Panchjanya commemorated the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee with the grand organization of the ‘Sagar Manthan: Good Governance Dialogue 2024.’ This year’s event marked an extraordinary milestone as it celebrated Vajpayee Ji’s birth centenary, making the occasion profoundly memorable. The event was held at the scenic Novotel Dona Sylvia in South Goa and was attended by many dignitaries nationwide, including thought leaders and visionaries.
Themed around Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s governance model, the dialogue underscored the essence of good governance and inclusive development. The program’s highlights included insightful discussions and keynotes that reflected Vajpayee Ji’s visionary ideas and their relevance to India’s emerging role on the global stage.
The Chief Guest, Shri Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, delivered an inspiring address focusing on governance, development, and the strides made by Goa under his leadership. Shri Gopal Arya Ji, Akhil Bharatiya Sanyojak of Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhiyan, spoke on “Prakriti Bhi Pragati Bhi,” shedding light on the harmony between nature and progress. Renowned thinker and Chairman of India Foundation, Shri Ram Madhav Ji, captivated the audience with his perspective on “Naya Vishva aur Bharat Uday,” discussing the rise of a new world order and India’s pivotal role.
Other distinguished speakers included Shri Navneet Sehgal (Chairman of Prasar Bharati), who threw light on the topic “Atal’s Vision for Governance,” Smt. Rivaba Jadeja (MLA, Gujarat) on “Women Empowerment: Governance and Growth, Shri Jayen Mehta (Managing Director, Amul) on “Collaborative Impact,” and Shri Chandraprakash Dwivedi (Filmmaker) on “What Dharma Says About Governance.”
In his address, Dr. Pramod Sawant stated, “Goa’s journey over the past few years reflects our unwavering commitment to the principles of good governance. From championing sustainable development and digital transformation to ensuring inclusive growth, we have worked tirelessly to create a transparent, accountable, and citizen-centric administration. Today, Goa is the most preferred place for environmentalists, and we will achieve sustainable development goals within 5 years. The infrastructure development that has happened in the last 10 years is due to mutual cooperation between the Centre and the state. They successfully adopted Atalji’s good governance ideology. By 2037, we aim to make Goa one of the most developed states in the country. He also applauded Panchjanya for organizing such a thought-provoking event which is a beacon of light for all, especially youth.”
For the past three years, Panchjanya has commemorated the unparalleled leadership of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, whose vision and commitment to good governance continue to inspire India’s progress. This year’s ‘Sagar Manthan’ highlighted Goa’s strides toward effective governance, emphasizing transparency, inclusivity, and sustainable development, which are the key tenets of Shri Vajpayee Ji’s philosophy.
In conversation with Panchjanya, Shri Ram Madhav praises India’s new stance as a strategic autonomous country which emphasises proactive diplomacy. He said, “Making India self-reliant on all fronts, including defence, which is the need of the hour, and the present government at the centre realises this very clearly. With continuous and coordinated efforts, we must make India capable in all matters of self-interest. And, as a self-reliant nation, we have to depict India’s resilience amidst changing geopolitical conditions through the right blend of strategies and practices.”
While sharing her insights on “Women Empowerment: Governance and Growth,” Smt. Rivaba Jadeja said, “The six pillars of good governance are unachievable without women’s empowerment. These six pillars are justice, equity, environmental balance, economic development, peace & harmony, and social welfare of people in society. Fortunately, women are God gifted to strengthen these pillars as leaders and changemakers.
The Editor of Panchjanya, Shri Hitesh Shankar, addressed the audience, sharing his reflections on the legacy of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the publication’s role in advancing the dialogue on governance.
“Sagar Manthan Sushasan Samvaad strives to establish a culture of continuous governance improvement by identifying best practices and innovative solutions to governance challenges. It focuses on building capacity within public administration to meet future demands by leveraging cutting-edge practices that build resilience. Engaging experts from different fields is central to the success of Sagar Manthan Sushasan Samvaad. Their unique perspectives offer invaluable guidance on governance issues while addressing practical administrative challenges,” remarked Shri Hitesh Shankar, Editor at Panchjanya.
During the event, leaders from industries, academia, literature, sports, and entertainment also participated, adding depth and diversity to the discussions.