The 51st National Convention of Company Secretaries was organised on the theme India @ G20- Empowering Sustainable Future through Governance and Technology, at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on November 2 and 3, 2023. The convention was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was the Chief Guest, while the Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt Anandiben Patel, was the Guest of Honour. The IEPF Chair Professor at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), Dr C.S. Mohapatra was invited as a guest speaker for the first technical session of the convention, on the topic “Digital Inclusion: A Catalyst for Corporate Innovation and Social Progress”, on 2 November 2023. Dr Mohapatra also released a publication brought out by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), titled, “Limited Liability Partnership”, on the occasion.
The convention was attended by around 1500 professionals in person and viewed by more than 10,000 professionals, directors, and senior government officials through virtual mode. While speaking on the occasion, Dr Mohapatra highlighted the critical role of digital inclusion in societal progress and its contribution in corporate innovation, while emphasising the need to empower various organisations and institutions in meeting multidimensional challenges including cybersecurity risks.