Latest news with #CentreforHumanSecurityStudies
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Surge in student interest fuels rise of human security studies
Hyderabad: A silent academic revolution is taking shape—driven not by conventional career choices, but by a growing awareness of the complex threats shaping the 21st century. From international relations and defence to human security and geopolitics, a new generation of students is exploring how power, policy, and peace intersect in an increasingly unstable world. At the heart of this shift is the Centre for Human Security Studies (CHSS) in Hyderabad—Asia's only think tank dedicated to human security—which is now spearheading efforts to build India's first nationwide curriculum on national security studies, under the mandate of the University Grants Commission (UGC). With India now among the top global arms exporters and the defence sector expanding rapidly, the Telangana govt is also developing a full-fledged degree programme in defense studies. In parallel, the national advisory board on security, led by national security advisor Ajit Doval, has directed the UGC to launch the national security course as an elective in 1,200 universities. The initial offering will be online, with plans for a full-fledged programme in the pipeline. 'In just the last five years, we have seen an explosion of interest in global conflicts, defence systems, and strategic studies. The demand has never been higher,' said Ramesh Kanneganti, defence expert, CHSS founder, and chairman of the UGC-appointed committee designing the course. 'The UN has long emphasised that human security isn't just about borders or soldiers — it's also about public health, education, climate resilience, and economic stability. Ignoring these non-traditional issues can turn them into traditional threats,' he said. The numbers speak volumes. Of the 150 student research papers submitted this year at CHSS, nearly two-thirds focused on defence, diplomacy, and security. In total, CHSS has hosted over 15,000 student internships, many of them producing in-depth research on emerging security threats. One such student, AV Sreeja Reddy, an economics and political science undergraduate from Hyderabad, analysed the economic aftermath of Indo-Pak hostilities on Punjab's border towns. 'Sowing was disrupted, workers fled, and the economic life of the region was frozen,' she said, recalling insights gathered during her two-year internship that included discussions with top bureaucrats and security analysts. She now plans to pursue her postgraduation in policy formulation in Australia. Another intern, U Pratyuhsa U, a politics and international studies student at Puducherry University, focused her research on India's rise as an emerging power. 'India's strategic challenges are layered and dynamic. My time at CHSS helped me understand its position in the global order. I'm committed to continuing in this space,' she said. As traditional and non-traditional threats converge in the age of cyber warfare, climate change, and regional conflict, the rising academic interest in human security reflects not just a career trend — but a deeper concern about the future of national and global safety.
The Hindu
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Think Tank challenging India's national security playbook
By Rohan Dutta Far from Delhi's power corridors, in a modest office at Hyderabad's Dr. MCR HRD Institute in Jubilee Hills, a bold experiment is quietly rewriting India's national security playbook. The Centre for Human Security Studies (CHSS), led by Ramesh Kanneganti, is bringing national security discussions to regions often left out of the conversation. Unlike Delhi's top-down approach, this Hyderabad-based think tank champions a bottom-up model, arguing that true national security must begin with food, water, health and education, not just military strength. 'CHSS is the first think tank from South India to influence national security strategy, pushing to decentralise policymaking and bring regional perspectives into focus,' says With key defence, IT, biotech and industrial sectors, as well as cultural diversity, the city serves as a natural hub for security thought leadership. CHSS advocates conflict prevention through dialogue, education and opportunity. Its model addresses poverty, unemployment and exclusion that fuel unrest. CHSS' work spans four areas: research, capacity building, internships and blending academic insight with field practice. The think tank has conducted AI-Smart Policing workshops for senior IPS, IAS and State police officers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Its Mission E3 (Educate, Empower, Employ) internship initiative has trained over 15,000 students in the last decade, helping more young women pursue education and careers over early marriage. This grassroots focus also guides its deradicalisation and youth outreach efforts, especially in vulnerable regions. The aim is to widen young people's sense of belonging in India's strategic future rather than limit them to short-term jobs or schemes. One of its major projects, Mission Panchamukhi, conducted India's largest coastal security review across nine States and four Union Territories. CHSS worked with fishermen, port authorities and security agencies to create AI and IoT-driven port security solutions tailored to local needs. CHSS created a seaport security syllabus for the Indian Maritime University and contributed to Telangana's upcoming BA Honours course in Defence and Security Studies. Nationally, is also part of a UGC-approved National Security MOOC on the Swayam platform. Globally, Stanford University and the Australian War College have engaged with CHSS's human-first model. But notes Indian universities are still under-involved in shaping security policy. (The writer is interning with The Hindu-Hyderabad)
