The lecture will be printed and would be available for sale very soon.

ISI Bangalore: Volken Memorial Lecture is an annual event at Indian Social Institute (ISI), Bangalore in commemoration of the great visionary and founder director, Fr. Henry Volken S J.

The Sixth Volken Memorial Lecture was delivered by Dr. Binayak Sen.  In his lecture titled ‘Equity, Well-being and Public Policy’, he argued that the country is facing a perpetual state of famine.

‘The National Food Security Bill, now placed before a Parliamentary Standing Committee for approval, is an “absolute disaster” in a context where there is a perpetual state of famine with 37 per cent of the Indian population malnourished.

400 people including luminaries like Artist Jothi Sahi, Economist C.T. Kurian and a host of social activists and academia attended the lecture chaired by Dr. Krishnan, former Registrar of University of Bangalore.

In a worksop on Social Security Act that was held in April, 42 trade union leaders from the unorganized sector debated on the implications of the Act. As it was under the chairmanship of the Commissioner of Labour, Government of Karnataka, it was supported by National Center for Labour – a federation of unorganized worker’s union.

In the context of attacks on Christian Community in Karnataka and the much criticized Somasekhara Commission Report,ISI has collaborated with the United Theological College and Meta-Culture which is a professional organization to initiate a dialogue for greater understanding and possible collaborative action for peace.

After a critical study on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) by the Outreach team led by M.K. George, Director of ISI, Bangalore, published a book in collaboration with Dr. John Puthenkalam SJ of Sophia University, Japan. The book titled, ‘Human Development Strategy of MGNREGA’ was released on 9 May 24, 2012 by Fr. Stephen K Samy, the superior of the Jesuit Community, ISI, Bangalore.

M.K. George, Director, ISI-Bangalore