‘TERI Founder’s Day’: Minister Shri Pabitra Margherita Delivers the 25th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture

Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles delivers a special address; TERI also launches the official website for WSDS 2027

New Delhi, 21 August 2026: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) commemorated Founder’s Day 2026 with the 25th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture, bringing together senior policymakers, thought leaders, experts and TERI colleagues to reflect on India’s sustainability journey and the imperative for collaborative action towards a resilient and sustainable future.

The event, held at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, featured Shri Pabitra Margherita, Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Government of India, who delivered the Special Address on the occasion of TERI Founder’s Day.

In the Welcome Address and opening remarks, Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI paid tribute to the founders and reflected on the vision and legacy that continues to guide the Institute’s work towards a sustainable future. Dr Dhawan shared, “The vision of our founders, Mr J.R.D. Tata and Mr Darbari Seth, and the leadership of Dr R.K. Pachauri, TERI’s Founder Director General, made this journey a reality. Established initially with a focus on research in renewable energy, TERI gradually diversified its work across critical areas such as climate change, air pollution, waste management and sustainable infrastructure, including transport, buildings and smart cities. Our work has also expanded to sustainable agriculture through emerging technologies such as nanofertilizers, improved biofertilizers, and bioremediation. From its beginnings as a research institution, TERI has evolved into a global think tank, with a strong emphasis on ensuring that the knowledge and solutions generated through its research reach the communities and stakeholders for whom they are intended.”

Shri Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, delivered the Special Address and highlighted, “TERI began in 1974 when the emphasis was on coping with the rising cost of oil and developing methods for reducing the de-facto cost of energy to the users. This has now become more complex as the threat of climate change has focused attention on energy planning that will reduce the emissions of carbon. But the challenge now is wider and goes much beyond energy production and use. The doctrine of sustainable development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet future needs has become more central. The more specific challenge of climate change has widened the need for action beyond energy to agriculture, water management, industrial production, transport, housing and urban design, coastal area protection, and health challenges. That is why now TERI works in a wider range of areas, all of which are meant to contribute to greater sustainability in all areas of human action.”

Delivering the 25th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture on the topic: ‘Clean Energy and Global Geopolitics’, Shri Pabitra Margherita spoke about India’s role, sustainability, diplomacy, textiles, or development priorities, and said, “Today, energy security is no longer defined only by access to fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas. Energy security also includes the expansion of RE capacity, affordability, and securing resilient supply chains for solar and wind energy systems, batteries, semiconductors, green hydrogen technologies, and critical minerals, as well as rare earth elements. Under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing clean energy economies. Today, India ranks among the top three countries globally in renewable energy capacity, with an installed non-fossil electricity generation capacity of over 300 GW, which is more than 60% of the 500 GW target set for 2030 under the Paris Agreement.”

Highlighting the importance of sustainable development, India’s leadership, and the role of institutions such as TERI, Shri Margherita added, “TERI has continued to strengthen its contribution to India’s sustainability journey. During the past year, the Institute expanded its work on critical mineral value chains, resource security, recycling and circular economy approaches, contributing to national discussions on strengthening domestic capabilities and responsible resource management. The Institute’s recognition during the year as an Institute of Repute by the Central Pollution Control Board is another testament to its sustained contribution to environmental research, air quality management, and policy support.”

TERI announces World Sustainable Development Summit 2027

A key highlight of the Founder’s Day programme was the screening of the thematic video and launch of the official website of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2027, TERI’s flagship international platform bringing together policymakers, business leaders, researchers, civil society and other stakeholders to deliberate on critical global sustainability challenges.

The 26th edition of TERI’s World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS 2027) will be held from 10–12 March 2027 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, under the theme: “Converging Commitments: Collaborative Actions for a Resilient Planet.” TERI’s flagship global platform will bring together heads of state and government, policymakers, multilateral organizations, business leaders, researchers, civil society, and innovators to advance dialogue and collaborative action on sustainable development.

Celebrating commitment and service

The Founder’s Day celebrations also recognized the contributions of TERI colleagues who have completed 30, 20, and 10 years of service at the Institute. Mr Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, TERI, introduced the awards segment, following which Long Service Awards were presented to employees in recognition of their sustained commitment and contribution to TERI’s work over the years.

The event also featured the TERI Roll of Honour Awards 2025–26, honouring colleagues for their outstanding contributions to the Institute.

The awards segment concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Dr Dipankar Saharia, Senior Director, TERI.

Watch the proceedings here: https://youtube.com/live/Bcli9YVuuCg?feature=share