October 30 2023, Washington, DC
The annual flagship conference of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) – the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) brings together Member Countries, organizations, institutions, and infrastructure actors to strengthen the global discourse on disaster and climate resilient infrastructure.
In 2023, the international conference was organized on 4-5 April 2023 in New Delhi, India, with a focus on demonstrable solutions to realize resilience of infrastructure. The conference provided a global platform for building partnerships, sharing knowledge, and fostering complementarity on DRI solutions.
From Risk to Resilience: Risk-informed pathways for
infrastructure resilience
Mobilizing Finance for Climate and Disaster Resilience of
Infrastructure
Strengthening the DRI Agenda through Infrastructure
Resilience Academic Exchange (IRAX)
Partnerships for Strengthening Infrastructure Resilience in SIDS
Collective Action for Infrastructure Resilience
Principal Secretary to Prime Minister of India
Dr. P.K. Mishra has a career profile comprising research, publications, policy formulation and programme / project management. He has varied work experience in management of programmes relating to agriculture, disaster management, power sector, infrastructure financing, and regulatory issues.
As Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister during 2014-2019 Dr. Mishra is credited with introducing innovation and transformative changes in human resource management, particularly appointments to senior positions. When the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was set up towards the end of 2005, Dr. Mishra played a crucial role in operationalizing its structure, functions and perspectives. He published a book entitled The Kutch Earthquake 2001: Recollections, Lessons and Insights in 2005.
He has a Ph.D in Economics/Development Studies from the University of Sussex, UK. He completed M.A. degree in Development Economics at the University of Sussex in 1990, when his academic performance was rated outstanding by the university. He did his M.A. in Economics with a first class at the Delhi School of Economics. In 2019, he was conferred with the United Nations SASAKAWA Award, the most prestigious international award in disaster management.
Ambassador of India to the United States
In a distinguished career spanning over thirty years in the Indian Foreign Service since 1988, Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu is one of the most experienced Indian diplomats on US affairs. Ambassador Sandhu assumed charge as Ambassador to the United States on February 3, 2020. Ambassador Sandhu presented his credentials to the President of the United States of America on 6 February 2020.
Ambassador Sandhu has served in the Indian Mission in Washington DC twice earlier. He was Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington DC from July 2013 to January 2017. Earlier, he was First Secretary (Political) at the Embassy of India, Washington, DC responsible for liaison with the United States Congress from 1997 to 2000. He has also been at the Permanent Mission of India to United Nations, New York from July 2005 to February 2009.
Ambassador Sandhu studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar and graduated with History Honors from St. Stephens' College, Delhi. He pursued a master’s degree in international relations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Director General, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
Mr. Prothi brings a wealth of international experience and expertise on climate and disaster resilience issues. He is an international expert with nearly 25 years of progressive leadership in the fields of urban planning and resilient infrastructure, with experience across more than 15 countries in North America, Asia and Europe. Mr Prothi has worked with AECOM, one of the largest infrastructure advisory firms, was a consultant to the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank and worked with global thinktanks and philanthropic organizations such as the Atlantic Council and the 100 Resilient Cities program. Mr. Prothi holds a bachelor’s in architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, and a dual Masters in Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has also pursued doctoral studies in urban planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mission Director for India and Bhutan, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Veena Reddy, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, is the first Indian-American to lead USAID in India and Bhutan. Ms. Reddy recently served as USAID’s Mission Director in Cambodia, where she oversaw programs spanning food security, environment, health, education, child protection, and democracy and governance. Previously, Ms. Reddy worked as USAID’s Deputy Mission Director in Haiti. Prior to Haiti, Ms. Reddy served in Washington, D.C. as Assistant General Counsel, covering legal matters in Asia, the Middle East, and Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ms. Reddy also served at USAID Missions in Pakistan and in regional roles in Central Asia and Central America. Before her federal government service, Ms. Reddy was a corporate attorney in New York, London, and Los Angeles. Ms. Reddy holds a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and an M.A. and B.A. from the University of Chicago.
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