Shillong, Sept 10: Global warming and its devastating impact on the Himalayas took centre stage as North-Eastern Hill University observed the 17th Himalayan Day-2026 today.
Organised by the Department of Environmental Studies on the theme “Global Warming and the Himalayas”, the programme brought together top ecologists, faculty and students to deliberate on saving the fragile ecosystem.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. K. Barik set the tone, saying Himalayan Day is for Biodiversity Conservation and calling for collective responsibility and sustainable use of natural resources.
Delivering the presidential address, Dr. S. Ashutosh, IFS, Former PCCF Meghalaya and Director, Centre of Excellence, MBDA, warned that the Himalayan ecosystem is extremely fragile and interconnected, stressing the need to translate science into policy.
The technical session featured hard-hitting presentations by Prof. S. R. Joshi on microbes in changing climate, Padma Bhushan Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi from Uttarakhand, Prof. V. P. Sati, Dean, Earth Sciences, Mizoram University and Dr. Rajesh Joshi, Head, GBPNIHE-Sikkim Centre. The experts flagged melting permafrost, anthropogenic pressure, disaster threats and need for community resilience.
An interactive panel discussion stressed nature-based solutions, scientific monitoring, stronger early warning systems and coordinated institutional response.
The programme ended with the Himalayan Day Pledge administered by In-charge VC Prof. P. K. Patra. Dr. Rajesh Bajpai, Head, Environmental Studies, proposed the vote of thanks.
