The theme AVANI: Advancing Vision by Analysis, Networking and Innovation aims to reflect a shared commitment to helping keep the Earth habitable. Studying the Earth, as one of the important elements, the Earth (अवनि -in Sanskrit) that spans the field of geodynamics, tectonics, palaeontology, geochemistry, sedimentology, geobiology, palaeoclimate, geomorphology, seismology and other aspects, is paramount in shaping the Earth. And equally important is gaining knowledge from the field, the laboratory and/or from numerical simulation.