Speech by Mr. Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Chairman, CII Karnataka

Mr. Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council & Managing Director, Kennametal India Ltd was the Chief Guest to the valedictory session of the two-day 8th International Economics Conference on the theme of “Economic Growth and Sustainable Development: Emerging Trends” on November 30, 2023. While talking about economic growth and sustainability, Mr.Venkatesan was trying to present an overview of the paradoxical scenario between them. Some of the basic industrial sectors such as steel, pharma, cement, chemical, fertilizer, etc were driving the development of the economy with their growth but negatively affected the environment and sustainability. He called for a balanced approach to development wherein more growth does not affect sustainability. Mr.Venkatesan considers governance as an important element and calls upon the industry and the government to follow high standards of governance. The session was attended by conference delegates, academicians and students.