Pune, March 29, 2023: FLAME University organized a book discussion event on March 29th, 2023, under the aegis of the Department of Social Sciences at FLAME. The event was convened by Prof. Divya Balan and featured an eminent panel of speakers from the fields of human rights protection, migration, and refugee studies. The event aimed to provide an overview and discuss the relevance of the recently published book, “The Routledge Handbook of Refugees in India,” edited by Prof. S. Irudaya Rajan (2022).
The event was chaired by Prof. S. Irudaya Rajan, Chairman of the International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The esteemed panel of speakers at the event included Mr. Ravi Nair, Executive Director of South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC), New Delhi; Dr. K. M. Parivelan, Chair of the Centre for Statelessness and Refugee Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai; Dr. Sajaudeen N. Chapparban, Assistant Professor, Centre for Diaspora Studies, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar; and Dr. Divya Balan, Faculty of International Studies, FLAME University, Pune. The eminent speakers contributed to the event by sharing insightful dialogue on the various legal, political, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions of the challenges faced by the refugee communities in India, as encompassed in the book.
Prof. S. Irudaya Rajan, the chairman of the event, said, “It is essential to understand the plight of refugees in India and the problems, threats, and challenges faced by them. The idea of organizing this event was to discuss the critical interventions made by the Handbook in academia and the public domain and create awareness among young students and society as a whole. The book discussion event was a truly progressive initiative by FLAME University to understand the different facets of the lives of refugees in India.”
Also sharing his insights was Mr. Ravi Nair, who said, “Refugee issues are often neglected in India, and it is time to decode and elucidate the problems faced by refugees through an open and critical exchange of dialogue. The event was a significant platform to discuss the predicaments of refugees and find solutions through meaningful dialogue with stakeholders and policy and civil society interventions.”
Dr. K. M. Parivelan also shared his views and informed, “The plight of refugees is a global crisis at any given time, and it is highly imperative to have laws governing the treatment of refugees in India. The book discussion event organized by FLAME University was an accomplished platform that brought together academicians and practitioners to have a thoughtful and contemplative exchange of suggestions and ideas in lieu of the newly published book, ‘The Routledge Handbook of Refugees in India’.”
Furthermore, Dr. Sajaudeen N. Chapparban commented, “Refugees in India face challenges like language barriers, denial of work opportunities, cultural barriers, limited access to healthcare, a lack of education, and racism, more so during the pandemic. It is important to initiate discussions like these to raise awareness about the problems faced by refugees and to constructively aim towards finding solutions for the amelioration of refugees in our country.”
Dr. Divya Balan, the event’s convenor, also said, “We are truly humbled and gratified to have such notable dignitaries attend the book discussion event, which was a thorough disclosure of the refugee crisis in India. At FLAME, we will continue to ensure that we formulate more events like these in the near future in pursuit of bringing about a discerned change.”
The book discussion event highlighting the observations of “The Routledge Handbook of Refugees in India” was a successful platform to consult, debate, and deliberate on the challenges faced by refugees in India, with notable speakers contributing to the success of the dialogue. It was an enlightening opportunity for students to draw inspiration from the event and gain a profound understanding of the complexities and ramifications of the refugee situation in the country.
