Dr Mishra underlined how India institutionalised disaster management through legal and regulatory frameworks, backed by scientific knowledge, training networks, and community participation. “Building codes were revised, hazard-resistant construction adopted, and response systems decentralised to empower state and local agencies,” he said. He also pointed to the influence of global frameworks – the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR), the Hyogo Framework for Action, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which guided India’s policies and encouraged a proactive, risk-reduction approachDr Mishra emphasised that disaster management must be viewed as a continuum – encompassing preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, all requiring differentiated but integrated financial planning.He pointed out that the results of these efforts are tangible. “Mortality rates have significantly declined across both rapid-and slow-onset disasters. Improved cyclone preparedness has saved countless lives. National and state-level response capacities have improved, with systems now capable of managing large-scale emergencies with far greater efficiency than in the past,” Dr Mishra said. While acknowledging progress, Dr Mishra cautioned that new challenges are emerging – from climate change and urbanisation to geopolitical volatility. Future disaster management, he said, must be dynamic, iterative, and grounded in real-world practice. Risks like urban flooding and heatwaves need to be integrated into development planning, and climate resilience embedded in recovery strategies, he added.
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