IIAS Hosts Lecture by Prof. M. M. Goel on Education of Needonomics for Sustainability and Resilience

Shimla, June 12, 2025 – “To ensure sustainability and save the global environment, we must heal our emotions with a Needonomic mindset,” stated Prof. Madan Mohan Goel, Visiting Professor at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla, while delivering the third lecture in the ongoing series titled “Needo-Education of Needonomics: A Pathway to Sustainability and Resilience in a Changing World.”

The session was chaired by Prof. Sachidananda Mohanty, National Fellow at IIAS, who introduced Prof. Goel to a distinguished gathering that included Secretary Shri M.C. Negi, ARO Shri Prem Chand, Shri Hem Raj, National Fellows, Tagore Fellows, Fellows, Guest Fellows, IUC Associates, and Scholars-in-Residence. The intellectually stimulating session reflected the vibrant academic atmosphere at IIAS.

Prof. Goel, former Vice-Chancellor of three universities and a superannuated professor from Kurukshetra University, is propounder of Needonomics School of Thought, which emphasizes economics based on human needs, not greed.

In his lecture, he offered a compelling critique of conventional economics and education models that fail to address the growing environmental and socio-economic crises of our times.

“In an era marked by rapid environmental, economic, and social change, Needonomics stands out as a sustainable alternative by advocating for responsible and mindful economic behaviour,” Prof. Goel asserted. “It calls for aligning economic activities with needs and ecological sustainability.”

Highlighting the critical role of education, Prof. Goel advocated for integrating Needonomics into educational curricula to promote mindful consumption ( needo-consumption ) needo-production, needo-distribution , needo-trade and exports with sustainable practices.

He stressed the importance of inculcating Responsibility, Accountability, and Morality (RAM) in all economic agents — consumers, producers, traders, and distributors alike.

The lecture urged individuals to become street SMART — Simple, Moral, Action-oriented, Responsive, and Transparent — stakeholders in shaping a resilient economy.

Prof. Goel emphasized that converting the “monkey mind” driven by misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into a “monk mind” guided by Spiritual Intelligence (SI) is essential for building resilience in a rapidly changing world.

“Education of Needonomics means filling our minds daily with empowering wisdom of mindful consumption,” Prof. Goel explained. “Before making any purchase, we must pause and ask, ‘Can the planet afford it, and is it really needed?”