Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Kathmandu University School of Management, Dr. Khagendra Acharya, delivered a keynote speech Prof. Khagendra Acharya, at the International Conference on “Disaster Management: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Resilience, Recovery, and Risk Reduction”, organized by Government Degree College, Dehar (India). The conference was held in hybrid mode on 8 November 2025.

Highlighting the historical contour of inter/cross disciplinary approach in disaster management, Dr. Acharya elucidated the transition, in around six decades, from “a reactive, relief-focused approach” to “a more proactive, comprehensive risk-reduction model”. The approach, he reiterated the observation of Kitagawa (2020), is widely accepted theoretically, advocating the formation of comprehensive strategies and protocols related to preventive measures, emergency response procedures, resource allocation, and coordination mechanisms. The situation, however, he said is not hugely optimistic, pointing to the situation described by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (Washington, DC USA) – “a multi-sectoral and inter-disciplinary national platform for coordination and policy guidance on involving disaster risk reduction in the United States does not exist” (2025).
Drawing insights from his interdisciplinary insights and the review of existing literature, Dr. Acharya pointed to the need of shedding disciplinary insularity and egocentricism, and showing readiness to ‘forcefully yoke’ even the most incompatible looking disciplines in managing disaster.