Biju Cherian Endowment Talk

The Biju Cherian Endowment Talk is a yearly seminar on socially relevant topics Darsana has been organizing as part of its Annual General Body meeting since 2009.  Each seminar delves deep into one contemporary issue related to development or technology. 

The first talk, held on August 8, 2009, at Palakkad, was on “Public Domain in the new realms of Knowledge & Development”.  Dr. R. V. G. Menon, Prof Ignatius Kunjumon, and Dr. E. Unnikrishnan presented papers on the topic. 

The topic of the second talk held on August 15, 2010, was “One & Half decades of decentralized planning - experiences and new frontiers”. Shri. P. K. Raveendran, PS to the then Minister of LSG inaugurated the function. The then director of Kudumbashree Mission, Shri Jagajeevan, Dr. Shantakumar, Asst Fellow, CDS, and Prof M. S. John, Institute of Gandhian Studies, MG University delivered the talks. 

The third talk in 2011 was on the topic “Managing the Mobility Chaos, a Road to Sustainable, Safe & Efficient Transportation in Kerala”. Dr. T. Elangovan, Former Director of NATPAC rendered the keynote address.  Mr. Tony Mathew, a member of Darsana and Gen. Manager (Transport), ICT, Mr. Joseph. C. Chiriyankandath, Asst Exe. Engineer, PWD Roads, Mr. K J Sohan, Former Mayor of Cochin Corporation, Mr. C. Raju, Former Chief Engineer, Konkan Railway & Former Gen. Manager, RITES & Mr. Raviprakash, Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad presented their papers. The session saw good participation from academicians and the general public. 

On August 12, 2012, the Seminar on “Waste Management and Zero Waste Kerala” was held at Town Hall, Kozhikode. The keynote address was delivered by Smt Almitra Patel, a well-known activist. The seminar was inaugurated by Kerala State Minister for Social Welfare and Panchayats, Sri M. K. Muneer. Mr. Jose Joseph, Technical Director of CREDAI also participated. 

The fifth Biju Cheriyan Endowment Talk was delivered by Com. Saji Varghese, BEFI leader on current economic affairs at Hotel Gazala, Palakkad on August 22, 2013. 

The sixth talk was held on August 9, 2014, at NGO Union Hall, Palakkad on the topic “Self-Financing Colleges and their Impact on Higher Education Sector in Kerala”. The dignitaries who presented the topic include Dr. K. N. Ganesh of KSSP, Dr. Joy Job Kulavelil, and Dr. Sasikumar, HOD of the Mechanical Department, RIT Kottayam, and State Committee member of KGOA. 

The seventh talk was held on August 1, 2015, at NGO Union Hall, Palakkad. The topic for discussion was “The Kerala Model of Development – New Trends“. The seminar was inaugurated by Com. T. N. Kandamuthan, Palakkad District Panchayath President. Prof. T. P. Kunhikannan, former president of Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad, and Dr. Rajesh of IRTC, Mundur presented their views. 

The eighth talk was held on July 10, 2016, at Palakkad Fine Arts Society Hall on the topic ‘The changing face of engineering education in the globalized world’. The talk was delivered by Dr. A. Jayakrishnan, former VC, Kerala University, and  Professor of Biotechnology, IIT-Chennai. The session was attended by around 80 people and the audience actively participated in the discussions about the current state of engineering education in Kerala and the potential impact of the newly formed Kerala Technical University. 

The ninth talk was held on August 13, 2017, at Hotel Gazala, Palakakd. The talk was delivered by Dr.R Ramakumar, a member of Kerala State Planning Board on the topic “The history and present of agrarian crisis: India and changing third world”. There were active discussions on the subject presented by Dr.Ramakumar.