With an objective to provide a collaborative platform for researchers and experts to discuss the impact of digital technologies for creating safer cities in India, FORE School of Management in partnership with The London School of Economics & Political Science, King’s College London and Department of Management Studies (DMS) IIT Delhi conducted the International Conference, at FORE School New Delhi.
Key topics of the conference include: Smart Cities, Urban Governance and Planning Using ICTs, Digital Economy & Practices, Cyber Security, Women’s Movement, Double Marginalization, Women’s Rights, Occidental and Oriental Cities, Gender Relations, Community Vs. Cosmopolitan, Community Programming And Participation, Policies And Practices, Gender Budgeting & Social Institutions. Academicians, practitioners, research scholars submitted research papers and business cases on the topic. Prof. Rakhi Tripathi, Chair, Information Technology, FORE School was the Conference Convener.
The conference was chaired by Dr. Jitendra Das, Director, FORE School of Management, New Delhi who set the context by talking about Industry 4.0, Internet of Things (IoT), cognitive computing and it’s role in creating smart cities and safer places, specially for women and children.
Dr. Vinayshil Gautam, Founder Director, IIM Kozhikode and Board Member, FORE School of Management, addressed at the inauguration ceremony and touched upon rapid urbanization taking place in India at a fast pace while integrating the development plans with urbanisation process need proper understanding. What works for one city may not work for another. Planning, designing and most importantly, implementation is something which needs utmost care.
Dr. Ayona Datta, from King’s College London, was the keynote speaker at the conference who spoke about postcolonial urbanism, gender issues, social consciousness and the need for interdisciplinary research in smart cities. “Misogyny and patriarchal mentality has to go first before we create smart and safer cities for women”, she said.
Ms. Shivani Singh, Lead, Delhi Metro, Hindustan Times said, “Smart Cities are all about mobility and opportunity. You don’t need out-of-the-box ideas; it is about running cities efficiently.”
Ms. Shalini Sinha, Delhi Focal City Coordinator, WIEGO, raised issues like lack of proper infrastructure like wash rooms and toilets for women has been adding up to harassment issues. “Cities are not meant only for the big and the well-off”, she said.
A geo spatial and temporal mapping keeping mind people, infrastructure and gender in Connaught Places Area of Delhi, were done by participants at the Conference on Digital Innovation.
Also present were Mr. Jagan Shah, Director at National Institute of Urban Affairs – promoting integrated solutions for urban India, Dr. Y. Suresh Reddy CSR Lead SRF Limited and Head of SRF Foundation, Dr. Kalpana Viswanathan CEO at SaftiPin.com, a tool based application providing GIS data and tools for safer and inclusive cities, Ms. Amrita Vesudevan from IT for Change – Non-profit organisation working on information and communication technologies and social changes, Ms. Amrita Gupta from Azad Foundation; Dr. Basheer Hamad from Web Foundation; Dr.Ravi Raman of Kerala State Planning Board; Ms. Sunita Dhar from Jagori Foundation; Jo Entwistle, North London University Researcher, Kings College London among other dignitaries and delegates.
