(MENAFN- 1) Theme: Technology, Innovation, and Society: Challenges and Opportunities for Ecosocial Work and Sustainable Development
Bhubaneswar, Odisha, November 7, 2025: The 13th Indian Social Work Conference (ISWC) 2025 was inaugurated today at the Bhubaneswar campus of Centurion University. Organized by Centurion University in collaboration with the National Association of Professional Social Workers in India (NAPSWI) and the Odisha Professional Social Workers Association (OPSWA), the conference brings together 500 plus academics, practitioners, and policymakers to deliberate on the intersections of technology, innovation, and social justice.
The three-day event aims to explore how digital inclusion, climate resilience, and sustainable development can be advanced through ecosystem-based social work practices.
Inaugural Ceremony Highlights
The inaugural session was graced by Hon’ble Speaker, Odisha Legislative Assembly, Smt. Surama Padhy, alongside eminent leaders including Prof. Mukti Kant Mishra, President, CUTM; Prof. Supriya Pattanayak, Vice Chancellor, CUTM; Prof. Sanjai Bhatt, President, NAPSWI; Prof. Anoop Kumar Bhartiya, Secretary, NAPSWI; Dr. Gayatri Patnaik, President, OPSWA; Dr. Pradeep Kumar Sahoo, Organizing Secretary; Dr. Anita Patra, Registrar, CUTM; and Dr. Ansuman Jena, Co-Convener of the conference.
Key Messages from Dignitaries
• Prof. Anoop Kumar Bhartiya emphasized, “Professional social work in India is at an inflection point. By integrating ethics with emerging technologies, we can scale care without losing the human touch.”
• Dr. Gayatri Patnaik highlighted OPSWA’s commitment: “From classrooms to communities, Odisha’s practitioners are co-creating change through stronger practice standards and fieldwork ecosystems.”
• Prof. Sanjai Bhatt noted, “ISWC 2025 is designed to move policy and practice together—on climate justice, mental health, gender equity, and digital inclusion—so that no community is left behind.”
• Prof. Mukti Kant Mishra reiterated CUTM’s vision: “Skill-integrated higher education must embed social responsibility. Livelihood creation and SDGs are design principles, not add-ons.”
• Smt. Surama Padhy stated, “Odisha has shown that community-centred governance—whether in disaster management or women’s empowerment—saves lives and expands opportunity.”
• Prof. Supriya Pattanayak described the conference as “a living lab, where sessions evolve into prototypes and partnerships with government, civil society, and industry.”
• Dr. Anita Patra closed the session by thanking partners and delegates, remarking, “The real work begins now—to implement the outcomes we craft together over these three days.”
Odisha’s Leadership in Social Development
Odisha continues to be a national leader in inclusive governance and social transformation. The state’s globally recognized zero-casualty cyclone preparedness model and Mission Shakti’s 70-lakh-strong women’s self-help group network stand as powerful examples of community empowerment and resilience-driven development.
The ISWC 2025 serves as a critical platform to align such best practices with global social work standards and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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