dedication to interfaith dialogue and religious leadership has made him a respected figure in the Caucasus and beyond.

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Prof. W. Cole Durham, Jr.

Professor of Law and Founding Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School | United States

W. Cole Durham, Jr., is the immediate past President of the International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ICLARS), and Susa Young Gates University Professor of Law and Founding Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), at the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, where he was a Note Editor of the Harvard Law Review and Managing Editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. He has been heavily involved in comparative law scholarship, with a special emphasis on comparative constitutional law. He is a founding Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. He served as the Secretary of the American Society of Comparative Law from 1989 to 1994. He is an Associate Member of the International Academy of Comparative Law. He served as a General Rapporteur for the topic ‘Religion and the Secular State’ at the 18th Congress of the International Academy of Comparative Law, held in July 2010. He served in earlier years as Chair both of the Comparative Law Section and the Law and Religion Section of the American Association of Law Schools.

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Shri. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Former Minister of Minority Affairs, Govt. of India

Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is presently a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and a Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Government of India. Born and brought up in a respectful family of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi started his life right from his childhood with hard work, determination and commitment to the principles and social values. He was attracted in his early age towards “Total Revolution Campaign” launched by Shri Jaiparkash Narayan and was elected Secretary, “Chatra Yuva Sangarsh Vahini” and also played major roles in various agitations. During Emergency, he was arrested under D.I.R. – Misa at the tender age of 17 and was put behind bars in Central Jail, Naini. He established his competence and efficiency while working on various important Government and Political assignments due to his commitment and dedication towards social, nationalist values and ideology. He continued to maintain his identity of being an ordinary social worker and dedicated soldier in safeguarding the human values. He is recognized as a positive approach leader, nationalist speaker, statesman and protector of human values at large

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