Ajay is a leader in Strategy, Public Policy & Public Affairs, Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement, with a demonstrated history of working across sectors, including social economy. A lawyer by education, he is an experienced Advisor, Board member, Ombudsperson & Professor of Practice with a career span of over 40 years. With strong global connections, he focuses on ethical and value-based leadership and is a regular contributor on topical subjects in major newspapers. Based in New Delhi & Washington DC, amongst other things, he focuses on promoting India – USA economic & business cooperation helping US & Indian companies. He co-founded Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) in 2008. PAFI aims at aligning business, society and government on long term priorities; fostering trust across all stakeholders; collaboratively developing smart and relevant policies,proposals and processes that foster innovation and rely on evidence-based research and promotes capacity building to navigate change within the context and complexity of India. He has chaired PAFI’s flagship Annual Forum since its inception in 2014. He is Group Strategic Advisor & Global Ombudsperson of Jubilant Bhartia Group since 2009. As an Ombudsperson, he is an impartial, confidential andindependent resource to help stakeholders resolve workplace or business-related issues and build a corporate culture based on values, ethics and compliance. He is a Director on the Board of Aakash Educational Services Limited, a leading educational institution in India that provides comprehensive test preparatory coaching services to students preparing for medical & engineering entrance exams, school/board exams, competitive scholarship exams. Ajay is an expert member of the Grievances Redressal Board (GRB) of Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council, an officially recognized, independent self-regulatory body for online curated content providers (OCCPs). It has been set up under the aegis of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). DPCGC is registered by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as a Level-II Self-Regulatory Body for publishers of online curated content, under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. He is an Advisor to Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). Established in 2004, is a not-for-profit industry body and the country's only organization representing the digital services industry with over 500 Indian and multinational corporations as its members, which include established companies in diverse sectors of the digital ecosystem as well as start-ups. IAMAI represents varied sectors such as digital advertising, digital entertainment, traveltech, online gaming, digital payments, fintech, digital commerce, edtech, healthtech, agritech, big data, ML, AI & IoT, AR/ VR, logistics-tech and so on. He has been associated with the World Economic Forumfor over three decades & was the Vice Chair of its Regional Strategy Group (RSG). He is a regular participant at its annual meeting in Davos for over 35 years & leads the social entrepreneur of the year award initiative of the Schwab foundation & Jubilant Bhartia Foundation in India since its inception in 2009. He is currently a member of the WEF - Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship. He is also a Global Advisor to the Catalyst 2030- a global movement & a network of leading social entrepreneurs & innovators, academics and funders who believe in collective action & bold, new strategies to achieve the Sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. He has been a member of several high-level Government delegations, committees and task forces. Ajay is Professor of Practice & Advisor- Careers with Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP). Founded on the commitment to world-class faculty, extensive industry linkages and innovative approach towards design and management of policy, ISPP aims to transform the art of policymaking. He is also an Adjunct Professor at The Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. He is Senior Advisor with The Convergence Foundation, dedicated to building foundations in strategic areas of development in India. He is also a member of Advisory Board of SaveLife Foundation & Pahle India foundation. He was founding Chief Executive Officer (2002-2006) of India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India and CII, a unique public private Partnership initiative to Promote, Project & Position India’s growth story globally. IBEF, under his leadership, led the “India Everywhere” campaign at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2006, amongst several other high profile global initiatives. He was Partner with Accenture India (2008-2009) & before that, he spent twenty-seven years with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as deputy director general & held several national & global positions from 1981 to 2008. Ajay has a Degree in Law from University of Delhi and is an alumni of the Shriram College of Commerce. He is married to Renu, a lawyer and a social worker. Their children - Dr Surbhi and Dr Ankur are both medical practitioners in the USA.

Chetan joined Amazon after an almost 7 year stint at Google. He comes with a wealth of public policy and business experience, working in some of the most demanding and challenging Indian corporate policy environments. During his time at Google, he built an exceptionally strong team, initiated many proactive partnerships with Central and State governments, and strategically re-positioned the company and its reputation in India across a diverse set of political and policy stakeholders, including at the very highest levels.
Prior to joining Google, Chetan was Director, Corporate affairs at Dell India for five years, and previously led Public Policy at Intel, including serving as the TA to the President of Intel. At Intel he won the Intel Achievement Award (IAA) – the company’s highest award. Less than 1% Intel employees win the coveted award. Chetan began his career as a journalist and has worked for some of India’s most renowned publications, including the Times of India, where he headed the newspaper’s technology bureau.
In his free time, Chetan likes to read (non-fiction), listen to Indian classical music, and, if the weather permits, “run a few miles

Virat Bhatia serves as the Managing Director at Apple India. He spearheads strategy and policy in India, supporting all of Apple’s investments and business operations. These include Manufacturing, Retail, App Store, Maps, Content, Services and Digital Payments. Always one to foster collaboration, teamwork, innovation and support young talent, Virat’s career in the ICT sector spans over 25 years across multiple functions. These include general management, strategy, operations, communications and policy. Uniquely, he has led both the Services and Manufacturing side of businesses in Fortune 500 companies. Before Apple, he served in multiple, senior positions at AT&T, including as the Chairman of AT&T in India and later, as AT&T’s Regional President for South Asia. Prior to that, he was part of the team that was responsible for Coca Cola’s return to India in the mid-90s. Virat currently serves on the India Executive Leadership Board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), and on FICCI’s National Executive Committee. In 2014, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon appointed him to the Multistakeholder Advisory Group of the UN Internet Governance Forum (UNIGF). In the past, he has served as the Vice President of the Commission on ICT of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and as the Vice Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in India. He is an alumnus of the Delhi University and John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Virat has also completed Advance Management Programmes at Kellogg’s School of Management, and Wharton Business School.

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw is an Indian politician, engineer, and bureaucrat currently serving as the Minister of Railways, Minister of Communications, and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology in the Government of India. Vaishnaw is known for his expertise in public policy, technology, and infrastructure, which he brings from a diverse career spanning both the private and public sectors. Before entering politics, Shri Vaishnaw had a distinguished career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), where he served in the Odisha cadre and played a crucial role in state-level infrastructure development and governance. He has also worked in the private sector with companies like General Electric and Siemens, further enhancing his experience in engineering and technology management. He holds an M.Tech from IIT Kanpur and an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, which complement his technical acumen and policy-making skills. Since taking over the ministries, Shri Vaishnaw has led several transformational initiatives, particularly in the modernisation of India's railways, advancements in digital infrastructure, and driving innovation in the communications sector. His leadership has been instrumental in pushing forward reforms, including the expansion of high-speed internet connectivity, 5G deployment, and Make in India initiatives in electronics manufacturing. Source: https://mib.gov.in/minister/shri-ashwini-vaishnaw.

Shivnath Thukral has spent three decades in the field of journalism and public policy. He started his career reporting on political economy and business issues for over 13 years in India’s pioneering TV new channel NDTV in 1995. He then transitioned to a corporate career with Essar. Soon he found his calling in public policy where he helped set up Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a leading international think tank. He joined Meta in 2017 to eventually lead its public policy function for India across all the apps Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. In 2024 he joined PhonePe to set up its public policy arm as its Vice President. Shivnath’s contributions range from identifying early signals which help India’s positions on critical issues of platform technology, AI and financial technologies. Known as an eTective public speaker, he advocates strong engagement with policy makers, using research and data to support his view that India is set to lead the world in policy making and technology. He actively engages with trade bodies to build industry consensus and influence public policy. Amongst his other interests are running long distances and good food.

Ishteyaque leads the Policy and Government Affairs for Abbott Healthcare in India and South Asia.

His current charter includes policy advocacy, government affairs, industry associations, public -private partnerships and market access. With a career spanning over two decades, Ishteyaque has had the opportunity to work across a diverse set of industries both in India and abroad through his stints in organizations such as Godrej, Coca Cola, Cargill, HCL and Essar Group. Ishteyaque started his professional journey as a commissioned officer in the prestigious Armoured Corps of the Indian Army.

As one of India's leading practitioners of external/ public/ corporate affairs, Ishteyaque is passionate about evidence and science-based policy advocacy and is a strong advocate for deploying business solutions to address societal challenges. He is strong believer of taking all the stakeholders along for a larger common purpose.
He is often described as someone with a capitalist's mind and an activist's heart!

Ishteyaque Chairs ASSOCHAM’s National Council on Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology and is an active member of CII’s and FICCI’s National Committees. He is a member of the Management and Steering Committees and Past President of Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI). He serves on the Advisory Board of USISPF and has served on the Board of Management of TERI School of Advanced Studies. He has been a jury member at the Cannes Lions the Festival of Creativity.

Ishteyaque completed his master’s from the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Aligarh Muslim University. He is also an alumnus of the much-revered Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

With a flair for words, Ishteyaque prefers poetry and anecdotes as the perfect medium for storytelling. His interests include reading, poetry, sports, and current affairs.

He is married and has two sons.

Mr Arijit Sen currently serves as President – Government Affairs & Strategic Engagement, vivo Mobile India Private Limited. He has more than two decades of public policy experience across South Asia. Before vivo, Mr Sen headed the public policy space for HP, Dell & Flex. His contributions towards the nation’s PLI & SEZ policy has been acknowledged by the Government, and has helped formulate the current policy landscape for the electronics industry.
Arijit has been a prominent voice in India’s electronics industry and has served on various government Committees and industry-led groups. These include being a Special Invitee to the Prime Minister’s Council for Climate Change and was a part of the Dhall Committee on Public Procurement. He serves on the National Executive Council of FICCI and has been on the Governing Council of MAIT.
Arijit is currently engaged in balancing bandwidth between policy matters and strategic engagements on behalf of vivo. During downtime Arijit loves to read and listen to Mozart.

Ajay Bisaria is a strategic business advisor and commentator on international affairs. He is a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation and chairs a Ministry of Steel task force studying the global experience in green steel. He is currently advising a few international companies, including OMERS, (a Toronto-based pension fund) and NEO Asset Management (a Mumbai-based infrastructure fund).
He has had a distinguished diplomatic career spanning 35 years as a member of the Indian Foreign Service (1987 batch), where he dealt with some of India’s key economic and security relationships. He served as Indian High Commissioner to Canada (2020-2022) and Pakistan (2017-2020). He was earlier India’s ambassador to Poland and Lithuania (2015-2017). He has also represented the country at the World Bank in Washington DC and in embassies in Berlin and Moscow. He has served in various capacities in the Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Commerce and the Prime Minister’s Office, where he was a key aide to Prime Minister Vajpayee from 1999 to 2004. He has dealt extensively with India’s Eurasia policy, including with Russia, Ukraine, and Central Asia.
He has published and lectured on issues related to trade, finance, and geopolitics, with a focus on South Asia, Eurasia, Central Asia, and Canada. He writes extensively on geopolitics, including in op-ed columns in Indian newspapers. His first book, Anger Management, on the troubled diplomatic relationship between India and Pakistan, was released in January 2024, to critical and popular acclaim.
He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from St Stephen’s College, Delhi University, an MBA (Finance and Marketing) from IIM Calcutta and a master’s degree in public policy from Princeton University. He has received distinguished alumnus awards from Modern School, New Delhi and IIM Calcutta. He knows Russian, German and Urdu, apart from Hindi and English.

Ambassador Arun Singh has extensive experience across the globe, including as India’s Ambassador to the United States, Israel, and France. Throughout his distinguished 37-year career in the Indian Foreign Service, Ambassador Singh has served during pivotal periods in key global capitals, and was instrumental in shaping India’s policies, notably the continued progress in the US-India relationship; India’s closer ties to Israel; and the formulation and implementation of India’s policies related to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, including in the period following 9/11.
Ambassador Singh is currently a Visiting Professor at Ashoka University, a Distinguished Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Asia Program at The German Marshall Fund of US and at Carnegie India. In the spring of 2017, Ambassador Singh taught courses on US Foreign Policy in South Asia and Current Global Trends and Challenges at both American University and the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He was also a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Emory University, and the Center for Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania. He was a Member of India’s National Security Advisory Board over 2021-22.
Ambassador Singh holds a Masters Degree in Economics from Delhi University, where he specialized in econometrics, development policy, macroeconomics, and Indian economic history.

Navdeep Suri is Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. He is an advisor to several prestigious international organizations and an independent director on the board of reputed companies. He is also Professor of Eminence at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar.
Navdeep Suri completed a distinguished 36-year career in the Indian Foreign Service in 2019, having served in India’s diplomatic missions in Cairo, Damascus, Washington, Dar es Salaam and London and as India’s Consul General in Johannesburg. He has headed the West Africa and Public Diplomacy departments at the Ministry of External Affairs and was India’s High Commissioner to Australia and Ambassador to Egypt and UAE. In a rare gesture, the President of UAE conferred on him the Order of Zayed II, the country’s second-highest civilian award. His innovative use of social media in public diplomacy in 2010 also received extensive recognition and two prestigious awards.
Navdeep Suri has learnt Arabic and French, has a master’s degree in economics and has written on India’s Africa policy, on the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, on Public Diplomacy and on the IT outsourcing industry. He has also co-edited the ORF-Global Policy book ‘A 2030 Vision for India’s Economic Diplomacy. His English translations of his grandfather Nanak Singh’s classic Punjabi novels have been published by Penguin as ‘The Watchmaker’ and by Harper Collins as ‘A Life Incomplete’ ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’ and ‘Hymns in Blood.’

Pranab is a trusted byline in his chosen areas of national politics, governance, security and international affairs for over two decades. His column State of Play is a regular feature in The Economic Times. He has reported extensively within and outside India, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Israel during his career, besides having led reporting teams across organisations. He was awarded the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence for his writings on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Professional Experience:
October 2023 onwards: Executive Editor, ET Politics, The Economic Times
April 2021-September 2023: Associate Executive Editor, The Economic Times
March 2018-March 2021: Deputy Executive Editor, The Economic Times
July 2017-March 2018: Editor, ThePrint, a digital news product
April 2015-July 2017: National Affairs Editor, The Economic Times
July 2014-April 2015: Executive Editor, India Today, responsible for helping conceive and bringing out the weekly issue, especially by way of credible news content.
June 2013-June 2014: Editor, Express News Service, The Indian Express, coordinating national news coverage besides writing on foreign affairs, security issues, terror investigations and overall governance and national politics
April 2006-June 2013: Chief of Bureau (Deputy Editor), The Indian Express.
April 2005-April 2006: Special Correspondent covering foreign and security affairs, The Indian Express
February 2003-April 2005: Employed as Principal Correspondent, The Indian Express, covering the civil aviation sector besides reporting on foreign policy issues.
Aug. 1999 to January 2003: Employed as Staff Reporter in The Hindu, reporting on local issues in Delhi.
June 1999 to Aug. 1999: Reporter with SUNDAY, a weekly English magazine.
April 1999 to June 1999: Internship with The Statesman.
Conceived and prepared a radio newsreel on Ethnic Strife in Kokrajhar (Assam, North Eastern India) for the All India Radio. The programme was broadcast on 25 March 1999.

Academic Qualifications:
MSc. Econ. in Security Studies, Department of International Politics, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK. (Sep. 2000 to Oct. 2001).
Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism (English), Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, India (Aug. 1998 to Apr. 1999).
B.A. (History), Loyola College, Chennai, India (May 1993 to June 1996).

Awards:
2010: Ramnath Goenka excellence in journalism award for political reporting
1996: Devasena Gnanapragasam medal for the Most Outstanding Student, Loyola College.
1996: Rukmini Ammal Medal for standing first in History, Loyola College.
1995: Special Award for Excellence and All-round Achievement, Loyola College.
1994: Jerome D’ Souza medal for public speaking, Loyola College.

