The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur on Tuesday hosted a global convergence titled ‘Renaissance 2.0: Parliament of enlightened thoughts towards collaborative prosperity’ at the IIT Kharagpur Research Park in Kolkata’s New Town. The event was organised under the aegis of the institute’s platinum jubilee celebrations, in collaboration with The Boston Pledge on its silver jubilee.
Inspired by the seminal Parliament of the world’s religions, where Swami Vivekananda repositioned India on the global stage and sparked an intellectual awakening, Renaissance 2.0 aspires to catalyse a contemporary renaissance rooted in collaborative prosperity, ethical innovation, and spiritual humanism. The Parliament brought together eminent leaders from government, academia, industry, science, technology, spiritual and cultural spheres. The initiative seeks to move beyond zero-sum paradigms towards a “plus-sum” framework of cooperation, sustainability, and collective well-being.
Addressing the gathering, speakers underscored that the equations that shaped the industrial and post industrial eras should now evolve to ensure planetary sustainability, inclusive growth, and ethical technological advancement.
As the inaugural edition concluded, delegates affirmed their commitment to developing collaborative research initiatives, policy frameworks, and cross-sector partnerships that will translate enlightened thought into actionable global impact.
“Renaissance 2.0 reflects IIT Kharagpur’s enduring commitment to shaping not just technological advancement, but the moral and intellectual compass of the 21st century. As we celebrate our platinum jubilee, we reaffirm our responsibility to integrate education, economy, technology, and spirituality into a unified vision of collaborative prosperity. The future demands institutions that do not merely respond to change, but consciously design it for the greater good of humanity,” said IIT Kharagpur Director, Prof. Suman Chakraborty.
The inaugural session was attended by Union Minister of State for Education Dr Sukanta Majumdar, IIT Kharagpur Board of Governors Chairman TV Narendran, The Boston Pledge, USA, Chairman Dr Partha S Ghosh, IIT Bhubaneswar Former Director Prof. Madhusudan Chakraborty, Ambuja Neotia Group Chairman Harshvardhan Neotia, President of IIT Alumni Foundation US Dr Asoke Deysarkar, Emeritus Professor and Chair, Renaissance 2.0 Prof. Subrata Chattopadhyay and Padma Bhushan and eminent classical vocalist Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty.
Renaissance 2.0 is anchored in four transformative plenary dialogues designed to reimagine the foundational pillars of civilisation: reimagining education to awaken the whole human being; rethinking economic constructs beyond capitalism and socialism; guiding technological evolution through a framework of ‘science with soul’; and reawakening the spiritual vector to advance the vision of one humanity.