AVANI: Investiture Ceremony

The event AVANI: Investiture Ceremony of Christites for Climate Action was organized on 15th September 2026 at the Smart Room, Central Block, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus. Spearheaded by Christites for Climate Action (CCA) under the faculty coordination of Dr. Prateek Tak and Dr. A.V.R. Akshaya, this formal academic inauguration established a structured platform dedicated to advancing youth-led sustainability, active environmental stewardship, and systemic climate action across the university ecosystem. 

 The program officially commenced at 2:30 PM with a warm Welcome Address that extended greetings to university administrators, guest dignitaries, faculty members, and student attendees. This was immediately followed by a solemn invocation featuring a silent prayer and prayer song to set an earnest, purpose-driven tone for the proceedings. Delivering the Presidential Address, Dr. Fr. Peter stressed the essential obligation of higher educational institutions to foster environmental ethics. He urged the student body to transcend passive environmental awareness by embedding actionable, long-term eco-conscious habits into daily institutional living. Following his address, Chief Guest Mr. Sunil Deshmukh—Co-President at EMCC Asia Pacific, Global Board Director, and C-Suite Leadership Coach—was formally felicitated by the leadership team.   

In his keynote address, Mr. Sunil Deshmukh addressed the audience on the vital intersection of leadership, strategic governance, and individual accountability in addressing global environmental degradation. Drawing upon more than three decades of international executive and management expertise, Mr. Deshmukh asserted that genuine climate action requires visionary thinking, rigorous execution, and empowering youth leadership. He challenged the newly appointed student leaders to cultivate essential governance and managerial competencies capable of generating localized, measurable, and sustainable impacts within and beyond the university campus.   

Directly following the keynote, Dr. Prateek Tak outlined the strategic framework, foundational vision, and multi-year operational roadmap of Christites for Climate Action. He highlighted that the core mission of CCA is centered on mitigating climate change through student advocacy and fostering proactive eco-consciousness throughout the campus community. Dr. Tak explicitly mapped the upcoming initiatives to five major United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 06 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). This presentation was complemented by the screening of the official AVANI Video Presentation, which vividly illustrated the core objectives, planned environmental drives, and institutional focus of the climate initiative.   

The primary highlight of the event was the formal Investiture Ceremony, wherein student leaders of Christites for Climate Action were badged and inducted into their respective office-bearer roles. This solemn ceremony officially vested accountability in the student body, empowering them to lead campus green drives, foster interdisciplinary teamwork, and champion eco-friendly policies. The proceedings concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. A.V.R. Akshaya, who expressed sincere gratitude to the university administration, resource persons Mr. Sunil Deshmukh and Mr. Alger Fernandes (Project Maintenance Head, Ashiana Maintenance Services LLP), the organizing committee, and all participants. The ceremony concluded at 3:30 PM with a commemorative group photograph capturing dignitaries, faculty coordinators, and the newly inducted student climate leaders.