Area of Interest:
To report on national politics, matters of international and national security, foreign policy and diplomacy.

With three decades of rich and diverse experience in public relations and integrated communications, Deepshikha Dharmaraj is one of the most respected leaders in the industry in India. Till recently, the CEO of BCW India Group, she now takes over as Chief Executive Officer, Burson Group India, which includes Burson Genesis, GCI Health India and Hill & Knowlton India. In this role she manages the overall business interests of Burson in India and implements its growth strategy encompassing people, clients and partners.
Deepshikha provides strategic counsel to the firm’s marquee clients and senior client leaders and is sought by them as a trusted advisor in good as well as turbulent times. A firm believer in conceptualising impactful campaigns, she champions creativity and measurement across the organization.
In her professional journey, Deepshikha has experienced every aspect of the business. After spearheading the communication mandates for some of the biggest clients at the firm, she led the regional expansion of the erstwhile Genesis PR in the west, setting up the Mumbai office in 1996 and Pune in 1998. She then went on to create the talent development framework as the Chief Talent Officer and Head of Learning and Development. As Chief Marketing & Growth Office, she led the acquisition and retention of key clients and built strong partnerships for new services and capability enhancements. And then combined all these roles as the Chief Business Growth Officer, before being named the CEO.
An active leader in India’s public relations industry initiatives, Deepshikha is a founding board member of the India chapter of the Global Women in Public Relations (GWPR), a global organisation for senior women in PR and communications. She is s a Managing Committee member and the immediate past President of the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI). She also served as President of the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) in 2008. Passionate about bringing creative ideas and measurement into communications, she has been jury for numerous prestigious award shows, including Cannes PR Lions, D&AD Awards, SABRE South Asia Awards, PR Week Awards, Campaign PR Awards India, Fulcrum Awards and IPRCCA amongst others. Deepshikha has also won several awards and recognition, including, most recently being named PR Professional of the Year at Indian PR & Corporate Communications Awards (IPRCCA) 2023. She was also listed among the top 25 PR and Communications professionals by Reputation Today, among the 100 Changemakers of PR and Corporate Communications by Exchange4Media, and PR Professional of the Year, by Campaign PR Awards India 2019 and IPRCCA 2019.
Deepshikha holds a master’s degree in business economics from Delhi University and is a firm believer in nurturing new talent. She spends time with students of communication at institutes like the WPP School and Xavier Institute of Communications, teaching and learning from them. She frequently takes part in leadership training and brand communications workshops, as an experienced trainer and participant.
She lives in Mumbai with her husband Atul Suri and son Sohum, spending weekends exploring new coffee shops and places to hang-out, reading and indulging in some mind and body work with yoga and meditation.

President, Internet and Mobile Association of India, since March 2006. He heads the permanent secretariat of the association and is an ex-officio member of its governing council. He is currently responsible for conceptualising and implementing the association’s strategy and activities around regulatory affairs, public policy, advocacy industry standards, research, communications and promotional events.
The association’s mandate is to reach the benefits of internet and digital technologies to every citizen of India, create a better business environment for digital businesses to bring more investments and jobs and to help traditional businesses adopt digital technologies to stay globally competitive.
Before joining IAMAI, Subho was Director for the ICT vertical at the Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi, where he worked since 1998, closely with the software & services, BPM, hardware and telecom industries.
Although very active in the areas of business development, marketing and communications, Subho’s deep interest is in public policy and regulatory affairs for technology. He is currently focused on understanding the impact of and policies for emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Augmented & Virtual Reality, Mobility [driverless cars, drones, hyperloop].
Subho is a trained historian having read history at Presidency College [Kolkata]; Jawahar Lal Nehru University [New Delhi] and the School of Oriental and African Studies [University of London]. He is the author of "Transformations on the Bengal Frontier – 1748-1948" [RoutledgeCurzon, 2002] and has co-authored, “Building India with Partnerships: The Story of CII” [Penguin India 2007]. He lives with his wife and daughter in New Delhi.

Virat Bhatia serves as the Managing Director at Apple India. He spearheads strategy and policy in India, supporting all of Apple’s investments and business operations. These include Manufacturing, Retail, App Store, Maps, Content, Services and Digital Payments. Always one to foster collaboration, teamwork, innovation and support young talent, Virat’s career in the ICT sector spans over 25 years across multiple functions. These include general management, strategy, operations, communications and policy. Uniquely, he has led both the Services and Manufacturing side of businesses in Fortune 500 companies. Before Apple, he served in multiple, senior positions at AT&T, including as the Chairman of AT&T in India and later, as AT&T’s Regional President for South Asia. Prior to that, he was part of the team that was responsible for Coca Cola’s return to India in the mid-90s. Virat currently serves on the India Executive Leadership Board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), and on FICCI’s National Executive Committee. In 2014, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon appointed him to the Multistakeholder Advisory Group of the UN Internet Governance Forum (UNIGF). In the past, he has served as the Vice President of the Commission on ICT of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and as the Vice Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in India. He is an alumnus of the Delhi University and John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Virat has also completed Advance Management Programmes at Kellogg’s School of Management, and Wharton Business School.

Key Governance Reformer and Policy Change Agent. Has been the key driver of Make in India, Startup India, Incredible India, and God's Own Country. Has spearheaded Ease of Doing Business, Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), Production-Linked Incentive Schemes (PLI), the liberalisation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Private-Public Partnerships (PPP) in infrastructure, and Asset Monetisation programmes and policies for the Government of India. Led the national effort to accelerate India's transition to cleaner energy, spearheading initiatives such as the Green Hydrogen Mission and the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage, and pushing ambitious climate finance reform through the Green Development Pact in the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration.

Currently heading public affairs and communications for Yara in India. A passionate public policy and communications professional with two decades of experience across industry including Bayer, Monsanto, Rabobank and UPL, skilled in strategic communication, policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement across the ecosystem. Demonstrated expertise in managing complex projects, building strong partnerships, and driving sustainability initiatives that align with organisational goals. Proven track record in enhancing brand reputation and delivering impactful narratives across diverse sectors while advancing sustainability and corporate responsibility. With an executive certification in public policy from ISB and a Strategic Leadership certification from Harvard University, a Management graduate specializing in Agribusiness.

He is an Independent Director on the Board of Selan Technologies & YPO-Gold South Asia, Senior Adviser to TMF-Group & to Accord senior executive search. He is a Life Trustee of the Foundation for Aviation & Sustainable Tourism & a Member of the Council of SpeakIn Bureau. He is a Member of the National Executive Committee of FICCI. Mr. Sidhu’s career spanned over 3 decades as an Investment Banker & a Corporate Banker. He has also served as an Independent Director on the Boards of various MNCs including G4S & Deutsche Postbank Home Finance as well as PSUs such as BHEL, NHPC, IILFS & NTC. He has served as a Member of the Core Committee on Corporate Governance of 5 of the Ministry of Finance & Corporate Affairs. He has in the past also served as a Consultant to the Industry Minister of Trinidad & Tobago on behalf of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London. Mr. Raman Sidhu, FCA read Economic (Honours) at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant from The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) & is a Fellow if the ICAEW & ICAI.

Ophira Bhatia is Vice President, Corporate and Government Affairs (CGA), India and CGA Lead, Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMEA) at Mondelēz International. She is a member of the India and AMEA regional leadership teams. Ophira is also a member of the Global CGA Leadership Team and Mondelēz International Extended Leadership Team. In addition to leading the function for India, Ophira is the Lead for the Corporate and Government Affairs function for the Asia, Middle East and Africa for Mondelez International which comprises six business units including China, India, Australia, New Zealand and Japan (JANZ), Southeast Asia, Sub Saharan Africa and Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP). Earlier at Mondelēz International, Ophira also led CGA for Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific Chocolate Category, in addition to India. Ophira has been in the corporate communications industry for over 28 years and has consulted and worked with a range of both Indian and multinational clients in multiple markets. In her current role, she oversees the company’s corporate reputation programme, public and government affairs, internal and external communications, community and sustainability, issues and crisis management. Prior to joining the company, Cadbury Kraft Foods in 2011, Ophira was Director, Mumbai and Lead of the Corporate Practice at Edelman, the world’s largest independent public relations firm, and was responsible for the agency’s growth and development in India. Ophira was identified as one of the ten global Rising Stars by The Holmes Report. She has also been recognized by Reputation Today as the 2020 Top 25 Most Important Professionals in Indian Public Relations and Corporate Communications; by exchange4media as Top 100 Influential Game Changers in Public Relations and Corporate Communications; and by Ad Gully India TV Powerful Influencer in Public Relations.

Rajat Prakash is a renowned corporate law and capital market expert with over 16 years of professional experience. An alumnus of the prestigious Cardiff University, UK, and The Scindia School, Gwalior, he has worked with leading law firms and has extensive expertise in Indian equity capital market transactions. A perspicacious lawyer, Mr. Prakash has successfully handled complex litigations before the Supreme Court and various High Courts of India, while also advising on landmark capital market transactions. His proficiency in deal structuring, legal due diligence, negotiations, and public offerings has established him as a sought-after legal mind in the industry. Mr. Prakash, has been recognized for his achievements in various legal fields, including being named 'Rising Star' in the Legal Fraternity, 'Visionaries of Uttar Pradesh', 'Mahatma Gandhi Samman award’ and 'Top 50 Managing Partner’.Under the skilled counsel of Mr. Prakash, Athena Legal has been bestowed upon with a multitude of estimable and eminent awards and recognitions. It was named the 'Most Reliable Law Firm' 'India's Firms to Watch' It won the 'Law Firm of the Year in Data Compliance and Cyber Security' award and 'Deal of the Year' ‘Top 50 rising stars’, “ICCA Excellence Award for Client Dedication”, “The Top 10 most recommended Corporate and Commercial Law Solution Providers “,“Top 50 Legal Firms in India” and “Top Law Firm”. With a network of 250+ lawyers across India, the firm collaborates with various law firms worldwide and offers pro bono services to charitable organizations.Mr. Prakash, a legal practitioner and entrepreneur, has a successful FMCG distribution business in north India, founded Metyet, invested in startups, and is involved in philanthropy with Patanjali Ayurveda Limited's Divya Yog Mandir Trust.

NAVIKA KUMAR Group Editor-in-Chief, Times Now and Times Now Navbharat A versatile and transformative news personality with over 3 decades of experience, Navika Kumar is a name to reckon within News Broadcasting in India. Navika leads the editorial mandate of Times Now & Times Now Navbharat. Navika Kumar spent 15 years of her journalistic career in the Print Media with Newspapers like The Economic Times & The Indian Express. She switched to Television in 2005 and was part of the Founding Team at Times Now - today India’s No. 1 English News Channel.

With stellar journalistic credentials, Navika Kumar is amongst the few journalists who have left their imprint in both political as well as in business reporting. She has also set a record of sorts by being equally fluent in both English & Hindi and the only Woman to Head two National News Channels – Hindi & English.

A firebrand news anchor with extensive knowledge of current affairs, politics and business, Navika is credited for investigating and breaking high impact stories including ‘Office for Profit’ story that led to the resignation of Sonia Gandhi, the CWG scam that led to the exit of Suresh Kalmadi, the Augusta chopper scam and Aircel Maxis deal, Sheeshmahal and many others.

During Covid, Navika was mandated to launch the Hindi news channel under the Times Network brand. Under her leadership, the Hindi news channel has built a strong affinity with the viewers and advertisers alike, within a year of its launch. In her role as the Group Editor in-Chief of Times Now & Times Now Navbharat, Navika drives the Editorial strategy for the Network’s news brands, besides leading the content direction of all Political & Policy led IPs of the Network. An integral part of the Network’s flagship brand, TIMES NOW since inception, Navika anchors the primetime show ‘The Newshour’ @ 9 pm & the popular interview format show ‘Frankly Speaking’ on Times Now & now ‘Sawal Public Ka’ on Times Now Navbharat @ 8 pm every weeknight. Navika is the only Woman Editor in the Television space in National media today.

Navika has been recognized with Prem Bhatia Memorial Trust award in 2006 for her exemplary political reportage and ENBA, NT, 23rd ITA awards for Best Anchor and Society Achievers Awards for remarkable achievements & outstanding contribution in Indian Media & Television News Journalism.

Bhupender Yadav is Lok Sabha member from Alwar, Rajasthan. Born in Ajmer on June 30, 1969, he is currently the Union Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. In 2000, Bhupender Yadav, an erudite advocate, was appointed the General Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad and held the position till 2009. In 2010, he was appointed as National Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2014, he took charge as National General Secretary of the BJP.

Shri Yadav is an organisational leader who has shouldered party’s election responsibility in multiple state elections. Shri Yadav was BJP’s election in-charge for the Assembly polls of Maharashtra (2024), Madhya Pradesh (2023), Manipur (2022), Bihar (2020), Jharkhand (2014), and Rajasthan (2013). He was also in-charge for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Prior to being a Lok Sabha member, Shri Yadav represented Alwar as Rajya Sabha MP from 2012 to 2024.

Shri Yadav received his Bachelor of Laws degree from Government College, Ajmer. He was the Minister for Labour and Environment from 2021 to 2024. Over the years, Shri Yadav has been the chairman of the following parliamentary committees:

• Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, 2018
• Joint Committee on the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017
• Select Committee of Rajya Sabha on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Third Amendment) Bill, 2017
• Committee on Commerce Member, General Purposes Committee
• Joint Committee on the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Bill, 2016
• Select Committee of Rajya Sabha on the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016
• Joint Committee on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2015
• Select Committee of Rajya Sabha on the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013
• Select Committee of Rajya Sabha on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Second Amendment) Bill, 2014
• Select Committee of Rajya Sabha on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015
• Select Committee of Rajya Sabha on the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2014
• Rajya Sabha Select Committee on GST Bill

Bhupender Yadav is the author of the book ‘The Rise of the BJP’ and ‘Supreme Court on Forest Conservation’. He regularly expresses his views on issues of critical importance in various newspapers and on news websites.

In all roles that he has taken up, Shri Yadav has proven that hard work, dedication and standing by principles can take one a very long way.

Rishi Chawla is currently Vice – President Corporate Affairs (Sustainability, Communications, CSR & Public Affairs) at Carlsberg India. He is also the elected Vice President-North for United Nations Global Compact, UNGCNI. Carlsberg is a leading European Beverages company with Pan India presence. He has 25+ years of experience in companies like Philips, Samsung, IBM, Vodafone, Cable & Wireless, Indiatimes, Data Access in various capacities.

At Carlsberg India, Rishi leads the Together Towards Zero & Beyond initiative of Carlsberg in India which aims to achieve Zero Carbon Emissions, Zero Water Waste, Zero Packaging Waste, Zero Farming footprint, Zero Irresponsible Drinking Zero Accidents Culture.

He has been associated with CII, FICCI, Assocham for a long time in different committees. He has been chairing the Communications, Policy and Regulatory committees of respective trade associations like – ELCOMA, CEAMA, MAIT, USIBC, AMCHAM etc.

Mobile - +91 8800400733

Rajeev Batra With more than 30 years of work experience, a work career focused towards managing Corporate Affairs, Issues Management and Commercial activities of business enterprise, Rajeev is an MBA and pursuing Doctorate in Business Administration on Leadership styles of Indian MNCs.

Formerly, group head of the Corporate Affairs function at Hindustan Unilever Limited, he represented the Company at various important platforms.

