BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus and IIT Goa, successfully jointly organized the 2-day conference on ‘Emerging Trends in Economics and Finance (ETEF 2026)’ on 27th and 28th March 2026. The conference brought together eminent economists, finance scholars, policymakers, researchers, and students from across the country for vibrant academic deliberation and intellectual exchange with some of the most pressing contemporary issues in economics and finance.

The inaugural session included the welcome address by Dr. Ch. V. V. S. N. V. Prasad, Head, Department of Economics and Finance, BITS Pilani, Goa, and remarks by Prof. Suman Kundu, Director, BITS Pilani, Goa. The conference was honoured by the presence of eminent dignitaries, including Padma Shri Prof. K. L. Krishna, Prof. D. S. Katti, Director, IIT Goa, and Prof. N. R. Bhanumurthy, Director, Madras School of Economics.

ETEF 2026 featured a wide-ranging academic programme that included a pre-conference workshop, an inaugural session, keynote and special lectures, parallel technical sessions, a symposium on monetary policy, a fireside chat, and a valedictory session. The event began with a pre-conference workshop on “How to Publish in High Impact Journals” by Dr. Prateeksha Maurya, Scientific Editor, Elsevier.

A particularly notable feature of the conference was the participation of Padma Shri Prof. K. L. Krishna, whose towering contributions to economics lent exceptional distinction to the event. Equally significant was the valedictory address delivered by Prof. S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, whose presence underscored the wider policy relevance of the themes discussed during the conference.

Among the major academic highlights were the special lecture by Dr. Tirthankar Patnaik, Chief Economist, NSE, on investor participation and volatility in equity derivatives; the keynote address by Prof. William Barnett on the evolving role of monetary aggregates in macroeconomic analysis and policy; and the special lecture by Mr. Sujit Kumar, Chief Economist, National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development, on mobilising patient capital for sustainable infrastructure development. These sessions, along with the parallel technical presentations, reflected the depth and diversity of contemporary research in the field. The event also recognized academic excellence through the presentation of a Best Paper Award.

The successful organization of ETEF 2026 reflected the strong academic collaboration between BITS Pilani Goa and IIT Goa and reaffirmed the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue in addressing emerging economic and financial challenges. The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to advancing research, policy engagement, and academic cooperation in the years ahead.