Faculty of Commerce and Management, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) in collaboration with the Kolkata Bidhannagar Society for Academic Advancement, organized the International Conference 2026 on “Decentralized Finance, Cryptocurrency and Fintech: Enroute to Viksit Bharat @2047” on June 13, 2026 in hybrid mode. The conference was supported by the Indian Council of Social Science Research – Eastern Regional Centre (ICSSR-ERC) and the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. (MCX).

In his inaugural address, Rev. Dr. John Felix Raj, S.J., Vice-Chancellor of SXUK emphasized the importance of ethical and inclusive financial innovation in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation. Addressing the gathering, he remarked, “Technology must serve people, finance must support inclusion, innovation must promote development, and growth must be rooted in ethics and human dignity.”

The event brought together academicians, researchers, industry experts, policymakers, and students from across the country and abroad to deliberate on the transformative role of decentralized finance and financial technologies in shaping India’s developmental aspirations for 2047.

As a prelude to the conference, virtual plenary sessions were conducted on June 12, 2026. The opening lecture was delivered by Prof. Charalampos Stasinakis of the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Dr. Manish Jha of Georgia State University, USA; Dr. Parthajit Kayal of Madras School of Economics; and Dr. Shivam Agarwal of Maynooth University, Ireland.

The conference received an enthusiastic response from the academic community, with 168 research papers submitted from various parts of India. Following a rigorous peer-review process, 85 papers were selected, and 70 papers were ultimately presented through 35 online and 35 offline sessions. The presentations were evaluated by 20 eminent chairpersons and co-chairpersons from academia and industry.

A special session on Commodity Markets and Fintech was delivered by Mr. Debojyoti Dey, Vice President and Head – Research, Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. The plenary session featured eminent speakers including Prof. Kanika Chatterjee of the University of Calcutta, Dr. Xiaotong Sun of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, and CA Abhinandan Baid, Founder of Finobal Services Private Limited.

The conference covered a wide range of contemporary themes, including decentralized finance (DeFi), cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, fintech innovations, financial inclusion, environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks, green fintech, and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in financial markets.

The event concluded on a high note, successfully fostering meaningful academic exchange, industry engagement, and policy-oriented discussions, while contributing to the broader discourse on leveraging financial technologies for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Mr. Indrayudh Sen De
Dr. Sovik Mukherjee
Dr. Samrat Banerjee