Rohan works as the Senior Director, Government Relations, Policy Advocacy and Strategic Issues Management at Coca-Cola. As a part of his role he manages the interactions with Governments and Policy Makers on behalf of the Coca-Cola Company for India and South West Asia. Prior to joining Coca-Cola, Rohan was the country head for Helo, a social media platform of ByteDance. He has also led Government and Policy Affairs for leading corporations like JUUL Labs, MasterCard and worked in policy advisory roles for consulting firms and a not for profit involved in vaccine development.

Rohan is an economics graduate from Hindu College, Delhi University and has a MBA in marketing and international business. He has done a policy program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and is an alumnus of the prestigious Bucerius School of Global Governance.

Mike is responsible for working with governments, policymakers and third parties to create a positive case for change and a favorable environment for Uber’s innovations in mobility, delivery and beyond.

Prior to joining Uber, Mike was at Airbnb where he held roles as General Manager for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan where he led Airbnb’s business and operations and as Director of Public Policy for the Asia Pacific region.

Previously, Mike led Google's public policy efforts for emerging markets in Asia, covering a wide range of Internet policy issues, and worked at the US-ASEAN Business Council in Washington D.C., where he represented leading US investors in Southeast Asia on complex trade and investment issues across a variety of industries. Mike is a graduate of Stanford University.

Javed Sayed is Chief Content and Strategy Officer at Moneycontrol, India’s leading digital financial platform. Prior to this, he was Associate Executive Editor at The Economic Times, where he headed the news operations of the paper and was responsible for print digital integration. Javed has over 25 years in business journalism and keenly tracks economic policy and corporate developments.

Vandana Gurnani joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1991 and is currently posted as Secretary, Labour and Employment, Government of India. Prior to this she was working as Secretary Coordination, Cabinet Secretariat where she was leading the Deregulation and Compliance Reduction agenda for Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living. She has worked in multifarious assignments in Govt. of India as well as the state of Karnataka and has a vast experience of working in the health sector.

As Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, she led the initiative to achieve Universal Health Coverage and crafting of the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission to develop resilient health systems to manage the current and future pandemics. She anchored and led several aspects of management of Covid in India including augmentation of the health systems and Covid vaccination.

In her 32 years of public service, Vandana has served as an administrator, policy-maker and public health strategist holding a wide range of assignments in the fields of Health, Urban and Rural Development, Environment and Women & Child Development. She has successfully represented India in several global forums like ILO, Gavi, PMNCH, FP 2020. etc.

A native of New Delhi, Vandana earned her Master’s degrees in Economics from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University and has also completed her Master’s in Public Health from the renowned Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Dhanya M. B. is an economist and a Fellow at the V. V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI). A specialist in labour market studies, she has over two decades of research experience and has held various high-level roles with the Government of India. She has also contributed to the G20 Employment Working Group, the BRICS Network of Labour Research, the ILO, and South Asia and Pacific think-tank forums. Dr. Dhanya M. B. has authored several research papers and publications and has contributed significantly to policy discussions and academic discourses on labour issues in India and abroad. She is a certified trainer for the gender-sensitive business management programme South Asia GET Ahead by the International Labour Organisation. Her areas of specialisation include labour economics, future of work, gig and platform workers, gender, and public policy.

Ms Michiko Miyamoto, a Japanese national, has taken charge as the Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia and Country Office for India since 15 November 2023.

She has worked in the field of international development over three decades which includes ILO Headquarters and the Regional Office for Asia Pacific, specializing in small business development, job creation programme, and capacity development of workforce and institutions. She was also responsible for global agenda setting and consultation meetings for the ILO Governing Body with employers’ and workers’ organizations for employment and social policy debate and discussion. Prior to joining ILO India office, she served as ILO Country Director for Indonesia, and Timor-Leste.

Ms. Miyamoto holds a Master of Public Administration and Master of Art, Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

Sudhir Zutshi serves as the Director of Policy and Strategy for the Asia Pacific region at UL Solutions. He is a member of the Asia Pacific Leadership Team and has previously held additional responsibilities as General Manager for the Consumer Business in South Asia.

Sudhir represents UL Solutions in key government and industry working groups and committees across the Asia Pacific region. His engagement spans critical sectors including electronics and IT, telecommunications, renewable energy, appliances, power and controls, healthcare, consumer technology, and cybersecurity. In his leadership roles—as Vice Chair of the US-ASEAN Business Council (ASEAN Committee), Chairman of the TIC Council Public Affairs Committee India, and Advisor to the TIC Council Steering Committee India—he plays a pivotal role in shaping strategies and supporting initiatives that strengthen the quality and conformity assessment ecosystem across the region.

Sudhir, with more than 20+ years of experience covering sales, strategic planning, business development, policy advocacy and regulations, holds an honors degree in food technology and a master’s degree in marketing and international business.

Sudhir has completed the India and Global Leadership Programs sponsored by UL Solutions. He is an alumnus of the Executive Leadership Program (ELP) at Yale School of Management, and the Executive Program on Artificial Intelligence and its Implications on Business Strategy from MIT CSAIL. Outside of his professional pursuits, Sudhir enjoys traveling, cycling, and mentoring young talent.

Natasha is a seasoned risk analyst and project management professional with over fifteen years of experience in the field. In her current role at Meta, she has led and managed several complex, high-risk projects across elections, emerging markets, and regulatory and policy challenges. Her expertise includes building and nurturing cross-functional relationships with diverse global teams.
Natasha has engaged extensively on key policy issues, working collaboratively with influencers, civil society groups, and leading journalists.

Ishteyaque leads the Policy and Government Affairs for Abbott Healthcare in India and South Asia. His current charter includes policy advocacy, government affairs, industry associations, public -private partnerships and market access. With a career spanning over two decades, Ishteyaque has had the opportunity to work across a diverse set of industries both in India and abroad through his stints in organizations such as Godrej, Coca Cola, Cargill, HCL and Essar Group. Ishteyaque started his professional journey as a commissioned officer in the prestigious Armoured Corps of the Indian Army.

As one of India's leading practitioners of external/ public/ corporate affairs, Ishteyaque is passionate about evidence and science-based policy advocacy and is a strong advocate for deploying business solutions to address societal challenges. He is strong believer of taking all the stakeholders along for a larger common purpose.

He is often described as someone with a capitalist's mind and an activist's heart!

Ishteyaque Chairs ASSOCHAM’s National Council on Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology and is an active member of CII’s and FICCI’s National Committees. He is a member of the Management and Steering Committees and Past President of Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI). He serves on the Advisory Board of USISPF and has served on the Board of Management of TERI School of Advanced Studies. He has been a jury member at the Cannes Lions the Festival of Creativity.

Ishteyaque completed his master’s from the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Aligarh Muslim University. He is also an alumnus of the much-revered Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. With a flair for words, Ishteyaque prefers poetry and anecdotes as the perfect medium for storytelling. His interests include reading, poetry, sports, and current affairs.

He is married and has two sons.

Apurva Chandra, a retired IAS officer from the 1988 batch of the Maharashtra cadre, served for over 36 years in public administration, policy formulation, and industrial development. He held leadership roles in key ministries such as Defence, Labour & Employment, Information & Broadcasting, and Health & Family Welfare, contributing to various reforms and strategic initiatives across sectors. He superannuated on 30.09.2024. Currently engaged as Principal Advisor in the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

Key Roles & Achievements

• Principal Advisor, Ministry of Defence: Advising Ministry of Defence on Defence Procurement reforms and leading the Review of Defence Acquisition Policy (DAP), 2020.
• Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare: Led significant policy initiatives, including increasing the National Health Mission budget by 25%, launching the U-WIN vaccination portal, and easing the import of life-saving drugs.
• Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting: Spearheaded the creation of the AVGC National Centre of Excellence and launched the Broadcast Sewa Portal to streamline broadcasting approvals.
• Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment: Formulated rules for labour codes, launched the e-Shram portal for unorganized workers, and updated occupational safety guidelines after 50 years.
• DG (Acquisition), Ministry of Defence: Managed key acquisitions, including Rafale jets and S-400 missile systems, and promoted domestic manufacturing through the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020.
• Principal Secretary (Industries), Maharashtra: Attracted major investments from global firms like Mercedes, General Electric and Fiat Chrysler, and established Maharashtra as a leading FDI destination. Led the development of Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC), India’s first greenfield industrial Smart City.
• Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas: Led key reforms such as deregulation, ethanol blending, free LPG gas connections for poor households, and gas allocation policies over two stints spanning seven years.

International Roles Chair, Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) during COVID-19. (2020-21) Chair, Committee A dealing with policy issues in World Health Assembly. (2024) Head, Indian delegation in arms procurement negotiations with USA, Russia, and Israel during tenure at the Ministry of Defence. (2017-2020) Board Positions Held

• GAIL (India) Limited
• Petronet LNG
• Mahanagar Gas Limited
• MOIL Limited
• Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation
• SICOM Limited
• Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation
• Maharashtra Maritime Board

Educational Qualifications

• Master’s in Structural Engineering, IIT Delhi
• Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi
• Diploma in Business Finance, Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India
• Accountancy Certificate, London School of Economics

Notable Contributions

• Facilitated ease of doing business and regulatory reforms across various sectors.
• Led initiatives promoting innovation, private sector investment, and policy reforms to drive national development.

Jayesh Ranjan is a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of the 1992 batch and working in the state of Telangana and is the All-India topper of his IAS batch of 1992. He holds a Master's Degree in Psychology from Delhi University, a degree in Business Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, and a Masters in Public Management from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. He has also done short courses in the University of Birmingham (on Environmental Policy Analysis), JICA training Institute, Tokyo (on lake remediation), London School of Economics (on Globalization and Leadership), Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (in Public Policy), and Swedish Institute, Stockholm (on Sustainability and CSR). He was awarded World Bank's Social Capital Visiting Scholarship in 2002 and the British Government's Gurukul Chevening Scholarship in 2005. He has done international consultancy assignments for the World Bank, UN-ESCAP, Sedatu project of Mexico, and for international NGOs working for Youth Issues like YES, Inc of the USA and NMC from Italy. He is a part of the National Pool of Trainers in Leadership constituted by the Government of India, and is involved in training and mentoring newly recruited Civil Servants. Among his other distinctions, he was awarded the Royal Order of the Polar Star by His Majesty The King of Sweden in 2019 for promoting Swedish business interests in India including opening of IKEA's first Indian store in Hyderabad.

Srinivas Katikithala, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1989 batch, currently serves as Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. Prior to this, he held the position of Secretary in the Ministry of Minority Affairs and was the Director of the prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. In his role as Establishment Officer and Secretary to the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet, he played a pivotal role in structuring Mission Karmayogi, the Government of India’s flagship civil service capacity-building program.

With a career spanning over 32 years across federal and state levels, Katikithala has demonstrated leadership in public policy, legislative reforms, and infrastructure development. In his cadre state of Gujarat, he was instrumental in introducing several public policy reforms in areas such as revenue administration, personnel management, and urban affairs. He also spearheaded landmark projects like the Statue of Unity, GIFT City, and the Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation Program (GERRP), which rebuilt 14 cities post the devastating 2001 earthquake.

V. Srinivas serves as Secretary to Government of India, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances and Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensioners from 2021-2025. He represented India on the Council of Administration of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), Brussels since 2018-2025 and was elected as the President of IIAS, Brussels in June 2025. He has served as Director General, National Centre of Good Governance from 2000-2024 and Director General, National Archives of India from 2013-2014. V. Srinivas served as Special Secretary, Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary to Government of India from 2000-2021 in the Ministries of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension, Petroleum & Natural Gas, External Affairs, Finance, Textiles, Culture, Health & Family Welfare. In Government of Rajasthan, V. Srinivas served as Chairman, Board of Revenue for Rajasthan, Chairman, Rajasthan Tax Board, Secretary to Government and as District Collector of Jodhpur and Pali. He is a senior administrator, a technocrat in Civil Service and an institution builder par excellence.

Vaibhav is currently Vice President – Corporate Affairs for The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) at New Delhi, India. In this role he looks after high stake relationships and public policy related work for the company across India for their brand of hotels. IHCL is the house of iconic brands in hospitality industry like The Taj, Claridges, SeleQtions, Vivanta, Gateway, Ginger, Tree of Life, Ama Stays, Qmin & Taj SATS. Vaibhav is a business management specialist having 23+ years’ experience in Investment Promotion, New Industrial Cities, International Trade & Development, Location Advisory and, Developing & Promoting large format Integrated Cities & Industrial Clusters as ‘Preferred Investment Destinations’.

Vaibhav has previously worked with leading global & Indian infrastructure development groups like Reliance Industries, Mahindra Group, Ascendas-Singbridge (now CapitaLand), China Fortune Land Development (CFLD) and GMR as their FDi, Industrial Marketing & Investment Promotion specialist.

He is an active member of various multi-disciplinary organisations. He is closely associated with industry bodies like CII, FICCI, ASSOHAM as a key member of their various task forces. In his private capacity he has been a founder co-chair and past chair of CII-Young Indians Jaipur Chapter as well as its National Governing Council member. He is a member of Ananta Aspen Centre, an independent organization encouraging dialogue on India's development, foreign policy, strategic affairs, and national security. He is also a member of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP), a global organization of 20,000 professionals from 80 countries having interest in international affairs and foreign policy.

Vaibhav has completed his graduation in Commerce and holds an MBA in Marketing & Finance. Additionally, he has completed a two year Post Graduate Diploma in Global Sales and Marketing from NIS-Sparta and executive programs in ‘B2B Marketing’ from ISB, Hyderabad. He is a pass-out of the first class of ‘India Real Estate Strategies’ from Harvard University, Mumbai Study Class.

An avid traveller, Vaibhav likes to read, cook, go on long drives & listen to music in his spare time.

Major Ranjeet Goswami, Retd. is the Global Head of Corporate Affairs at TATA Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), responsible for managing Government Relations and Public Policy for TCS globally.

Ranjeet has a diverse experience of more than 27 years, extending from Defence & Homeland Security to e-Governance & Public Policy. Ranjeet earlier as part of Government of India and later as part of industry has contributed to various policy initiatives. Ranjeet in his association with various trade bodies has led many committees in technology and trade related work. Ranjeet has also been contributing to multiple strategic initiatives with local governments on behalf of his organization including in the field of developing Standards.

Ranjeet during his service in the army has performed various strategic and operational duties. His experience ranges from active deployment to being an Army Aide to the Governor. In addition to multiple operational & service medals, Ranjeet is also a recipient of Governor’s appreciation for his contribution to the state of Mizoram.

Ranjeet Goswami is a graduate in Psychology from Maharaja’s College, Jaipur and later studied Business Management at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He is an alumnus of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, and IIM-B. At leisure, Ranjeet enjoys writing on social and interpersonal topics.

Luis Miranda is Chairman of the Board & Co-Founder of the Indian School of Public Policy. He is also Chairman of the Centre for Civil Society and CORO and a Co-Founder of Take Charge, a mentoring programme for Catholic youth in Mumbai. Luis spends his time connecting dots with his wife, Fiona; using their networks to help the organisations they are connected with. Fiona and Luis are also #LivingMyPromise signatories, where they have pledged to give away at least 50% of what they have to charity during their lives or in their wills. He is also on the board of Educate Girls and an advisor to non-profits like Sunbird Trust, 17000 Ft Foundation, Raah Foundation, RA Foundation, Atlas Network and SNEHA. At the University of Chicago, he is a Trustee of the University of Chicago Trust in India, member of the Global Leaders Group and the Advisory Council of the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at Chicago Booth and member of the Society Advisory Committee of the Leadership & Society Initiative. Luis is Chairman of ManipalCigna Health Insurance, Senior Advisor at Morgan Stanley and on the board of L&T Technology Services. He is also an advisor to L&T SuFin. He has been involved in setting up 2 companies - HDFC Bank and IDFC Private Equity and two non-profits – Indian School of Public Policy and Take Charge. HDFC Bank is India’s most valuable bank today. Luis stepped down as CEO of IDFC Private Equity in 2010. In 2009 IDFC Private Equity was awarded Best Private Equity Firm in India by Private Equity International and Asian Infrastructure Fund Manager of the Year by Infrastructure Investor. Luis blogs for Forbes, Thrive Global, IDR and Spontaneous Order. Luis received an MBA from the Booth School of Business at The University of Chicago and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He has received the distinguished alumni award from Chicago Booth, HR College and St Joseph’s Boys High School. Fiona and Luis live in Mumbai and have two children who are following their passions. Their daughter works in theatre in New York and their son is doing research with the Inuit in the Arctic Circle.

