The Indian Mountain Initiative, as resolved by the CHEA Council and endorsed by its General Body, proposes to undertake this Open and Continuous Dialogue on mountain concerns, (i) through Annual Thematic Summits at Naini Tal, on a few selected themes, year after year, and (ii) by encouraging establishments of various Thematic Networks spread −over the Indian mountain states on various "mountain − themes and concerns".
The Indian Mountain Initiative, or In MI in brief, takes into account the Global Mountain scenario and the Regional Mountain scenario. Like the Concepts and Strategies which were published in 1985, as result of the Seminar held on 24-26 October 1983 a Strategy Paper has been prepared and has been titled as the Indian Mountain Initiative, or InMI in short. This Strategy Paper recounts the Global, Regional and Indian Mountain Scenarios which have evolved since the very beginning, at each level. In a way it allows CHEA, its members or verily every mountain person to know where precisely the "mountain−development", and thus mountains themselves, stand in time and space.
The Indian Mountain Initiative is being initiated in order to ensure that all Indian Mountain states, who presently have no mechanisms in place where all stakeholders could hold open and informed dialogues, from time to time could be provided one such forum.
The First Sustainable Mountain Development Summit of IMI was organised in Nainital on the 21st and 22nd of May, 2011. The inaugural SMD was focused on four themes (i) Hydro-Power Project in Mountain Regions, (ii) Adaptation Measures under Climate Change Scenario in Mountain Region, (iii) Rural Tourism in Mountain regions, and (iv) Community Forestry in Mountain Region. All four themes are current and have a direct bearing on the mountain regions and various communities living therein. Not only this, the themes are also of direct relevance to millions of people living in the plains adjacent to the mountain regions.
The summit was a two day event, inaugurated by Her Excellency Mrs. Margaret Alva, Governor of Uttarakhand. Dr. R.K. Pachuri, DG TERI; Dr. Andreas Schild, DG, ICIMOD and Mr. Manfred Haebig, Principal Advisor, RED Programme, GIZ - India also addressed during the inaugural session.
The inaugural session of the summit was followed by two breakout sessions on Day I and Day II. Each breakout session was chaired and facilitated by a moderator and a discussant. The summit also featured two side events - the First Himalayan Photography Competition and an Exhibition on the progress made by the state of Uttarakhand in the area of Herbs and Medicinal Plant promotion, cultivation, packaging, and distribution.
The second Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMD) of the Indian Mountain Initiative (IMI) was organised in Sikkim with Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) on the 25th and 26th May, 2012. Delegates from the eleven Himalayan states of India and the hill district of Darjeeling attended the summit.
SMD2 focused mainly on three objectives (i) Examine issues and policies related to the broad themes proposed and suggest key interventions based on field experiences bolstered by academic and intellectual inputs, (ii) Share and disseminate best practices, and (iii) Discuss the direction and from envisaged by the stakeholders for the mountain initiative. The steering committee formed to oversee and guide the preparations for SMD2 and finally summit deliberated on three themes viz., (i) Water, (ii) Mountain Livelihood, and (iii) Communities and Forests and two cross cutting themes were (i) Climate change, and (ii) Innovation. All themes are contemporary and have a direct bearing on the mountain regions and various communities living therein.
The two day summit was inaugurated by Mr. K.T. Gyaltsen, Hon'ble Speaker Sikkim Legislative Assembly. In his address Hon'ble Speaker emphasis on the ecosystem services provided by mountains to the millions of people residing downstream and its importance to be considered in local, regional and global terms. Dr. David Molden, Director General, ICIMOD, Nepal delivered the key note address focused on mountain and water. Mr. Karma Gyatso, Chief Secretary, Government of Sikkim and Mr. P.D. Rai, Hon'ble Member of Parliament (Sikkim) and Convener SMD2 also addressed the summit during the inaugural session.