Bhubaneswar: The 58th Annual Conference and International Seminar of the Odisha Economic Association (OEA) successfully concluded in Bhubaneswar, reaffirming the pivotal role of economics in promoting inclusive development, sustainability, and the relevance of policy.
The conference was held on February 7-8 in partnership with the KIIT School of Economics and Commerce (KSEC) at KIIT Deemed to be University.
The conference was held under the leadership of Prof Jagannath Lenka, President, OEA, with Prof Himanshu Sekhar Rout, Secretary, OEA, steering the organisational efforts. The academic leadership of the conference was provided by Prof Sukanta Chandra Swain, Conference Chairman and Dean of the KIIT School of Economics & Commerce, while the logistical coordination and implementation were overseen by Dr Saswat Kishore Mishra, Associate Dean of the KIIT School of Economics & Commerce, serving as the Conference Convenor-cum-Organising Secretary.
The event brought together leading economists, academicians, policymakers, researchers, and students for an intensive exchange of ideas on development, sustainability, and future economic pathways for Odisha and beyond. The inaugural session was graced by Prof Deepak Nayyar, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi, former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India, and former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi, as the Chief Guest. In his address, he emphasised the need to rethink macroeconomic policies from an employment perspective for sustainable solutions to employment problems in developing countries. The inaugural session was also attended by Prof Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar, KIIT Deemed to be University, while Prof Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS and Chief Patron of the Conference, was gratefully acknowledged and thanked in absentia.
The valedictory address was delivered by Prof Debasish Mishra (Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata), who enlightened the audience about the economics of auction design, showing how markets are shaped by incentives, information, and strategic behaviour. The deliberations reaffirmed a collective resolve to carry forward the ideas and insights of the conference into research, classrooms, and public policy, underscoring that economics must remain rooted in people, choices, and societal well-being.