Shri Abhishek Singh is a career civil servant with 30 years of experience of governance & policy formulation. He specializes in use of Technology for improving Governance.

He is presently posted as Director General, National Informatics Centre & Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, with responsibilities of Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies, Human Centred Computing (HCC) and Digital India Bhashini Division.

He has previously served as CEO, Karmayogi Bharat in Department of Personnel & Training; and CEO NeGD, DIC and MyGov in Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India.

He has done Masters in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is also an alumnus of IIT Kanpur.

Natasha is a seasoned risk analyst and project management professional with over fifteen years of experience in the field. In her current role at Meta, she has led and managed several complex, high-risk projects across elections, emerging markets, and regulatory and policy challenges. Her expertise includes building and nurturing cross-functional relationships with diverse global teams. Natasha has engaged extensively on key policy issues, working collaboratively with influencers, civil society groups, and leading journalists.

Nitendra works as the Senior Vice President and Head of AI Garage in Mastercard, which builds AI-based products in the area of Cyber and Intelligence. He has over 25 years of experience in the area of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Mobile Interactions. He has authored over 100 publications at top international ACM and IEEE venues, owing to which he has been recognized as an ACM Distinguished Scientist and a senior IEEE Member. He has delivered several tutorials and conducted workshops in AI and speech areas at top ACM venues. He has over 50 granted patents to his name. In 2012, he coauthored a book titled "Speech in Mobile and Pervasive Environments" that was published by John Wiley & Sons. In 2021, he was recognized with the Technical Role Model in AI award at Zinnov Awards. In 2022, he was recognized as an ACM Distinguished Speaker and also as Top AI Leader by Analytics India Magazine. In 2024, he was recognized as top 100 AI Thought Leaders by H2o.ai. In 2025, he was recognized as 150 executives leading the way by Constellation Research.

Before joining Mastercard, he spent 18 years at IBM Research, working on different aspects of machine learning, HCI, software engineering and mobile sensing. He then spent 2.5 years at InfoEdge as EVP and Head of Analytics from 2017 to 2019. Nitendra holds a Masters degree from IIT Bombay.

Nitendra is also an Ironman finisher, blind-folded Rubik’s cube solver and advanced meditation practitioner and teacher.

LinkedIn:

Twitter: @nitendrar

Sandeep is responsible for driving a cohesive policy framework to accelerate the adoption of new technologies for the benefit of the country.

He leads initiatives around public policy & is specially focused on policies towards Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity building a safe / secure internet. Sandeep is a firm believer in the public - private collaboration model to accelerate adoption of forward-looking policies. Sandeep has worked in various leadership roles at Intel & IESA before Microsoft.

Shivnath Thukral has spent three decades in the field of journalism and public policy. He started his career reporting on political economy and business issues for over 13 years in India’s pioneering TV new channel NDTV in 1995. He then transitioned to a corporate career with Essar. Soon he found his calling in public policy where he helped set up Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a leading international think tank. He joined Meta in 2017 to eventually lead its public policy function for India across all the apps Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. In 2024 he joined PhonePe to set up its public policy arm as its Vice President. Shivnath’s contributions range from identifying early signals which help India’s positions on critical issues of platform technology, AI and financial technologies. Known as an eTective public speaker, he advocates strong engagement with policy makers, using research and data to support his view that India is set to lead the world in policy making and technology. He actively engages with trade bodies to build industry consensus and influence public policy. Amongst his other interests are running long distances and good food.

Swati is a seasoned Technology Policy Lead and Government Affairs Specialist with over 25 years of cross-industry experience spanning public policy, regulatory affairs, corporate strategy, and technology business leadership. Currently Head of Government Affairs at CP Plus, she drives policy advocacy, regulatory engagement, and strategic alignment in India’s security technology sector. Swati has held leadership roles at AMCHAM, IBM, Intel, Adobe, and other global organizations, building deep expertise in government engagement, education policy, cloud solutions, and enterprise technologies. A trusted advisor and strategic thinker, she blends business acumen with policy insight to influence change and foster innovation.

Abhishek Lahiri is Vice President & head of Government Affairs and Public Policy for South Asia at Mastercard.

Abhishek is a Public and Tech Policy Leader with close to 20 yrs in Fintech, Payments, E- Commerce and Emerging Tech space. He has worked extensively in Payments, Gaming, AI, Cloud, Crypto, E- Commerce sectors. Abhishek has spent his professional life across geographies spanning South Asia, Africa, Middle East, South Pacific.

In his previous stints Abhishek has headed Public Policy functions at Google Pay, and Amazon Pay. With a focus on Fintech, financial inclusion Abhishek has driven policy dialogues and shaped the fintech ecosystem with Government, Industry forums and regulatory bodies. Abhishek’s Policy leadership has contributed significantly in shaping advocacy campaigns focused on financial inclusion, MSME, SHG Banking women and small business empowerment. He has led the NABARDs key pilot on Bank Sakhi model that led to key guidelines on SHG and is one of the largest SHG led entrepreneurship model today. He played a key role at Digi Dhan mission in MeitY.

Abhishek has been a career Consultant and Government advisory expert and has been associated with Big4s in his early career.

Anil Padmanabhan has been a journalist for the last 38 years.

He has worked in various news publications, including Press Trust of India, Business Standard, India Today and Mint.

He was awarded the Nieman fellowship in 2001, after which he was hired by India Today to be based out of New York as their Chief of Bureau (till 2006 September).

Since 2020 he has opted to go freelance and writes for Economic Times, MoneyControl, NDTV.com, Russia Today, Khaleej Times, NRI Focus, The Open and features regularly on national television.

Anil also writes a weekly column, Capital Calculus, on Substack and does a weekly show on StratNews Global which looks at policies and developments through the intersection of politics and economics.

His twitter handle is @capitalcalculus

Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde is an Indian politician from Maharashtra. She is a member of Parliament for the Solapur Lok Sabha constituency. She is a member of the Indian National Congress Party and was a three-time Maharashtra Member of the Legislative Assembly, elected from Solapur City Central constituency.

Shashank Mani is a visionary Member of Parliament from the Deoria con- stituency in Uttar Pradesh. A committed leader within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 2004, Shashank serves as the National Niti Pramukh of the Swavalambi Bharat Abhiyan, a strategic movement aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and self-reliance across India by the Sangh. He is currently serving as the BJP's whip. With over 20 years of experience in public service and organisational leadership, he has been instrumental in driving socio-economic change in the Deoria and Kushinagar regions.

Education and Honors: Shashank Mani graduated from IIT Delhi with a B.Tech and holds an MBA (Hons) from IMD Lausanne. He began his career with Schlumberger and later became a Senior Partner at PwC, where he led key national initiatives such as the $5 Trillion Economy Committee, Mission Karmayogi, and the National Space Strategy. Recognised for his contributions to social service, Shashank has been awarded the IIT Delhi Distinguished Alumni Award. He resides in Barpar village, Deoria, where he actively promotes community development. Political Career and Contributions: Since joining the BJP, Shashank Mani has been a key strategist and mobiliser in Uttar Pradesh. Notably, he launched the Jan Bhagidari Yatra in October 2022, walking across 500 villages to directly connect with constituents and under- stand their needs. Under his leadership, a 3,000-square-foot Jan Sampark Karyalay (Public Contact Office) has been established to facilitate seamless communication between the public and their representative.Shashank actively collaborates with the BJP's district, re- gional, and state-level units, contributing to election campaigning, voter engagement, and party organisation.

Founder of the Jagriti Movement: Shashank is the visionary founder of the Jagriti Yatra (w- ww.jagritiyatra.com ), the world's largest entrepreneurial train journey that has inspired over 8,000 young leaders and social entrepreneurs across India for over 16 years. Through this ini- tiative, Shashank aims to foster a new generation of change-makers dedicated to nation-building and sustainable development.

In addition, he established the Jagriti Enterprise Center—Purvanchal (JECP) (www.jecp.in ) in Deoria, a unique rural innovation hub dedicated to nurturing local entrepreneurship. The centre operates offices in Kushinagar and Gorakhpur and plans to expand to seven more dis- tricts in the Goraksha Prant region. In 2023, the Jagriti Yatra gained international prominence by collaborating with the G20 Startup 20, drawing global participation and recognition.

Published Author and Thought Leader Shashank is a celebrated author of two influential books: "India – A Journey Through a Healing Civilization" (HarperCollins) "Middle of Diamond India – National Renaissance through Participation and Enterprise

Rakesh Dubey is Director – Global Government Affairs with the Carlyle Group, focusing on policy advocacy, engagement with government and stakeholders. Prior to joining Carlyle, Rakesh was leading Public and Government Affairs for Bayer Crop Science in Asia-Pacific building strategic partnerships with stakeholders in government, industry chambers, customers and peer industry partners on climate smart agriculture initiatives and sustainable growth models for small-holder farmers. Rakesh led the Policy and Government Affairs for Monsanto in India before his role at Bayer. He has contributed to industry for more than 26 years leading Stakeholder Engagement, R&D strategy and investments, Technology Commercialization and Business Development functions. He has a bachelor’s and master’s in agriculture from G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, India, and MS in Genetics from Texas A&M University.

Shri. Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu is a two-term Lok Sabha MP from Narasaraopet, representing the historic Palnadu region of Andhra Pradesh, and serves as Parliamentary Chairperson of the Telugu Desam Party.

In the 18th Lok Sabha, he is a member of the Finance, Business Advisory, Home Affairs, and AYUSH Committees, while also chairing the FCI Consultative Committee for Andhra Pradesh and leading the India–Japan Forum of Parliamentarians at FICCI.

As Vice Chairman of the Vignan Group, he oversees 55,000+ students across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with Vignan institutions earning national recognition for quality and innovation.

Grounded in Palnadu’s agrarian ethos, his priorities include irrigation, drinking-water grids, teacher training, modern healthcare, and food-processing clusters initiatives that empower rural livelihoods. He holds a degree in Computer Science & Engineering and a degree in Media Studies from La Trobe University, Australia.

Sanjeev comes with more than three decades of professional experience in public policy, corporate affairs and corporate strategy and operations. He is currently heading Public Policy for the group and is part of the leadership team for Diageo India working on areas of Public Policy, Taxation and other regulatory matters. He represents Diageo India in various committees and council at CII and FICCI and is an active member of these associations. A sectoral specialist, he is closely working on issues related to State Excise Policies, the need for Pricing adjustments, Alcohol Taxation, Route-to-Market and Market Access issues, Alcohol-in-GST, Free Trade Agreements, Ease of Doing Business and other Regulatory Compliances for the alco-bev sector. Diageo India being a leading beverage alcohol company deeply committed to supporting India's growth and the "Viksit Bharat@2047" vision through its various initiatives provides Sanjeev an opportunity to navigate & engage the policies of Diageo India with larger government initiatives. From enhancing agricultural productivity and resilience to boosting employment and skills development, advancing inclusive human resource growth, strengthening manufacturing and services, and fostering innovation and R&D, Diageo’s work reflects its commitment to India’s progress and development. Sanjeev’s professional journey notably includes a 10-year stint as Tea Planter with the Duncans Group in their tea estates in North Bengal, where he significantly contributed to the tea garden operations for Duncans Industries Limited. He has further consolidated his experience in multiple sectors like Education, IT, Hospitality and Telecom. He has continued to provide strategic support to operations in multiple sectors as a public policy professional for over 18 years now. With extensive institutional knowledge and expertise Sanjeev has previously worked with number of reputable corporates like Pernod Ricard India, Vodafone India, Reliance & Duncans Group.

With three decades of rich and diverse experience in public relations and integrated communications, Deepshikha Dharmaraj is one of the most respected leaders in the industry in India. Till recently, the CEO of BCW India Group, she now takes over as Chief Executive Officer, Burson Group India, which includes Burson Genesis, GCI Health India and Hill & Knowlton India. In this role she manages the overall business interests of Burson in India and implements its growth strategy encompassing people, clients and partners.
Deepshikha provides strategic counsel to the firm’s marquee clients and senior client leaders and is sought by them as a trusted advisor in good as well as turbulent times. A firm believer in conceptualising impactful campaigns, she champions creativity and measurement across the organization.
In her professional journey, Deepshikha has experienced every aspect of the business. After spearheading the communication mandates for some of the biggest clients at the firm, she led the regional expansion of the erstwhile Genesis PR in the west, setting up the Mumbai office in 1996 and Pune in 1998. She then went on to create the talent development framework as the Chief Talent Officer and Head of Learning and Development. As Chief Marketing & Growth Office, she led the acquisition and retention of key clients and built strong partnerships for new services and capability enhancements. And then combined all these roles as the Chief Business Growth Officer, before being named the CEO.
An active leader in India’s public relations industry initiatives, Deepshikha is a founding board member of the India chapter of the Global Women in Public Relations (GWPR), a global organisation for senior women in PR and communications. She is s a Managing Committee member and the immediate past President of the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI). She also served as President of the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) in 2008. Passionate about bringing creative ideas and measurement into communications, she has been jury for numerous prestigious award shows, including Cannes PR Lions, D&AD Awards, SABRE South Asia Awards, PR Week Awards, Campaign PR Awards India, Fulcrum Awards and IPRCCA amongst others. Deepshikha has also won several awards and recognition, including, most recently being named PR Professional of the Year at Indian PR & Corporate Communications Awards (IPRCCA) 2023. She was also listed among the top 25 PR and Communications professionals by Reputation Today, among the 100 Changemakers of PR and Corporate Communications by Exchange4Media, and PR Professional of the Year, by Campaign PR Awards India 2019 and IPRCCA 2019.
Deepshikha holds a master’s degree in business economics from Delhi University and is a firm believer in nurturing new talent. She spends time with students of communication at institutes like the WPP School and Xavier Institute of Communications, teaching and learning from them. She frequently takes part in leadership training and brand communications workshops, as an experienced trainer and participant.
She lives in Mumbai with her husband Atul Suri and son Sohum, spending weekends exploring new coffee shops and places to hang-out, reading and indulging in some mind and body work with yoga and meditation.

T.S. Vishwanath has expertise in analyzing multilateral and bilateral trade agreements, global economic policies, and regulatory frameworks over three decades. He has an in-depth understanding of competitiveness and policy dynamics across sectors. His leadership roles at VeK, a policy advisory and research firm, and ASL-Legal, a law firm focused on trade law combined with his extensive experience engaging with Indian government departments and international organizations, position him as an expert in navigating policy and regulatory challenges. With a rich background as a former Senior Director at CII and a trade policy expert, Vishwanath brings the strategic vision and stakeholder engagement capabilities essential for driving successful projects.

