ALARM 2024 (Amrita Legion for Antimicrobial Resistance Management) was held on the Amritapuri campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as a component of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), which was observed worldwide from November 18 to 24. Swami Shubamritananda Puri, Director of the Europe Mata Amritanandamayi Center, opened the event, which took place on November 22 and 23.
Speakers at the opening were Dr. Bipin Nair, dean of the Amrita School of Biotechnology; Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO and director of C-CAMP, Bangalore; and Dr. Sabu Thomas, director of the Kerala Center of Excellence in Microbiome. The keynote speaker was Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the chairperson of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and a former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization.
Activities to engage the public, researchers, and students in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were part of ALARM 2024. Interactive pavilions, the “Walk the Talk” campaign, and an international conference were among the highlights.
Along with other speakers from India and overseas, the two-day symposium featured experts like Dr. Jason Gill (Professor, A&M University, USA), Dr. Victor Nizet (Chief of Microbial Systems and Therapeutics, California, USA), and Dr. Anshu Bharadwaj (Senior Scientist, CSIR Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh).
The Society for Interdisciplinary Biologists Platform was also launched at ALARM 2024. In order to foster interdisciplinary research and innovation in tackling global challenges like AMR, this program promotes collaboration among students, teachers, and researchers in disciplines like biology, engineering, artificial intelligence, big data, and cybersecurity.
About Amrita University:
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is a distinguished multi-campus, multidisciplinary university, accredited with an A++ rating by NAAC. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is ranked 81st globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2024, showcasing its dedication to meaningful education and research. The university spans nine campuses across five states.
The university holds two UNESCO Chairs—one for Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development and another for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment. Headquartered in Coimbatore, Amrita operates across nine campuses in five states and is involved in over 500 global collaborations, including with Harvard University and the University of Oxford.
