The three-day 13th Indian Social Work Conference (ISWC) 2025, hosted at Centurion University’s Bhubaneswar campus, concluded on Nov 9 with a resounding call to preserve the human touch in an increasingly digital world.
Organized jointly by Centurion University, the National Association of Professional Social Workers in India (NAPSWI), and the Odisha Professional Social Workers Association (OPSWA), the event brought together over 500 academics, practitioners, and policymakers from across India. The conference focused on the intersections of technology, innovation, and social justice, exploring how digital inclusion, climate resilience, and sustainable development can be advanced through ecosystem-based social work practices.
The inaugural session was graced by Smt. Surama Padhy, Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, along with key leaders including Mukti Kant Mishra, President of 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 Takeaways from the Conference
- Anoop Kumar Bhartiya emphasized that professional social work in India stands at an inflection point. “By integrating ethics with emerging technologies, we can scale care without losing the human touch,” he said.
- Gayatri Patnaik underlined OPSWA’s mission to strengthen practice standards: “From classrooms to communities, Odisha’s practitioners are co-creating change through stronger fieldwork ecosystems.”
- Sanjai Bhatt noted that ISWC 2025 aims to align policy and practice in critical areas like climate justice, mental health, gender equity, and digital inclusion.
- Mukti Kant Mishra reiterated Centurion University’s vision of skill-integrated higher education, asserting that “livelihood creation and SDGs are design principles, not add-ons.”
- Surama Padhy highlighted Odisha’s pioneering role in community-centered governance, citing successes in disaster management and women’s empowerment.
- Supriya Pattanayak described the conference as “a living lab, where sessions evolve into prototypes and partnerships with government, civil society, and industry.”
- Anita Patra, closing the event, expressed gratitude to all partners and delegates, reminding them that “the real work begins now—to implement the outcomes we craft together.”
Odisha’s Leadership in Social Development
Odisha continues to serve as a national model in inclusive governance and social transformation. The state’s acclaimed zero-casualty cyclone preparedness model and the Mission Shakti initiative—empowering over 70 lakh women through self-help groups—stand as testaments to community resilience and empowerment.
As the curtains fell on ISWC 2025, participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing social work education and practice that bridges technology with compassion, aligning local innovations with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