A versatile and transformative news personality with over 3 decades of experience, Navika Kumar is a name to reckon within News Broadcasting in India. Navika leads the editorial mandate of Times Now & Times Now Navbharat. Navika Kumar spent 15 years of her journalistic career in the Print Media with Newspapers like The Economic Times & The Indian Express. She switched to Television in 2005 and was part of the Founding Team at Times Now - today India’s No. 1 English News Channel. With stellar journalistic credentials, Navika Kumar is amongst the few journalists who have left their imprint in both political as well as in business reporting. She has also set a record of sorts by being equally fluent in both English & Hindi and the only Woman to Head two National News Channels – Hindi & English. A firebrand news anchor with extensive knowledge of current affairs, politics and business, Navika is credited for investigating and breaking high impact stories including ‘Office for Profit’ story that led to the resignation of Sonia Gandhi, the CWG scam that led to the exit of Suresh Kalmadi, the Augusta chopper scam and Aircel Maxis deal, Sheeshmahal and many others. During Covid, Navika was mandated to launch the Hindi news channel under the Times Network brand. Under her leadership, the Hindi news channel has built a strong affinity with the viewers and advertisers alike, within a year of its launch. In her role as the Group Editor in-Chief of Times Now & Times Now Navbharat, Navika drives the Editorial strategy for the Network’s news brands, besides leading the content direction of all Political & Policy led IPs of the Network. An integral part of the Network’s flagship brand, TIMES NOW since inception, Navika anchors the primetime show ‘The Newshour’ @ 9 pm & the popular interview format show ‘Frankly Speaking’ on Times Now & now ‘Sawal Public Ka’ on Times Now Navbharat @ 8 pm every weeknight. Navika is the only Woman Editor in the Television space in National media today. Navika has been recognized with Prem Bhatia Memorial Trust award in 2006 for her exemplary political reportage and ENBA, NT, 23rd ITA awards for Best Anchor and Society Achievers Awards for remarkable achievements & outstanding contribution in Indian Media & Television News Journalism.

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri is an Indian Politician, Former Diplomat and Author. He was inducted into the Council of Ministers as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs in Sep 2017. He was given additional charge of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation and the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in May 2019. He was sworn in as Union Minister in July 2021 and was the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs & Petroleum and Natural Gas. He sworn in as Union Minister in July 2024 and Currently, he is the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. A 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, he served as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Geneva and New York and served additionally in Tokyo and Colombo.

Ajay is a leader in Strategy, Public Policy & Public Affairs, Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement, with a demonstrated history of working across sectors, including social economy. A lawyer by education, he is an experienced Advisor, Board member, Ombudsperson & Professor of Practice with a career span of over 40 years. With strong global connections, he focuses on ethical and value-based leadership and is a regular contributor on topical subjects in major newspapers. Based in New Delhi & Washington DC, amongst other things, he focuses on promoting India – USA economic & business cooperation helping US & Indian companies. He co-founded Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) in 2008. PAFI aims at aligning business, society and government on long term priorities; fostering trust across all stakeholders; collaboratively developing smart and relevant policies,proposals and processes that foster innovation and rely on evidence-based research and promotes capacity building to navigate change within the context and complexity of India. He has chaired PAFI’s flagship Annual Forum since its inception in 2014. He is Group Strategic Advisor & Global Ombudsperson of Jubilant Bhartia Group since 2009. As an Ombudsperson, he is an impartial, confidential andindependent resource to help stakeholders resolve workplace or business-related issues and build a corporate culture based on values, ethics and compliance.

He is a Director on the Board of Aakash Educational Services Limited, a leading educational institution in India that provides comprehensive test preparatory coaching services to students preparing for medical & engineering entrance exams, school/board exams, competitive scholarship exams. Ajay is an expert member of the Grievances Redressal Board (GRB) of Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council, an officially recognized, independent self-regulatory body for online curated content providers (OCCPs). It has been set up under the aegis of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). DPCGC is registered by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as a Level-II Self-Regulatory Body for publishers of online curated content, under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. He is an Advisor to Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). Established in 2004, is a not-for-profit industry body and the country's only organization representing the digital services industry with over 500 Indian and multinational corporations as its members, which include established companies in diverse sectors of the digital ecosystem as well as start-ups. IAMAI represents varied sectors such as digital advertising, digital entertainment, traveltech, online gaming, digital payments, fintech, digital commerce, edtech, healthtech, agritech, big data, ML, AI & IoT, AR/ VR, logistics-tech and so on. He has been associated with the World Economic Forumfor over three decades & was the Vice Chair of its Regional Strategy Group (RSG). He is a regular participant at its annual meeting in Davos for over 35 years & leads the social entrepreneur of the year award initiative of the Schwab foundation & Jubilant Bhartia Foundation in India since its inception in 2009. He is currently a member of the WEF - Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship. He is also a Global Advisor to the Catalyst 2030- a global movement & a network of leading social entrepreneurs & innovators, academics and funders who believe in collective action & bold, new strategies to achieve the Sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. He has been a member of several high-level Government delegations, committees and task forces. Ajay is Professor of Practice & Advisor- Careers with Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP). Founded on the commitment to world-class faculty, extensive industry linkages and innovative approach towards design and management of policy, ISPP aims to transform the art of policymaking. He is also an Adjunct Professor at The Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.
He is Senior Advisor with The Convergence Foundation, dedicated to building foundations in strategic areas of development in India. He is also a member of Advisory Board of SaveLife Foundation & Pahle India foundation. He was founding Chief Executive Officer (2002-2006) of India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India and CII, a unique public private Partnership initiative to Promote, Project & Position India’s growth story globally. IBEF, under his leadership, led the “India Everywhere” campaign at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2006, amongst several other high profile global initiatives. He was Partner with Accenture India (2008-2009) & before that, he spent twenty-seven years with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as deputy director general & held several national & global positions from 1981 to 2008. Ajay has a Degree in Law from University of Delhi and is an alumni of the Shriram College of Commerce. He is married to Renu, a lawyer and a social worker. Their children - Dr Surbhi and Dr Ankur are both medical practitioners in the USA.

Chetan joined Amazon after an almost 7 year stint at Google. He comes with a wealth of public policy and business experience, working in some of the most demanding and challenging Indian corporate policy environments. During his time at Google, he built an exceptionally strong team, initiated many proactive partnerships with Central and State governments, and strategically re-positioned the company and its reputation in India across a diverse set of political and policy stakeholders, including at the very highest levels. Prior to joining Google, Chetan was Director, Corporate affairs at Dell India for five years, and previously led Public Policy at Intel, including serving as the TA to the President of Intel. At Intel he won the Intel Achievement Award (IAA) – the company’s highest award. Less than 1% Intel employees win the coveted award. Chetan began his career as a journalist and has worked for some of India’s most renowned publications, including the Times of India, where he headed the newspaper’s technology bureau. In his free time, Chetan likes to read (non-fiction), listen to Indian classical music, and, if the weather permits, “run a few miles”

Mr Arijit Sen currently serves as President – Government Affairs & Strategic Engagement, vivo Mobile India Private Limited. He has more than two decades of public policy experience across South Asia. Before vivo, Mr Sen headed the public policy space for HP, Dell & Flex. His contributions towards the nation’s PLI & SEZ policy has been acknowledged by the Government, and has helped formulate the current policy landscape for the electronics industry. Arijit has been a prominent voice in India’s electronics industry and has served on various government Committees and industry-led groups. These include being a Special Invitee to the Prime Minister’s Council for Climate Change and was a part of the Dhall Committee on Public Procurement. He serves on the National Executive Council of FICCI and has been on the Governing Council of MAIT. Arijit is currently engaged in balancing bandwidth between policy matters and strategic engagements on behalf of vivo. During downtime Arijit loves to read and listen to Mozart.

S. Krishnan is posted as Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India since 11th September, 2023. He has earlier served as Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, Investment Promotion & Commerce Department, Government of Tamilnadu during March, 2020 to August, 2023. Of the 1989 batch of the Indian Administrative Service, he has also been Additional Chief Secretary in the Finance Department and Principal Secretary in the Housing and Urban Development and in the Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Departments. He was the founder CEO of the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board. He has also served as the Chairman of the Fifth Tamil Nadu State Finance Commission. He served as the Senior Advisor in the Office of the Executive Director for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan in the International Monetary Fund (Washington DC) and represented the Government of India in the G20 Expert Groups on International Financial Architecture and Global Financial Safety Nets. In the Government of India, he has been Deputy Director in the LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration) for 4 years from 2000 to 2004 and Private Secretary to the Union Finance Minister. He was District Collector of Virudhunagar District where he calmed a volatile situation and ensured implementation of development programmes in a 3 years tenure. He was also Deputy Secretary (Budget) in Finance Department for 4 years.

Shivnath Thukral has spent three decades in the field of journalism and public policy. He started his career reporting on political economy and business issues for over 13 years in India’s pioneering TV new channel NDTV in 1995. He then transitioned to a corporate career with Essar. Soon he found his calling in public policy where he helped set up Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a leading international think tank. He joined Meta in 2017 to eventually lead its public policy function for India across all the apps Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. In 2024 he joined PhonePe to set up its public policy arm as its Vice President. Shivnath’s contributions range from identifying early signals which help India’s positions on critical issues of platform technology, AI and financial technologies. Known as an eTective public speaker, he advocates strong engagement with policy makers, using research and data to support his view that India is set to lead the world in policy making and technology. He actively engages with trade bodies to build industry consensus and influence public policy. Amongst his other interests are running long distances and good food.

A public policy and development economist, Vinita has worked in multiple roles in policy advocacy for over 25 years. Vinita is an IICA-certified independent director, and on Boards of several organizations including Academic Board of the NIMS University (National Institute of Medical Sciences), Chairperson of Board of Vidhignya Enterprises- SHG that provides livelihoods to women, and has been a member of the Board of Directors of FIND India and former President of Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI- 2023-24), Governing Council member of NatHealth (2019-2021, and former president of LSR Alumna association ELSA (2017-19). Vinita has been passionately working on issues related to gender empowerment and inclusion. Currently she chairs the committee on PAFI SAFE- Securing Access to Fair and equitable resources at PAFI. She has been the Co-Convener of Digital Inclusion initiative under the ‘Empowering Greater 50’ initiative of FICCI FLO, and member- Empower G20 Forum. Through policy advocacy across national and multilateral forums, both at FICCI and CII (1992-2014), Vinita has engaged in multi sectoral consultations. Earlier, she was VP (2015-2016) at Bharti Enterprises and worked closely on telecom policy. As Chief Corporate Affairs & strategic partnerships at the Apollo Hospitals group until May 2025, she worked on several healthcare initiatives with diverse stakeholders especially on women’s health and patient-centric care for over a decade. Vinita has authored several white papers and articles on different subjects from economy to gender issues that have been published in national and global fora. She has a master’s degree in international relations-IUJ-Japan (1987-89), a master’s degree in economics-Delhi School of Economics (1985-87), and bachelor’s in economics-Lady Shri Ram College (1982-85). An avid hiker, yogini, pet parent, and travel enthusiast Vinita is currently working on a book of short stories and is passionate about music and food!

Jaya Row is one of the foremost speakers on Vedanta, Indian philosophy, and its transformative application in corporate life. Vedanta offers powerful techniques for managing your inner resources, leading to success, fulfillment, and growth. Her seminars highlight simple, yet profound values that drive success, happiness, and excellence in the workplace. They empower executives to achieve both personal and organisational goals, fostering a management style that is deeply fulfilling. For decades, Jaya Row has shared her insights globally, speaking at prestigious forums such as the World Economic Forum in Davos. Leading corporations like Apple, Google, Intel, KPMG, MasterCard, and Shell, as well as top universities such as Princeton, Purdue, and Washington University, have benefited from her wisdom. For more on Mrs Row's work, visit www.vedantavision.org

An advocacy specialist, Medha heads Public Policy and CSR for South Asia at Mastercard. With a strong background in reputation management, Medha is spearheading Mastercard’s various collaborations with the government and non-government agencies towards accelerating digital adoption, improving credit access to the underbanked and leveraging new emerging technologies for inclusive growth. An industry veteran with over 20 years in work experience, Medha believes that awareness and knowledge are as critical as access to new solutions and all three are at the core of rapid adoption of new technologies as well as in enhancing credit facilities to people at large across all sections of society. A firm supporter of evidence-based advocacy, Medha is a key driver across several projects at Mastercard in partnership with the government, think tanks and academia to evaluate and assess the lacunae in digitisation and credit access of MSME’s, farmers, and artisans with a special focus on women entrepreneurs, a topic close to her heart. Her other focus areas of work include spreading awareness and encouraging adoption of safe and secure platforms given the rapid digitisation especially in financial services industry. A strong advocate of ‘emerging technologies for inclusive growth’ she feels any technological deployment in financial services must be open, equitable and must lead to ease of living.

Rahul is presently the India Managing Director of US India Business Council (USIBC) and brings nearly 30 years of experience in media and public affairs to the table. A former newspaper editor, Rahul has lived and worked in various countries. Starting his journalism career in India, he joined Reuters in early 1990s where he covered some of the biggest political and economic stories in the region before returning home as Editor, Delhi, Hindustan Times. In his last journalistic role, Rahul was Editor of the Dubai-based Khaleej Times, the oldest English-language daily in the Gulf region. Formerly, Managing Director of APCO Worldwide, he was President, Rediffusion Communications and prior to that he was President, Public Affairs, South Asia, at Genesis Burson-Marsteller where he led policy and political campaigns. As a public affairs expert, he has worked with clients across sectors, advising them on policy and crisis issues. Rahul has written extensively on global and regional financial markets and economic issues. His subject interests include China, foreign policy and international relations, and he has contributed to various Indian and foreign publications. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Rahul has a Masters in International Relations and Security from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at the Tufts University and a Masters in International Trade and Economy from Flinders University, Adelaide.

Sukumar Ranganathan is the Editor-In-Chief of Hindustan Times. He was previously editor of Mint, of which he was one of the founding editors in 2006, and which he edited between 2008 and 2017. He has previously worked in editorial leadership roles at The Hindu Businessline and Business Today.
Sukumar, who has degrees in chemical engineering, math, and business administration is interested in mathematics, science and technology, the history of business, new media, and data-based political journalism. He reads and collects comic books and is an amateur birder.

Philip D. Murphy took the oath of office as New Jersey’s 56th Governor on January 16, 2018. After being re-elected in November 2021, Governor Murphy became the first Democratic Governor in New Jersey to serve a second term in 44 years. Since taking office in 2018, Governor Murphy has focused on building a stronger, fairer, and more affordable New Jersey for every family. Under his leadership, New Jersey has taken strides in achieving record-high economic growth, expanding critical investments to lower costs for working families, restoring fiscal responsibility to state government, creating new economic opportunities in every community, and shrinking longstanding inequities. Over the course of his Administration, Governor Murphy has delivered real tax fairness and relief for New Jersey’s middle class and seniors through a number of new tax cuts — including the most ambitious property tax relief program in the state’s history, the ANCHOR program — while ensuring that the wealthiest New Jerseyans and biggest corporations pay their fair share. A major hallmark of the Murphy Administration has been revitalizing New Jersey’s reputation as a global leader in innovation. In pursuit of this goal,Governor Murphy has introduced a new set of economic incentives focused on promoting the growth of local businesses and innovative startups, enacted the state’s first tax credits for historic preservation, and expanded credits for brownfields reclamation and redevelopment, among other initiatives designed to put New Jerseyans at the forefront of tomorrow’s economy.

