Shillong, Jun 7: North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Vice-Chancellor Prof PS Shukla was conferred the ‘National Award for Excellence in Mountain Ecosystems and Blue Sustainability’ at The Blue Economy Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Saturday.
The Summit, organised on the theme ‘Harnessing Ocean Wealth: Innovation, Inclusion, and Sustainability’, brought together policymakers, academicians, researchers and experts to deliberate on sustainable use of oceanic and aquatic resources.In his address titled ‘Samudra Manthan, Blue Economy and the Future of Inclusive Sustainability’, Shukla highlighted that the ‘blue economy’ should not be viewed merely as resource extraction, but as a model for sustainable growth, livelihood generation, ecosystem protection and social inclusion.
The VC also highlighted NEHU’s green initiatives and specifically mentioned the golden mahseer ranching initiative in the NEHU lake, describing it as a symbol of clean freshwater systems and ecological continuity in the North East region.He called for stronger collaboration among universities, governments, communities, industries and researchers to address pollution, biodiversity loss, climate change and threats to aquatic ecosystems.
Despite being effectively in exile from NEHU, after fierce protests against his running of the university, Shukla officially remains in charge of the varsity and has been representing it at various events. His term in charge is slated to end in July.
