ISLF facilitates cross-border academic dialogue on Economic, Gender, and Social Justice Policies

Friday, 15 May 2026 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Department of Economics at the University of Jaffna successfully conducted a two-day academic program on 9-10 April 2026, supported by a grant from the India–Sri Lanka Foundation (ISLF).

The Head of the Department of Economics Dr. Kamalakumari Karunanithy chaired the program on both days which featured two guest lectures and an interactive panel discussion, aligning with the objectives of the funded project.

The events were graced by the presence of the Consul General of India in Jaffna Sai Murali, who attended both days and addressed participants during the opening session.

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts Prof. N. Piratheeparajah, also delivered opening remarks on the first day. The guest lectures on 9 April were delivered by distinguished scholars Dr. Brinda Viswanathan from the Madras School of Economics (MSE) entitled ‘Nutrition Security through the Life-cycle: An Inter-state Comparison in India’, and Dr. M. Vijayabaskar from the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) entitled ‘Industrialisation for Employment: Catalytic Role of Textiles & Garments in Tamil Nadu state’.

Both speakers also participated in a panel discussion entitled ‘Social and Gender Justice Policies for Girls and Women: What can we learn from the Indian experience?’ on 10 April alongside prominent Sri Lankan resource persons, including Mary Delcia Antony Christian (Senior Lecturer in Economics, UoJ), Udhayani Navaratnam (Women’s Development Officer, Kilinochchi District Secretariat), Nisansala Jayawardane (Senior Lecturer, Eastern University of Sri Lanka (EUSL) – Trincomalee Campus), and Dr. Logeswary Sooriyakumaran (Senior Lecturer, Eastern University of Sri Lanka – Trincomalee Campus).

A key highlight of the program was a hands-on Econometrics workshop conducted by Prof. Brinda Viswanathan for undergraduate students on 9 April in the afternoon. The program witnessed strong participation, including twenty-one students and four academic staff members from the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, three academic staff from the Trincomalee Campus of the EUSL), as well as over one hundred students and several academic staff from the University of Jaffna. The events fostered active academic engagement and meaningful discussions among participants.