The Governor has prioritized cultivating the most diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystem in the nation by supporting the growth of New Jersey-based start-ups and innovators through initiatives like the New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Fund and New Jersey’s AI Moonshot, which he announced during his 2024 State of the State Address. He also launched the Strategic Innovation Centers program, which has supported major incubators and accelerators across the state in a wide variety of industries, from the life sciences to fintech. Thanks to these efforts, New Jersey is now one of the top states in the nation for venture capital investment and has been recognized as the most-improved state for business, according to CNBC. Governor Murphy has also positioned New Jersey to lead the world in combating climate change, particularly through the state’s growing dominance in clean energy industries like solar power and offshore wind. As part of these efforts, he has set New Jersey on a course to reach 100% clean energy by 2035, which represents one of the most ambitious clean energy goals in the entire country. And through clean energy supply chain projects at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal, and by creating the nation’s first purpose built offshore wind port at the South Jersey Wind Port in Salem County, the state is poised to create generations of good-paying, union jobs in the renewable industries that will power America’s future. The Governor has also focused on making New Jersey a leading location for film, television, and digital production, enacting a new incentive program that has attracted billions of dollars in investments to New Jersey since 2021. And he has established New Jersey as a premier destination for live entertainment and sports. During Governor Murphy’s time in office, the state has been selected to host some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Final and the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. Additionally, when New Jersey was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Murphy worked closely with federal leaders, in Congress as well as the White House, to secure life-saving resources and make New Jersey a national leader in vaccine distribution and administration. Because of these efforts, New Jersey emerged from the pandemic as the number one state for private sector job creation in the entire Northeast. This historic economic rebound was supported by the billions of dollars that the Murphy Administration provided in state and federal relief to small businesses, schools, homeowners, tenants, landlords, and middle-class families. The Murphy Administration has also made monumental progress when it comes to lowering costs and raising wages for New Jersey’s working families. In partnership with the State Legislature, he raised the state’s minimum wage from $8.60 when he took office to more than $15-per-hour, enacted guaranteed paid sick leave, and expanded paid family leave. Governor Murphy has made historic investments into K-12 education, put New Jersey on the path to universal pre-K, and created the College Promise program to provide tuition-free college for tens of thousands of students. He has supported policies that have driven down the cost of health care, including prescription drugs, and has eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in medical debt relief for New Jersey’s residents. And he worked closely with the Legislature to enact the most significant affordable housing law in 40 years, ensuring that new housing will be built fairly, equitably, and without delay. Moreover, the Murphy Administration has made generational investments modernizing New Jersey’s infrastructure, from creating new, dedicated funding streams to support NJ TRANSIT to securing full funding to complete the Gateway Program, which will double transit capacity along the Northeast Corridor. Governor Murphy has expanded protections for the state’s immigrant and LGBTQIA+ communities. He has made New Jersey a national leader in enacting gun safety laws that have resulted in the number of shootings in New Jersey falling to their lowest levels on record. And, in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous overturning of Roe v. Wade, he enacted a landmark law that protects the fundamental right to an abortion throughout pregnancy and has made New Jersey a safe haven for reproductive care. Since day one of his Administration, Governor Murphy has worked to establish New Jersey as a model state for social and racial justice by decriminalizing marijuana and cultivating a thriving adult-use cannabis industry, expunging the records of numerous non-violent offenders, and launching a first-of-its-kind clemency program for New Jerseyans in need of second chances. He has created the nation’s strongest provisions for environmental justice and has put a focus on eliminating stigma and promoting a compassionate approach to tackling opioid misuse. He has consistently protected and strengthened New Jersey’s democracy, including enacting automatic voter registration, in-person early voting, and restoring voting rights to individuals on probation or parole. And Governor Murphy has successfully appointed five Justices to the New Jersey Supreme Court, all with bipartisan support. While establishing New Jersey as a progressive leader in every area of public policy, Governor Murphy has also made historic progress in restoring New Jersey’s financial health. He became the first Governor in a quarter-century to make a full annual pension payment, which he has now done for four years in a row. Additionally, after 11 credit rating downgrades under the prior administration, Governor Murphy has secured seven credit rating upgrades for New Jersey. Under his leadership, New Jersey has seen record budget surpluses and the retirement of billions of dollars in state debt. Governor Murphy currently serves as the Finance Chair of the Democratic Governors Association. Previously, he served as the Chair of the National Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association, and made history as the first Governor to lead both organizations simultaneously. Career Prior to Becoming Governor From 2009 until 2013, Governor Murphy served as the United States Ambassador to The Federal Republic of Germany, a position to which he was appointed by President Obama. Governor Murphy has been deeply engaged in civic life and philanthropic pursuits. In 2002, he began his involvement with 180 Turning Lives Around, a Monmouth County women’s shelter where he ultimately served as Board president from 2005 until 2009. That experience led the Governor and First Lady to establish the teen helpline 2nd Floor. Additionally, Governor Murphy was a member of the Board of Directors of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a non-profit organization which works with local community development associations to transform urban neighborhoods across the country, from 2002 until 2009. In 2005, he chaired the New Jersey Benefits Review Task Force. He also co-chaired, with former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and the late Professor Roger Wilkins, a national task force on public education in the 21st Century for the Center for American Progress. In 2006, he was appointed National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee by Chairman and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean. During his tenure, which ran until 2009, Democrats recaptured both houses of Congress, and his efforts helped build the infrastructure that elected President Obama in 2008. In 2014, Governor and Mrs. Murphy founded New Start New Jersey, a “think-and-do tank” dedicated to seeking new policy directions to grow New Jersey’s economy and middle class. The Murphys partnered with the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University to create the New Start Career Network, which is focused on helping long-term unemployed New Jerseyans over the age of 45 re-enter the workforce. From June 2015 until March 2017, Governor Murphy proudly served on the National Board of the NAACP. In December 2018, Governor Murphy was named one of four honorees of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award from the nonprofit organization run by the family of the late Sen. Kennedy for his efforts to ensure social justice and equal economic opportunity. Among the other three honorees was former President Barack Obama. Prior to entering public life, Governor Murphy worked for over 20 years at Goldman Sachs, starting as an intern in 1982 and ending in 2003 as a member of the firm’s management committee. During his business career, he led offices in Frankfurt, Germany, and Hong Kong. Family Life The youngest of four children of the late Walter F. Murphy, Sr. and Dorothy Murphy, Governor Murphy was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 16, 1957, and was raised in both Newton and nearby Needham, Massachusetts. The Governor is a graduate of Needham High School, Harvard University, and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has been awarded numerous honorary degrees. Governor Murphy and his wife, Tammy Snyder Murphy, reside in Middletown, located in Monmouth County, and are the parents of four adult children: Josh, Emma, Charlie, and Sam.

Vivek is the Senior Director, External Strategy - India & South Asia for Salesforce and leads Legal and Corporate Affairs for South Asia at Salesforce. In his current capacity, he advises on external strategy, and works at the intersection of technology, policy, compliance, regulation, digital governance and geopolitics. He is also responsible for strategic initiatives with key stakeholders including government and industry, and is part of the South Asia leadership team at Salesforce. He is currently helping to set up Salesforce’s public sector business in India.

Chetan joined Amazon after an almost 7 year stint at Google. He comes with a wealth of public policy and business experience, working in some of the most demanding and challenging Indian corporate policy environments. During his time at Google, he built an exceptionally strong team, initiated many proactive partnerships with Central and State governments, and strategically re-positioned the company and its reputation in India across a diverse set of political and policy stakeholders, including at the very highest levels.

Prior to joining Google, Chetan was Director, Corporate affairs at Dell India for five years, and previously led Public Policy at Intel, including serving as the TA to the President of Intel. At Intel he won the Intel Achievement Award (IAA) – the company’s highest award. Less than 1% Intel employees win the coveted award. Chetan began his career as a journalist and has worked for some of India’s most renowned publications, including the Times of India, where he headed the newspaper’s technology bureau.

In his free time, Chetan likes to read (non-fiction), listen to Indian classical music, and, if the weather permits, “run a few miles”

AK Bhattacharya, at present is the Editorial Director at Business Standard, a leading business newspaper of the country. He is based in New Delhi. He was born in 1956. He has been an economic journalist for the last four decades. He has served as the Editor of Business Standard. Earlier, he was the Editor of The Pioneer and worked for The Financial Express and The Economic Times in different leadership roles. For many years, he has been writing a column, Raisina Hill, which appears in Business Standard and comments on government affairs, development issues and the economy. He is also a regular participant in economic policy discussions organised by different multi-media platforms. He is a distinguished fellow of Ananta Aspen Centre, a think tank with global affiliation, and a member of the Economic Affairs Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

A former general secretary of Editors Guild of India, he won the Shriram Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Financial Journalism in 2017. He is the author of The Rise of Goliath: Twelve Disruptions That Changed India, published by Penguin in July 2019 and India’s Finance Ministers: From Independence to Emergency (1947-1977), published by Penguin in May 2023. His third book – India’s Finance Ministers: Stumbling into Reforms (1977-1998), also published by Penguin, was released in January 2024.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is the architect and creator of the TelanganaRising 2047, a vision to propel Telangana, the 29th, and youngest state of India, as a $3 trillion State GDP economy, and the first in the country to become a fully developed regions, on par with the world’s most prosperous, happy and developed places.

Since the time he took office in December 20243, with an intermediary goal to transform a less than $200 billion SGDP State into a $1 trillion economy within 10 years, is a comprehensive, all-round, detailed, measurable, transparent, ambitious yet pragmatic vision plan for the overall development of all regions, sections and people of society.

As per CM Revanth Reddy’s social and people vision, TelanganaRising envisages three principal stakeholders: women, farmers, and youth and children.

WomenRising: Enriching and empowering one crore women through entrepreneurship support for the self-help groups (SHGs) and making them crore-patis (multi-millionaires), is a crucial social dimension of the TelanganaRising goal. Augmenting the education and skills levels of women of all ages, financial inclusion and empowerment through increased participation and rise in careers and work force are crucial dimensions of the larger vision. Schemes to allocate profitable ventures to Women SHGs, like petrol bunk, solar power plants (with assured power purchase agreements with state power firms), premium retail outlets, and projects to supply school education uniforms, mid-day meals, are all CM Revanth Reddy’s brainchildren.

Welfare schemes for women in Telangana under CM Revanth Reddy’s government have also ensured women of the state are the happiest in the country – free RTC bus travel, free domestic electric supply, Rs 500 gas cylinder per month, allocation of Indiramma Illu (Housing), are flagship programs of Telangana government.

FarmersRising: The farmers of Telangana, through a plethora of schemes, programs and initiatives, will have incomes and diverse revenue opportunities on par with their counterparts in developed countries. As part of this goal, ensuring Telagnana farmers’ income is double the Indian national average by 2035 is a significant intermediary milestone.

All farmer-supporting schemes, like Runa Mafi (Total Loan Waiver), Rythu Bharosa (direct farmer investment), Rythu Bima (farmer insurance), crop insurance, free farm electric power, MSP plus crop bonus (Rs 500 per quintal for fine rice), have become national records and watermarks in independent India’s history in idea, quantum and impact.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has ensured over Rs 1,00,000 crore has been allocated to farmers in the first 18 months of his government. Under his leadership, Telangana has achieved the distinction of having the least number of farmers under debt among large states in the country.

YouthRising: The Chief Minister of Telangana conceptualised and created the Young India movement in the state, as part of which world-class institutions are being created – YI Skills University, YI Sports University, YI Integrated Residential Schools and YI Police Schools. He has also directed initiatives like the Digital University and Digital Unemployment Exchange to help connect youth with opportunities.

Focusing on education, skills, employment opportunities and entrepreneurship development, while creating a record number of jobs in both government (over 60,000) and private sector (over 1,00,000) in his first 18 months in tenure, thus making Telangana the state creating maximum jobs and fighting unemployment best.

The Rajiv Yuva Vikasam is one of the world’s largest angel funding and fund support program for entrepreneurship by any state government. Development and Infrastructure: The biggest flagship drive under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has been to totally reimagine the development and infrastructure of Telangana.

The state in currently working on multiple dimensions for creating world-class infra to support the $1 trillion goal, with projects like Regional Ring Road (a 360 kms circular road connecting most towns in the state), a Regional Ring Railway, Hyderabad Metro Rail expansion on two different fronts, Musi River rejuvenation and waterfront development, creation of Future City (which will be India’s most advance, smart and world-class townships), Dry Port with dedicated road and rail connectivity to a sea port in a neighbouring state, among others, will transform the state with infra matching the world’s best.

Connecting river Godavari to river Musi in Hyderabad simultaneously makes the capital city both resilient to urban floods and potential drought – thus, making the city one of India’s first to create and implement a Climate Change risk mitigation plan.

Economic Zones: As per the Chief Minister’s vision, the entire state of Telangana has been divided into economic zones, to be transformed into world-class hubs as per their economic function. The three zones are: Hyderabad core urban area (inside the 160-kms-long circular ring road) to be a pure services-only city, aiming for a Net Zero within 15 years, the Peri- Urban Manufacturing zone, to be India’s largest China +1 alternative (between two circular rings of ORR and RRR), and a rural landscape beyond the RRR.

Water: Leading the water revolution of the state, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has embarked on completing all pending irrigation and drinking water projects, as well as protecting the state’s riparian interests after a decade’s neglect. He is keen on transforming the state into a blue state, which harnesses both river, water bodies as well as rainfall to the optimal levels with the highest primacy accorded to sustainability principles for all round welfare and ensuring best quality of life for all citizens and to support agriculture.

Cultural Pride: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy fulfilled the cultural aspirations of the state’s over forty million people by officially creating and honouring the state of Telangana Thalli (Mother of Telangana), and installing the first iconic statue in the state secretariat.

The Congress government officially adopted the inspirational song, Jaya Jayahe Telangana... Jananee Jayaketanam as the song of the state.

The state government introduced the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards after a decade’s absence to showcase respect and acknowledgment of the state’s vibrant film industry and work of all arts encompassed within film making. All artists of excellence from the state are given complete cultural and financial support from the state government.

The government has facilitated iconic marquee events like the Miss World, which has brought huge attention to the state’s greatest historic and cultural monuments, heritage and culture from all the world.

Education and Healthcare: Telangana, as per the vision of the Chief Minister, has taken steps to achieve stellar leadership levels in excellence in state funded education and healthcare ecosystems – from primary education and healthcare, to secondary to higher – and making the citizens have easy access to the best.

Free school education, scholarships at all levels, including supporting global education plans of meritorious students from underprivileged sections, increasing budgets for school children’s food programs, books and education kits, uniforms, cosmetics, have unleashed a new energy. After a decade of total neglect, Telangana government schools are now having total admissions levels. Iconic residential school campuses are being built in every Assembly constituency.

Hospitals at all levels are being upgraded and newer buildings are under construction. The facilities at all hospitals are being upgraded. Rajiv Aarogyashri and CM Relief Fund ensure financial support for healthcare for citizens.

Global Investment Hub: The state has found reinvigorated thrust as a global investment hub and a leader in India in several verticals, including software engineering, healthcare, life- sciences, R&D, data sciences, AI, tech startups, green energy, contract manufacturing, pharma, bulk drugs, vaccines, pump storage, renewable energy, green data centres, electric vehicles, among others, after Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took office.

The state has signed up MoU of over Rs 3,00,000 crore in the first 18 months of the government, including at World Economic Forum, Davos, and investment trips to the USA, South Korea, United Kingdom, Japan, among others.

Telangana, as a gateway to the south India market and a centrally located and well networked regions, and a hub for warehousing, storage and logistics, has become India’s biggest and number one state in attracting investments, both international and domestic.

Social Justice: Under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Telangana became the first in Independent India to conduct a comprehensive socio-economic and caste survey. This established, for the first time in India since a caste census done in British India in 1931, a detailed breakup of caste composition, along with several other indicators, allowing Telangana to table a historic bill in the state assembly to provide for 42 per cent reservations for OBCs in the state in education, jobs and political positions.

