The 15th Annual Conference of the All India Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians (AIZWV) and an International Conference on wildlife conservation and health was inaugurated at the Veterinary College auditorium, Civil Lines, Jabalpur, under the joint auspices of the School of Wildlife and Forensic Health, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, and the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
The inaugural ceremony began with the traditional lighting of the lamp before the idol of Goddess Saraswati, led by chief guest Dr. Umesh Chandra Sharma, President of the Veterinary Council of India; guest of honour MLA Ashok Rohani; Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mandeep Sharma; PCCF (Head of Forest Force) Aseem Srivastava; PCCF Wildlife Shubhranjan Sen; AIZWV’s Dr. Apoorv Chakravarty; Dean of Veterinary College Dr. R.K. Sharma; and Conference Convenor Dr. Shobha Jaware.
A moment of silence was observed in memory of the victims of the recent Pahalgam massacre, reflecting collective grief and solidarity. The organizing committee felicitated the dignitaries with shawls, saplings, and mementoes as tokens of welcome.
In his welcome address, Dean Dr. R.K. Sharma introduced the conference and extended his gratitude to the attendees. Delivering the keynote, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mandeep Sharma, the conference’s chief patron, emphasized the relevance of the event’s theme. He expressed that such scientific conferences are vital in today's context for wildlife conservation and highlighted the importance of preventing wildlife diseases. He encouraged knowledge exchange between Indian and international delegates and expressed confidence that the conference would contribute significantly to future conservation efforts.
MLA Ashok Rohani congratulated the organizers and noted the importance of hosting such a prestigious event in Jabalpur, home to one of India’s leading veterinary universities. He hoped the conference would generate new insights for wildlife protection.
In his address, Dr. Umesh Chandra Sharma emphasized the need to balance human and environmental well-being, referring to the "Best and East" theory—where "Best" signifies humanity and "East" symbolizes nature. He called for enhanced capacity building for veterinarians, stronger integration of traditional Indian knowledge with modern conservation strategies, and positioning veterinarians at the forefront of public health efforts. He recommended that the conference’s outcomes be submitted to government and council bodies for policy development.
PCCF Aseem Srivastava praised the university’s longstanding partnership with the Forest Department and its significant role in advancing wildlife conservation in Madhya Pradesh. PCCF Wildlife Shubhranjan Sen commended the organizing team and remarked that the conference would be instrumental in promoting the One Health approach, which links environmental, animal, and human health.
