HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 16: The 26th Annual Conference of the North Eastern Economic Association (NEEA), organised by Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University in collaboration with Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development, concluded successfully.
The two-day academic event held on May 15 and 16, 2026, brought together eminent economists, researchers, academicians, policymakers, scholars and students to deliberate on contemporary economic and developmental issues affecting Northeast India and the nation at large.
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The conference commenced with an inaugural session held at the Zubeen Garg Auditorium of KKHSOU. The session began with Prof Joydeep Baruah, Director, SKBSSS, KKHSOU and Chairperson of the organising committee, welcoming the distinguished guests, delegates and participants.
Dr Parag Dutta, Secretary, NEEA and organising secretary of the conference, presented a brief overview of the association and highlighted the objectives of the conference. Delivering the inaugural address, Prof Rajendra Prasad Das, Vice-Chancellor of KKHSOU emphasised the importance of collaborative academic research in addressing regional developmental challenges and promoting inclusive sustainable growth in Northeast India.
Prof Saswati Choudhury, Director, OKDISCD, delivered the introductory remarks and stressed the need for policy-oriented research and interdisciplinary dialogue. The keynote address was delivered by Prof Surajit Mazumdar of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, while Prof Bhagirathi Panda, president of NEEA, delivered the presidential address.
A major highlight of the two-day conference was the Gopal Bordoloi Memorial Lecture and Atul Goswami Memorial Lecture, delivered by Prof Basanta Kumar Pradhan, Director of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai and Prof T C A Anant, former Chief Statistician of India and former Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India.
Panel discussions on the conference themes, broadly “Sustainable Development, Innovation, Institutions & GST in Northeast India” and “Issues of Labour Market in Northeast India,” featured eminent economists and experts from leading institutions of the region.
Over the course of the conference, multiple technical sessions were organised covering a wide range of themes including sustainable development, labour markets, climate change, tourism, financial inclusion, agricultural transformation, gender studies, public health, migration, gig economy, digital finance and regional economic development.
Researchers from various universities and institutions of the Northeast presented scholarly papers addressing critical socio-economic concerns of the region and beyond.
The conference concluded with a valedictory session addressed by Subhash Chandra Das, Vice-Chancellor of Assam Skill University and Chairperson of the Governing Body of OKDISCD. He appreciated the quality of academic deliberations and emphasised the importance of continued scholarly engagement for regional development and policy formulation.
The organising committee expressed gratitude to all speakers, delegates, researchers, faculty members, students and volunteers for their active participation, reaffirming the commitment of NEEA, KKHSOU and OKDISCD towards promoting meaningful academic discourse on issues concerning Northeast India and the wider national economy.
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