The move has been hailed by the entire country, and subsequently, the Central government has also decided to conduct a caste census, along with the next national general census. The state of Telangana also has become a pioneer in sub-classification of Scheduled Castes, based on a long pending demand but under litigation and court cases, and became the first state to establish a committee to study, submit a report, and then implement the sub- classification for Dalits.

Telangana, under the direction of Hon’ble Chief Minister, celebrates February 4 as Social Justice Day.

Policy Reformer: The state, since the time Chief Minsiter Revanth Reddy took charge, has created peerless reforms and brought in great policies, balancing development and sustainable welfare, creating a deft match of needs of environment and sustainability, and rapid investments, development, infra creation and creating jobs and opportunities.

With a strong political conviction to create greater wealth for larger redistribution, CM Revanth Reddy, has created several new policies, including the Industries Policy, Energy Policy, Green Energy policy, Tourism policy, Education policy, Sports policy, among others. Early Life: Shri Revanth Reddy, the visionary leader and architect of TelanganaRising, founder of the Young India education revolution movement, proponent and implanter of a social justice revolution, heralder of global-class development, conceptualiser of Musi rejuvenation, HYDRAA for protection of natural recourses and public properties, crusader against drugs and narcotics, for which EAGLE was created, man who pioneered the services, manufacturing and rural zones concept for putting Telangana on a position of pride in development regions of the world, is fondly called as ‘Revanth Anna’ by most people in the state.

He took charge of the Telangana Congress and lifted the party’s morale and fighting capability, and on the directions of Smt Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi, brought the party to power in the 2023 state elections. As the second and present Chief Minister of Telangana, his dynamic vision and unwavering commitment to democratic principles, have made him a beacon of hope for people of Telangana.

Born on November 8, 1969, into an agricultural family in Kondareddy Palli, Wanaparthy district, Revanth’s rise to political prominence is a testament to his relentless dedication and grassroots connection, and the democratic ethos of the India, and the Congress party. Born in an agricultural family, he learned values of hard work, perseverance, rooted to culture, and service to community. Facing challenges and struggles of rural life, he consolidated his deep visceral understanding of common issues and strengthen a resolve to solving people’s problems and positively impacting their lives. He finished his Bachelor of Arts degree from the AV College, Osmania University, Hyderabad.

Political Career: He entered politics with local body elections in 2006, where he emerged victorious as an independent candidate to the ZPTC from Midgil mandal. In 2009, he contested and won as a MLA from Kodangal constituency. His tenure as an MLA from 2009 to 2014 was marked by his tireless efforts to advocate for his constituency’s needs, earning him widespread respect and recognition.

Revanth Reddy’s played a strong pivotal role during the Telangana statehood movement. His active involvement and strong advocacy for formation of Telangana as a separate state brought him closer to people across the state.

Following creation of Telangana in 2014 by the Congress party, led by Smt Sonia Gandhi and the-then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Revanth Reddy continued his legislative work from 2014 to 2018. He focused efforts on addressing aspirational, self-pride and developmental needs of Telangana people.

His was elected as a Member of Parliament from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha Constituency, as a leader of the Indian National Congress (INC). His tenure in Lok Sabha, representing the world’s largest and most populated Parliamentary constituency, was marked by his strident advocacy for Telangana’s interests and to articulate concerns of constituents on national stage.

His leadership qualities and political acumen were recognized when he was appointed President of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC). He worked tirelessly to strengthen the party and bring it to power, with a renewed dedication to the values of Congress party and the needs and aspirations of people of Telangana.

Philosophy: Revanth Reddy’s leadership philosophy is to declare, “we are not rulers but servant of people”, and thus the People’s Government (Praja Prabhutvam) was formed, dedicated to fulfilling promises and serving and uplifting every single citizen of Telangana. Revanth Reddy’s ability to connect with masses is a defining trait. An exceptional and mesmerising orator, with fluency and connect to Telangana’s cultural and rich history, his speeches changed the collective thinking of the people.

In Revanth Reddy, people of Telangana have found not just a leader, but a champion of their causes, a defender of their rights, a visionary committed to building a great future for generations to come.

His journey from the forests of Nallamalla and the fields of Kondareddy Palli to the Chief Minister’s office is an inspiring story of determination, vision, and unwavering service to the people.

As Telangana rises with CM Revanth Reddy’s leadership, it is also setting a role model and example for the rest of the Country.

Mr. Y Guruswamy Naidu, Founder and CMD of Celkon Group, boasts over three decades of groundbreaking experience in the mobile industry. A pioneer in retail, distribution, and manufacturing, he embodies the philosophy “Here to Where,” emphasizing success as an ongoing journey.

From humble beginnings, Mr. Guru has revolutionized mobile and electronics manufacturing, seamlessly blending technology and human sensibilities. Under his leadership, Celkon Group thrives on passion and innovation, shaping the future of the industry. His journey stands as a beacon in the fast-paced tech world, showcasing the impact of visionary leaders.

Rakesh is a corporate affairs and public policy veteran, leading global corporate affairs for the Godrej Industries Group. He is a seasoned professional with 24 years of experience in strategic government partnerships, external stakeholder management, government and regulatory affairs, business advocacy, strategic planning, conflict management, corporate social responsibility, public-private partnership (PPP) and general administration. He has stellar experience in setting up green field projects and leading industry-neutral policy interventions with central and state governments, adding significant value to the industry and industrial development in the country.

At Godrej, Rakesh steers the corporate affairs function enabling proactive business- centric advocacy in alignment with organizational goals and values that will bolster the Group’s rich legacy of 127 years of serving the nation, its people, and the planet. Before joining Godrej, Rakesh was heading government relations for Honeywell and a key member of the India leadership team. His professional career spans across organizations like General Electric, Reliance Industries Ltd, Essar Energy Ltd, Tata Motors Ltd and John Deere India Pvt Ltd.

Rakesh is also a Research Council member of the esteemed Central Scientific Industrial Research-Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIR-CSIO), Government of India and a Board member of the India Home & Personal Care Industry Association (IHPCIA). Rakesh holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar and an MBA from Symbiosis International University, Pune. He is based in New Delhi - Mumbai and enjoys cricket, yoga, trekking and long-distance running.

Vedika Kapoor is a seasoned corporate affairs leader with over 23 years of cross-sectoral experience spanning agriscience, healthcare, defence, chemicals and food. She currently serves as Director of Communication & Government Affairs for the India Subcontinent at Haleon (formerly GSK Consumer Health), where she also holds a position on the Board.

Vedika’s career reflects a deep commitment to strategic engagement, public policy advocacy, and government relations. She has successfully partnered with governments at the central and state level, leading key initiatives and driving corporate participation in industry and trade associations. Prior to joining Haleon, she held pivotal roles at Corteva Agriscience, DuPont, and EXL Services.

Her journey began in the International Division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), laying a strong foundation in global trade and policy networks. Vedika holds dual Master’s degrees—one in Business Law from the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, and another in Economics

Harish serves as the Managing Director & Chief Policy Officer for Cisco India & ASEAN, where he leads Cisco's strategic engagement with national and state governments on a broad spectrum of public policy issues. His work encompasses Cisco's roles as an investor, globalization hub, business unit, and corporate citizen in the region. Harish also leads Cisco India's Purpose Office, advancing the company's mission of "Powering an Inclusive Future for All." Over the past decade, Cisco's Purpose Office through various social initiatives has positively impacted over 50 million lives in India.

Based in New Delhi, Harish has been with Cisco since May 2007 and brings over 30 years of experience in the technology and public policy. He is a prominent participant in India's public policy landscape, serving as a Member of the CII National Committee on Communications and Information Technology, Chairman of the Telecom Committee at the Manufacturers' Association of Information Technology, and Chairman of the CSR Committee for the American Chamber of Commerce in India. Harish is also the Former President and Co-Founder of the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI).

Before joining Cisco, Harish worked with IBM from 2003 to 2007 as part of its Governmental Program team, leading policy engagement with the Government of India on innovation, global resourcing, and HR issues. Prior to IBM, he spent over 11 years at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), where he held various leadership roles, including Director for Information Technology. In this capacity, he collaborated with top corporate leaders to address key challenges facing India's IT and BPO sectors.

Richard Rossow is a senior adviser and holds the Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In this role, he helps frame and shape policies to promote greater business and economic engagement between the two countries, with a unique focus on tracking and engaging Indian states. He has been working on U.S.-India relations for over 25 years. He joined CSIS in 2014 after a long career in a range of private sector roles focused on India. Prior to CSIS, he served as director for South Asia at McLarty Associates, leading the firm’s work for clients in India and the neighboring region, and he retains his affiliation with the firm. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Rossow was with New York Life Insurance company, most recently as head of international governmental affairs, where he developed strategic plans for the company’s public policy and global mergers and acquisitions work and helped manage the firm’s policy issues in India. From 1998 to 2008, Mr. Rossow served as deputy director of the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), the world’s leading advocacy group on behalf of strengthening economic ties between the United States and India. While at USIBC, he managed the council’s policy groups in the energy, information technology, insurance, media and entertainment, and telecommunications sectors. Mr. Rossow received his BA from Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

Mr Ashok K. Kantha is former career diplomat who served as Secretary (East) in Ministry of External Affairs and Ambassador/High Commissioner to China, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. He is an Honorary Fellow and former Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi; a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi; a Distinguished Fellow at Council for Strategic and Defence Research, New Delhi; and Chair of the Core Group on China of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

In his diplomatic career, Kantha specialized in India’s neighbourhood and extended neighbourhood with a particular focus on China and South Asia.

Prof. C. Raja Mohan is a former Director of Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore and currently a Visiting Research Professor there. Earlier he served as a Professor of South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Professor Mohan is currently an adviser to the Council of Strategic and Defence Research, Delhi. He has been associated with several think tanks such as the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, the Centre for Policy Research and the Observer Research Foundation. He was also the founding director of Carnegie India, New Delhi and set up the Asia Society Policy Institute in New Delhi. He was the Henry Alfred Kissinger Chair in International Affairs at the United States Library of Congress, Washington DC, from 2009 to 2010. He served on India’s National Security Advisory Board. He led the Indian Chapter of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs from 1999 to 2006.

Prof Mohan’s research interests include Asian geopolitics, Indian foreign and security policies, and the global governance of new technologies. He writes a regular column for Foreign Policy the Indian Express and was earlier the Strategic Affairs Editor for The Hindu newspaper, Chennai. His new book India and the Asian Rebalance, will be published by IISS, London in the Adelphi Series at the end of 2024. Among his earlier books are Samudra Manthan: Sino-Indian Rivalry in the Indo-Pacific (2013), Modi’s World: Expanding India’s Sphere of Influence (2015), and The New Asian Geopolitics: Military Power and Regional Order (2021).

Manjeev Singh Puri is a former Indian Ambassador. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1982 and served as Ambassador of India to the European Union, Belgium, Luxembourg (2013-2017) and Nepal (2017-2019). He has also served as Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN from 2009-2012, a period during which India was on the Security Council. Prior to that, from 2005-2009, he headed the division in the Ministry of External Affairs dealing with UN issues on the social and economic side. In addition, he has served twice in Germany (in Bonn and Berlin), in Cape Town, Muscat, Bangkok and Caracas. He retired on 31 December 2019 in the rank of Secretary, Government of India.

Major areas of his experience relate to multilateralism (UN), Europe and Nepal and he was involved as a lead member of the Indian delegation at numerous global negotiations on, migration, human rights and UN reforms. His professional focus has been on issues relating to the environment, climate change and sustainable development. He was a lead negotiator for India at the UN on issues relating to the post 2015 development agenda, Sustainable Development Goals and at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012. He was a key member of India's delegation at various Climate Change negotiations, including the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC in Copenhagen in December 2009 and before that at Montreal, Bali, Bonn and Poznan. Furthermore, he was involved with India's participation in the G8-G5 Summits from 2005 and was the point-person for the Major Economies Forum.

Ambassador Puri has a Masters’ degree in Management and did his BA (Honours) in Economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi. He is presently Distinguished Fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and a Distinguished Visiting Fellow with the Ananta Centre.

T K Arun is a Delhi-based journalist and columnist. He writes extensively on a range of subjects overlapping political economy, accessible at htttp://tkarun.substack.com. He has been the resident editor of the Economic Times at Delhi, headed the economy bureau and looked after the editorial page of the paper in the past. He had been with the paper from 1994 till contractual disengagement at the end of 2021, except for a two-and-a-half year stint with the Dotcom world.

He has worked as a technical advisor at the Kerala State Planning Board, before beginning his career in journalism in 1992 at the Observer of Business and Politics.

Yashika Singh is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience across public policy, corporate affairs, economic analysis, and corporate strategy. She currently leads government affairs and public policy, corporate reputation, sustainability, and CSR, and is serves on the Executive Committee Leadership team for PepsiCo India and South Asia.

Prior to joining PepsiCo, Yashika was the Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Communication, Sustainability & Responsibility at Pernod Ricard India. Her previous stints include building and scaling the practice for Speyside Corporate Relations firm in India and South Asia, as the Country Director. She has also held a leadership position at Corporate Relations, Strategy and Economics at Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining companies.

A passionate economist at heart, Yashika began her career at the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, followed by the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, and then headed the Economic Analysis, Research & Advisory practice at Dun and Bradstreet.

Her expertise is further enriched through her associations with prestigious committees including Reserve Bank of India’s Technical Advisory Committee, CII Western Region Economic Affairs Committee, Economic Policy & Corporate Strategy Committee at the Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry and co-chairing the Economic Affairs Committee at the PHDCCI. She has also served as Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Social & Economic Progress, a leading think tank in India.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Ajay is a leader in Strategy, Public Policy & Public Affairs, Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement, with a demonstrated history of working across sectors, including social economy. A lawyer by education, he is an experienced Advisor, Board member, Ombudsperson & Professor of Practice with a career span of over 40 years. With strong global connections, he focuses on ethical and value-based leadership and is a regular contributor on topical subjects in major newspapers. Based in New Delhi & Washington DC, amongst other things, he focuses on promoting India – USA economic & business cooperation helping US & Indian companies. He co-founded Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) in 2008. PAFI aims at aligning business, society and government on long term priorities; fostering trust across all stakeholders; collaboratively developing smart and relevant policies,proposals and processes that foster innovation and rely on evidence-based research and promotes capacity building to navigate change within the context and complexity of India. He has chaired PAFI’s flagship Annual Forum since its inception in 2014. He is Group Strategic Advisor & Global Ombudsperson of Jubilant Bhartia Group since 2009. As an Ombudsperson, he is an impartial, confidential andindependent resource to help stakeholders resolve workplace or business-related issues and build a corporate culture based on values, ethics and compliance. He is a Director on the Board of Aakash Educational Services Limited, a leading educational institution in India that provides comprehensive test preparatory coaching services to students preparing for medical & engineering entrance exams, school/board exams, competitive scholarship exams. Ajay is an expert member of the Grievances Redressal Board (GRB) of Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council, an officially recognized, independent self-regulatory body for online curated content providers (OCCPs). It has been set up under the aegis of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). DPCGC is registered by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as a Level-II Self-Regulatory Body for publishers of online curated content, under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. He is an Advisor to Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). Established in 2004, is a not-for-profit industry body and the country's only organization representing the digital services industry with over 500 Indian and multinational corporations as its members, which include established companies in diverse sectors of the digital ecosystem as well as start-ups. IAMAI represents varied sectors such as digital advertising, digital entertainment, traveltech, online gaming, digital payments, fintech, digital commerce, edtech, healthtech, agritech, big data, ML, AI & IoT, AR/ VR, logistics-tech and so on. He has been associated with the World Economic Forumfor over three decades & was the Vice Chair of its Regional Strategy Group (RSG). He is a regular participant at its annual meeting in Davos for over 35 years & leads the social entrepreneur of the year award initiative of the Schwab foundation & Jubilant Bhartia Foundation in India since its inception in 2009. He is currently a member of the WEF - Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship. He is also a Global Advisor to the Catalyst 2030- a global movement & a network of leading social entrepreneurs & innovators, academics and funders who believe in collective action & bold, new strategies to achieve the Sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. He has been a member of several high-level Government delegations, committees and task forces. Ajay is Professor of Practice & Advisor- Careers with Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP). Founded on the commitment to world-class faculty, extensive industry linkages and innovative approach towards design and management of policy, ISPP aims to transform the art of policymaking. He is also an Adjunct Professor at The Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. He is Senior Advisor with The Convergence Foundation, dedicated to building foundations in strategic areas of development in India. He is also a member of Advisory Board of SaveLife Foundation & Pahle India foundation. He was founding Chief Executive Officer (2002-2006) of India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India and CII, a unique public private Partnership initiative to Promote, Project & Position India’s growth story globally. IBEF, under his leadership, led the “India Everywhere” campaign at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2006, amongst several other high profile global initiatives. He was Partner with Accenture India (2008-2009) & before that, he spent twenty-seven years with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as deputy director general & held several national & global positions from 1981 to 2008. Ajay has a Degree in Law from University of Delhi and is an alumni of the Shriram College of Commerce. He is married to Renu, a lawyer and a social worker. Their children - Dr Surbhi and Dr Ankur are both medical practitioners in the USA.

