Secretary General Kumu Gupta to Speak at BHU NRI Diaspora Conference

Presidential Awardee and Nobel Peace Prize nominee (2023) Secretary General of  Global Peace Secretariat, Kumu Gupta, will be a featured speaker at the International Conference on Indian Engagement with Its Diaspora, organized by the Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, from December 8–10, 2025. Miss Gupta will deliver a special address on “Indian Diaspora’s Role in India’s 21st Century Ascendence,” drawing upon her decades of work in global peace-building and advocacy rooted in Gandhian principles.

In her talk, Miss Gupta will outline how India’s 35-million-strong diaspora is uniquely positioned to shape a peaceful, interconnected global future through Gandhi’s timeless message of “Be the Change You Wish to See.” She highlights the diaspora’s potential to lead grassroots peace missions and promote non-violence in an era marked by rising neo-colonial conflicts, humanitarian crises, and political instability. As founder of the Global Peace Secretariat—now in its third year—and a long-standing advocate for survivors of domestic violence, Kumu Gupta collaborates closely with Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughters in India and South Africa. Her work focuses on fostering dignity, compassion, and justice in daily life and community engagement. At BHU, she will emphasize how Indian Americans and other diasporic communities can help India emerge as a moral and peaceful global leader in the 21st century.

The conference at BHU is among the most significant academic events of the year, bringing together scholars, diplomats, policymakers, cultural practitioners, and diaspora leaders to examine the evolving relationship between India and its global communities. Hosted by one of India’s premier institutions, the gathering explores the overarching theme: “Indian Engagement with Its Diaspora: The Role of Diasporic Communities in India’s 21st Century Ascendance.”

The event seeks to understand how diasporic linkages—historical and contemporary—shape India’s global identity, economic growth, and soft-power outreach. The conference builds on the recognition that the Global Indian Diaspora, now over 35 million strong, is the world’s largest and among the most influential, contributing significantly to remittances, trade, technology, science, diplomacy, governance, culture, philanthropy, and the promotion of India’s image abroad.

Through a series of panels and keynote sessions, participants will engage with a wide array of themes, including:

.Historical trajectories of Indian migration from indenture and colonial displacement to modern global mobility

.Comparative diaspora perspectives across continents

.Cultural continuity, heritage preservation, and soft-power diplomacy

.Political participation and representation in host-country governance

.Economic contributions, including remittances, investments, and entrepreneurship

.Identity formation, adaptation, and generational challenges

.Memory, trauma, and post-colonial narratives

.Contemporary global challenges faced by diasporic communities

BHU’s conference aims to generate fresh scholarly insights and practical policy recommendations on how diaspora engagement can strengthen India’s rise as a global power in the 21st century. The three-day event will feature presentations from researchers and practitioners across the United States, Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the wider Indian Ocean world.

For the Indian-American community in Boston area  and across the Northeast, the participation of Miss Kumu Gupta—who represents both the spirit of Indian heritage and the civic values of the American society she calls home—adds a powerful dimension to the dialogue on India’s global future. Her presence underscores the expanding role of the diaspora in shaping India’s international standing through peace, service, and the Gandhian ethic of non-violence.

“ It's an honor to be invited to speak at the historic and prestigious Banaras Hindu University , connecting me to my grand father's home and my U.P. roots.”..... Secretary General Kumu Gupta.

|