The Wellness and Communities Committee of The Chamber organized the 2nd Edition of its Wellness Connect initiative named “Symposium on Wellness Connect - Living Life 360°” on August 19th, 2023. This event encapsulated enriching sessions and enlightening discussions, revolving around a comprehensive three-fold approach to wellness encompassing inclusivity, the Impact of AI, and Women in the workplace.

The Initiative was supported by Conclave Partner – Pentathlon World of Sports Pvt Ltd, Wellness Partner – Technogym, Supporting Partner- Visit Health App, Mental Health Partner- Mindfully Yours, Beverage Partner- Goodricke Group Limited, Special Supporter – The Bengal Lounge.

The symposium began with an enchanting play session led by the children of the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy (IICP). The young minds took us on a journey of "Living Life 360°," showcasing the importance of holistic wellness. It was followed by an insightful Fireside Chat conducted by Dr. Sitangshu Khatua, Dean of Xavier Business School, who explored the various dimensions of wellness and its significance. The Fireside Chat centered around the concept of an inclusive approach. During the event, Ms. Saswati Mahanti, Representative of IICP; Dr. Ratna Sinha, Chairperson of the Wellness & Communities Committee, BCC&I, and VP HRM at Tata Metaliks Limited, along with several students from IICP, engaged in discussions about industry readiness and related matters.

The inaugural session also witnessed esteemed speakers including Ms. Baishali Dalmiya who was the Guest of Honour of the event along with Mr. Ranadeep Moitra, the Special Guest. Ms. Dalmiya said “Health is basically a state of being, while on the other hand, wellness is the state of activity, living a lifestyle that helps to attain health.” Mr. Moitra said, “The Belief in the importance of diet, nutrition, health, and exercise is more pervasive today than ever before”. They addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of wellness and community connections.

The Round Table Discussion on “The Impact of AI on the Future of Work” had distinguished experts like Mr. Sanjay Guhathakurtha, Industry Leader for Chemicals & Petroleum and Industrial Products, IBM India; Prof. Dr. Rabin Chakraborty, Senior Consultant, interventional Cardiologist & Electrophysiologist, Senior Vice Chairman-Head of Cardiology Services Medica Institute of Cardiac Science; Prof. Dr. Santanu Gupta, Professor(Economics area), XLRI Jamshedpur; Mr. Adika Ratna Sekhar, Chairman, and Managing Director, Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd.; Ms. Oishiki Mukherjee,2nd year MBA student, Xavier Business School, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata; Prof Dr. Siddhartha Mitra; Professor, Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, were engaged in a thought-provoking discussion which was moderated by Mr. Emanuel David, Director, Member Board of Directors, Aster DM Healthcare.

The special Session on “Exploring Wellness in Healthcare” was addressed by Mr. Sunil Srivastava, Chief Business Officer of Visit Health App. Followed by a Panel Discussion on empowering “Women at Workplace”. The panel discussion addressed the challenges and opportunities for women in the workplace. Notable participants included Dr. Sutapa Pal, MBBS, AFIH, Consultant Doctor, Tata Metaliks and TMILL.; Ms. Bratati Bhattacharyya, Educationist; Mr. Arijit Majumdar, Head of HR & Administration, Tide Water Oil Co. (India) Ltd.; Dr. Susmita Halder, Associate Professor & H.O.D, Department of Psychology, St. Xavier’s University Kolkata; Dr. Rajkumari Basu M.A. Ph.D., Former Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology, Loreto College, Kolkata, Representative of Mindfully Yours and moderated by Mr. Rahul Bose, Business Consultant, Ex-Global PDE Instructor Learning and knowledge of IBM Global Business Services etc.

Interactive Session involving youth was also another USP of the initiative. A "IoT-Based Water Health Monitoring System for Pisciculture" was presented by a Student of the Haldia Institute of Technology. Another engaging "CPR Training session" was introduced by Dr. Arindam Pande, Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiologist, Medica Super Specialty Hospital, underscoring the importance of technological advancements and preparedness. At the Wellness 360 session, Dr. P. K. Bal, representing the Vedic Village Spa and Resorts,  highlighted the holistic well-being practices.

We extend our gratitude to all the participants, speakers, and attendees who made this symposium a resounding success. It had the participation of 120 guests from the industry, academia, and various wellness-related organizations. The entire event was covered by leading print media Telegraph-T2.