Shereen Bhan is the Managing Editor of CNBC-TV18 with over two decades of experience in the field of Television Broadcast, tracking corporate, policy news and events that defined the business landscape in India. For more than a decade now, Shereen has been not only producing and anchoring flagship, award winning shows like 'India Business Hour' and ‘Young Turks', she has also been hands-on in guiding and moulding young business journalists. She has been responsible for breaking a range of news stories that have redefined the Indian economic landscape in recent times and has also interviewed some of the biggest names in business and politics, both domestic and global.

Shereen is also the Anchor & Editor of the award-winning show 'Young Turks', one of India's longest running shows on entrepreneurship – a series that over the last 20 years has successfully built a niche category in business news programming.

Shereen is also the Author of Young Turks, a book published by Random House India.

Shereen has interviewed some of the biggest names in Business from legendary investor Warren Buffet to Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, Richard Branson, Sheryl Sandberg, Indra Nooyi to name just a few. She has also spent several years tracking the political- economy and has interviewed several Finance Ministers and other Cabinet Ministers over the years.

Over the course of her 24-year tryst with business journalism, Shereen has been the recipient of the 'Best Business Talk Show' award at the News Television awards for several years. She also won the 'FICCI Woman of the Year' award for her contribution to media, and was named a 'Young Global Leader' by the World Economic Forum. She also won the ‘Best Business Anchor Award’, the ‘Best English News Anchor Award’ and the Managing Editor of the year awards over the last few years.

More notably, Shereen has been ranked no. 1 in IMPACT's '50 Most Influential Women In Indian Media, Marketing & Advertising List for 2022, and has been consistently featured on the list from 2018, 2019 and 2020.

At the prestigious ENBA 2019 Awards, she won the News Television Editor-in-Chief of the year in the English category and the Best Anchor, English and continued her winning streak at the 2020 edition of ENBA Awards as well by bagging the Managing Editor of the Year – English and Best Anchor – English awards. Her other notable awards include the prestigious Bharat Asmita National Award 2022 for excellence in Business journalism; India's Most Trusted Business News Anchor award by IDEASFEST 2022, as well as the Outstanding Contribution to Media award by the esteemed AIMA’s 12th Managing India Awards 2022. Shereen has also been featured consecutively for two years in “THE LIST” series published by Jombay’s 1000 Women Leaders Program for 2023 and 2024 Under her leadership, CNBC-TV18 has established its dominance as the leader in Business News, with over 90% share of the Business News Genre.

Børge Brende is President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. Previously he was the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Minister of Climate and the Environment. He served as Deputy Chairman of the Norwegian Conservative Party as well as MP. He was also full-time city counsellor in his hometown of Trondheim. He was Chairman of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and Secretary-General of the Norwegian Red Cross. He was Board Member of Statoil and the Norwegian School of Economics. He was the Chair of Mesta, Norway’s largest contracting group in the area of road and highway maintenance and is currently a Director of the Philanthropy Asia Alliance. He is a Member of the Advisory Council, Harvard International Negotiation Program, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), the Strategic Committee of Sciences Po, and is currently on the Board of the Bilderberg Meetings.

Former: Minister, Norwegian Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry, Environment; Deputy Chairman, Norwegian Conservative Party; Member, Norwegian Parliament; Member, Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs and Deputy Chairman, Standing Committee on Energy and Environment; Chairman, UN Commission on Sustainable Development; Secretary-General, Norwegian Red Cross; International Vice-Chairman, China Council for Int'l Cooperation on Environment and Development; Board Chairman, Mesta; Board Member, Norwegian School of Economics and Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, WHO; Board Director, Technology for Ocean Foundation, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Ocean; Managing Director, World Economic Forum. Political Adviser to Conservative Party Chairman; Chairman, Young Conservatives; CFO, KB Entreprenør.

Since 2017, President, World Economic Forum. Director, Philanthropy Asia Alliance. Member: Board, Statoil; Board, China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development Phase VII; Strategic Committee, Paris School of Int’l Affairs, Sciences Po; UN High-level Advisory Group for Every Woman Every Child; Municipal Executive Board, Trondheim; Core Advisory Council, Harvard Int’l Negotiation Program; Steering Committee, Bilderberg Meetings; Board of Directors, Partnering for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030.

BA, Norwegian Univ. of Science and Tech.

Recipient, awards, honours: Harish Mahindra Memorial Global Award for Outstanding Contributions to Economic Welfare and Sustainable Growth; Order of the Aztec Eagle, Mexico; Grand Cross, Order of San Carlos, Colombia; Commander, Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav; Cavaliere Di Gran Croce, Italy; Grand Cross, Order of the Phoenix, Greece.

Aklanta Kalita is Senior Vice President at Edelman Government & Public Affairs, with two decades of experience advising organizations on policy, reputation, and high-stakes risk across South Asia. He has worked extensively with multinational companies, government agencies, and development institutions to navigate complex regulatory environments and build effective stakeholder engagement strategies. With sectoral expertise spanning energy, infrastructure, technology, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, hospitality, and healthcare, Aklanta is also recognized as a Japan–South Asia specialist, having supported leading Japanese corporations and public institutions with cultural fluency and on-the-ground insight in cross-border operations and policy dialogue.

Before joining Edelman, Aklanta was with APCO Worldwide, where he helped develop and execute public affairs programs for global majors such as Corning, Yahoo, Tesco, Dow Corning, Invista, Eastman Kodak, Coca-Cola, and Dell. He also worked in corporate advisory, assisting companies including Nikon, Hitachi Cables, Nissan Motor Manufacturing, and ZTE with industry research, entry strategy, and feasibility studies. He holds a master’s degree in broadcast journalism and began his career as a correspondent with Asian News International, reporting on business and current affairs—a grounding that continues to shape his pragmatic and evidence-led approach to public affairs and risk management.

Mr Arijit Sen currently serves as President – Government Affairs & Strategic Engagement, vivo Mobile India Private Limited. He has more than two decades of public policy experience across South Asia. Before vivo, Mr Sen headed the public policy space for HP, Dell & Flex. His contributions towards the nation’s PLI & SEZ policy has been acknowledged by the Government, and has helped formulate the current policy landscape for the electronics industry.

Arijit has been a prominent voice in India’s electronics industry and has served on various government Committees and industry-led groups. These include being a Special Invitee to the Prime Minister’s Council for Climate Change and was a part of the Dhall Committee on Public Procurement. He serves on the National Executive Council of FICCI and has been on the Governing Council of MAIT.

Arijit is currently engaged in balancing bandwidth between policy matters and strategic engagements on behalf of vivo. During downtime Arijit loves to read and listen to Mozart.

Rohit Saran is one of India’s leading journalists. Rohit Saran is Managing Editor of The Times of India. He has been Executive Editor of The Economic Times and India Today. He has edited Khaleej Times, Business Today, Money Today and India editions of Harvard Business Review and The Scientific.

Saran has been a journalist for over two-and-a-half decades and has re-launched two publications and launched India’s first ‘made for mobile’ news media product.

He is regarded as India’s leading data journalist and visualiser and has seeded several data-based storytelling properties for leading news brands over a distinguished career. This has included editing leading magazines and newspapers and the launch of four major publications.

Dammu Ravi retired as Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs in August 2025.

He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1989 and did postings in Indian missions in Mexico, Cuba and Brussels in the 1990s. At Headquarters, in his capacity as Director (2002-2005), he handled India’s relations with West European countries, EU and UN multilateral issues such as Development, Environment and Climate Change. As Joint Secretary for Latin America and Caribbean countries (2009-2013), he worked to deepen India’s engagement with the region.

During his deputation to the Department of Commerce (2014-2020), Mr Ravi handled India’s trade policy and World Trade Organisation (WTO) issues and was a lead negotiator for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

As Chief Coordinator for Covid during lockdown, he coordinated disbursement of medicines and equipment and evacuation of Indians abroad through Vande Bharat flights.

As Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs from Aug 2021 - Aug 2025, Mr Ravi handled mostly geo-economics issues related to India’s strategic objectives through Development Assistance to countries in the Global South; partnership with Africa; Multilateral Economic relations; and New and Emerging Strategic Technologies. He was India’s Sherpa for BRICS, IBSA, I2U2 and G7.

Mr Ravi has published several research papers on trade, investment, economic cooperation and integration. He regularly does book reviews for various dailies/magazines.

Mr Ravi holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

Nivruti Rai is a distinguished Indian-American technology executive and the current Managing Director and CEO of Invest India, the national investment promotion and facilitation agency under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Her journey from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, to the helm of India's premier investment agency is a testament to her resilience, vision, and leadership in the technology sector Nivruti Rai's journey is a powerful testament to determination, lifelong learning, and visionary leadership. Her story inspires women aspiring to make meaningful contributions to technology and society. Early Life and Education Born in November 1969 in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Nivruti Rai pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Lucknow, earning a B.Sc. in Statistics. She later moved to the United States, where she obtained an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Oregon State University. Her academic journey laid a strong foundation for her future endeavors in the technology industry. Career at Intel Nivruti Rai began her career at Intel Corporation in 1994. Over nearly three decades, she held various leadership roles, including Vice President of Intel Foundry Services and Country Head of Intel India. Under her leadership, Intel India became the company's largest R&D center outside the U.S., focusing on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and autonomous systems. She also spearheaded initiatives to promote rural broadband connectivity and fostered collaborations between Intel and Indian startups. Leadership at Invest India

Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, a senior Indian Administrative Service Officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, is a B. Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT, Kanpur, MBA from Cranfield University, UK and Ph.D from Ohio State University, USA in Management Information Systems.

He started his career as an IAS Officer in 1992. He has held various administrative positions in the fields of land and revenue management, mines and minerals, IT/Communications, e-governance. During his stint in Central deputation, he worked in Department of Telecom, Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. While working as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, he was instrumental in rolling out the Cash Transfer program in LPG and ‘Give It Up’ campaign. He has also served as Senior Advisor to the Executive Director in World Bank in Washington DC.

He held important positions of CEO of Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau, Additional Chief Secretary, Information Technology and Digital Service Department and MD & CEO, Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation.

He has several publications to his credit. (neerajmittalias) & (neerajmittalias)

With over 20 years of diverse experience in operations, program management, business development, and logistics services, Nikhil has established himself as a leader in the industry.

Previously, he led the Global Services and Solutions (GSS) division for India, where he successfully launched GSS’s inaugural forward logistics footprint, seamlessly integrating forward fulfillment with manufacturing processes.

His leadership has been instrumental in strengthening customer relationships, fostering innovative business models, and significantly enhancing financial performance.

His commitment to operational excellence and strategic growth continues to drive Flex India’s success in a competitive market.

Nikhil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from R.V. College of Engineering in Bengaluru and an Executive MBA from the prestigious Indian School of Business, Mohali.

Sunita Patnaik is India Head and Partner at DGA Group and is based in New Delhi.

She brings over two decades of experience in the corporate and media sectors and is a specialist in public policy and advocacy, corporate and crisis communications, and reputation management, guiding large companies such as Cargill, Walmart, Meta and Mars Wrigley. Prior to this, Sunita served as Director, Corporate Affairs with Mars Wrigley, where she was part of the India Leadership Team.

Sunita has completed the Advanced Management Program in Public Policy (AMPPP) at the Indian School of Business (ISB), a Certificate Program in Women Leading Purposefully from Harvard Business Publishing, and holds a Chevening Fellowship in Responsible Business from University of Nottingham, UK. Additionally, she holds a Postgraduate Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communications (IIMC).

Sunita has been recognized as the Public Affairs Professional Woman of the Year 2023 and THE ECONOMIC TIMES Inspiring Women Leader 2023.

Chetan joined Amazon after an almost 7 year stint at Google. He comes with a wealth of public policy and business experience, working in some of the most demanding and challenging Indian corporate policy environments. During his time at Google, he built an exceptionally strong team, initiated many proactive partnerships with Central and State governments, and strategically re-positioned the company and its reputation in India across a diverse set of political and policy stakeholders, including at the very highest levels. Prior to joining Google, Chetan was Director, Corporate affairs at Dell India for five years, and previously led Public Policy at Intel, including serving as the TA to the President of Intel. At Intel he won the Intel Achievement Award (IAA) – the company’s highest award. Less than 1% Intel employees win the coveted award. Chetan began his career as a journalist and has worked for some of India’s most renowned publications, including the Times of India, where he headed the newspaper’s technology bureau. In his free time, Chetan likes to read (non-fiction), listen to Indian classical music, and, if the weather permits, “run a few miles”

Sanjay comes from the 1992 batch of Indian Administrative Service. He has taken over the charge of Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on 5th February, 2024. Sanjay is a Post Graduate Mechanical Engineer and a Cost & Management Accountant by background and has completed MBA in Finance. He has worked in diverse areas like Defence, Urban, Infrastructure, Civil Supplies, Education, Tribal Welfare, Information Technology.
He worked as Additional Secretary in the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence in the Government of India and looked after the policies for bringing in investments and growth in Defence and Aerospace sectors to advance the “Make in India” resolve. He has also been instrumental in setting up Defence Innovation Organisation & iDEX for creating a collaborative platform for Startups to meet Defence requirements and has been conferred the prestigious Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration, 2021 on 21 April 2022 during the Civil Services Day. He played a huge role in successful corporatization of Ordnance Factory Board, a long pending reform needed to improve the functioning of these factories established over 200 years back.
He has been the founding Director of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) in the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, GoI to fast pace infrastructure creation on the borders and strategic areas.
He had earlier worked as Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh in Information Technology & Communications and Food and Civil Supplies Department and led the programme to complete Aadhaar registration of the residents of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh from start to finish.
He has been an ardent advocate of Information Technology for Development and Governance, he successfully led various projects - ‘MeeSeva’ a comprehensive flagship initiative for delivering host of G2C services in AP (2011), INAMPRO, INFRACON in NHIDCL (2017), DEFEXIM (2021). Many of these have been awarded National e-Governance Awards by Government of India. He has worked as Municipal Commissioners in Hyderabad & Visakhapatnam