The Inauguration
The Innovations in Concrete for Infrastructure Challenges (INFRACON-2017) conference was inaugurated on October 6, 2017 by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highway and Shipping, via video conferencing. The Guest of Honour Ajay Sancheti, Member of Parliament, sent a written message, which was read out. Er Avinash Surve, Executive Director, VIDC, graced the occassion as the Guest of Honour. More than 520 professional had registered.

“The Indian Concrete Institute, Nagpur, is given the privilege to hold the event, which is a hard task, and I am sure that the centre will come out with flying colures with successful organisation of the event, which can be a precedent for future events,” stated Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highway and Shipping, via video conferencing.

Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had sent his written message; he stated: “I am happy to know that Indian Concrete Institute is organising the International conference, INFRACON-2017. Construction industry plays a key role in socio-economic development of any country.”

Ajay Sancheti, Member of Parliament, sent a written message. He advised the engineers that they should find cost-effective construction method to improve quality construction.

Er. Vivek Naik, President (Elect) ICI and Principal Convener ICI, briefed about rhetoric way of INFRACON-2017, its conception, progression, and eventually its conduction. “The presence of learned and experienced speakers will benefit the construction and infrastructure creators. Delegates from the construction industry will defiantly have critical discussion with the speaker and will go home having learnt and solved a couple of their problems. Exhibition of latest products and technologies will display usefulness of it and give ideas to delegates to incorporate new products. INFRACON will have interesting life-changing session of the internationally acclaimed motivational speaker Gourgopal Das. The conference will conclude with an award function to appreciate the best of construction industry and this will boost the others to follow.”

Dr Dilip Mase, Convener INFRACON -2017, proposed the vote of thanks on this occasion for the inauguration session.

Exhibition
The exhibition was inaugurated at the hands of Dr Manmohan Kalgal, President, ICI. Distinguish personalities were presents on this occasion. 

Keynote Addresses
During the conference spanning two days on  October 6-7, 2017, keynote addresses were delivered by many renowned academician and a practicing civil engineers, including

• “Large underground construction for metro station” by Er Mahesh Tandon, Tandon Consultants.
• “Confluence of requirements for sustainable and durable concrete” by Dr AK Mullick, Former Director General, NCB.
• “Concrete for tunnel lining”  by Er Florian Krenn, Geoconsult India
•  “Shaping the future of Structural Health Monitoring with IOT sensors” by Er Daman PARSY, App. Engineer, Berlin, Germany
• “Elevated corridors for road connectivity” by Er Vinay Gupta, Tandon Consultants
• “Innovative methodology for mixture proportioning of self-compacting concrete with high volume fly-ash” by Er Subrato Chowdhury, Sr Consultant

These Key-note addresses on various aspects of civil engineering were highly enriching and useful to the participants.

Cultural programme and conference dinner
Padmashree Penaz Masani, a Ghazal singer from India whose performances have enthralled audiences, performed extensively at concerts, which had left a riveting impact on the audiences.

Life changing session
Life changing session of the internationally acclaimed motivational speaker Gourgopal Das.
“When you don't give up, you go up!”  This sentence by Gourgopal Das was deeply rooted in heart and mind of audience when he delivered a motivational lecture on "Success" at INFRACON-2017. He further elaborated the Six P's of success – Persistence (hard work), Practice, Perseverance, People, Principle (ethics) and Purpose. It was an extraordinary experience to hear him. The audience were blessed when he appreciated and said “You all were laughing and clapping loudly, we must take a photograph.” Unforgettable moment of life it was!
Feedback of the delegates were taken for conduction, facilitation and overall satisfaction during their stay in the conference. Based on the analysis, almost 85 per cent participants rated the conference as excellent in their perception and satisfaction.

Award Function
Award function to appreciate the best of construction industry and other areas were held on October 7, 2017.
Installation of new team
Nagpur has once again witnessed 21st  AGM, wherein new team ,Vice President-South ,Vice President-West, Vice President-North ,Vice President-East, governing council members and Er Vivek Naik as President took over the Realm of ICI for 2017-2019.

ICI has proven as the reckoning force in the building of infrastructural growth of the country. The new ICI Team would definitely take the stride to contemporary height.