VIT-AP University inaugurated its international conference Invisible Infrastructure: Gender, Caste, and the Politics of Presence in India’s Digital Space, held on 14 November 2025, with Dr. Avishek Parui, Associate Professor of English and Memory Studies, IIT Madras, as the chief guest. The inaugural session was presided by Dr. S. V. Kota Reddy, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Jagadish Chandra Mudiganti, Registrar, and graced by Dr. Arunkumar Sivakumar, Dean–School of Business and Dr. Rakhi N, School of Social Sciences and Humanities.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Parui stressed that presence is always political, a dynamic that continues to shape digital interactions and social visibility. Focused on how gender, caste, and technology intersect in contemporary life, the conference drew an overwhelming number of abstracts from across India, even with its niche theme.
Organised in hybrid mode, it also features an international keynote by Prof. Lee Koi Cheng from the National University of Singapore, who joined the sessions online. Two major highlights set the tone: an engaging pre-conference workshop by Richa Das Springer and a Graduate Colloquium that created space for undergraduate students to share emerging research.
With the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) as the knowledge partner, the conference emphasises interdisciplinary dialogue. Organised by the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, with convenors Dr. Ashraf Pulikkamath and Dr.Anjitha Gopi, the conference marks a timely moment to rethink digital presence, exclusion, and equity.
The conversations initiated here will be carried forward through collaborations with the publication partners: Cureus, Springer Nature, Peter Lang, Discover Series Journal, and IJELS, ensuring that the research and dialogues continue to find wider visibility and impact.