A day of incredible insights and learning as senior practitioners from the field of public policy and public affairs engaged with a curious cohort of future policy professionals at the Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP). The sessions explored the evolving interface between business, government, media, and global investors — offering practical perspectives on navigating complex policy environments.
Day 01 -
Ajay Khanna, Co-Founder, Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) and Professor of Practice, Indian School of Public Policy, set the stage with a session on Public Policy and Business.
Deepshikha Dharmaraj, CEO, Burson Group India, explored the critical role of institutional trust in public affairs in a session on Building Trust with Media: Stakeholder Management in Policy and Crisis.
Arijit Sen, President – Government Affairs & Strategic Engagement, Vivo India, gave students an in-depth look at the workings of a government affairs professional in his session on Dealing with Governments: What is Expected from Policy Professionals.
Sandeep Aurora, Group Director & Head – Public Policy and Government Affairs, Microsoft India, examined the unique considerations that shape the public policy environment of MNCs in his session on Advocacy Through the Eyes of an MNC.
Rakesh Dubey, Director – Government Affairs, Carlyle, shed light on what public policy looks like in the financial services and investment sector in his session on Global Investors and Public Policy.
Day 02 -
We continued the engaging learning journey with insightful discussions on investment promotion, coalition building, strategic communication, and the intersection of global affairs with domestic policymaking. The sessions gave participants a deeper understanding of how institutions, industry bodies, media, and diplomacy shape India's policy ecosystem and influence decision-making.
The day concluded with reflections on the evolving role of public policy and public affairs professionals — reinforcing the importance of credible engagement and strategic thinking in navigating complex policy environments.
Karthikeyen K Vice President, Invest India, opened the day with a practitioner's lens on Policy Advocacy from a National Investment Promotion Perspective.
Amitabh Khosla, Country Director – India, International Air Transport Association (IATA), unpacked the mechanics of collective voice in his session on Building Effective Coalitions: The Role of Industry Associations.
Anil Padmanabhan, Senior Journalist and Policy Commentator, brought a sharp communicator's perspective in his session on The Influence Economy: How Attention, Narratives and Trust are Shaping India’s Future.
Ambassador Ravi Dammu, Former Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, offered a rare insider's view in his session on Public Policy and Global Affairs.
Ajay Khanna, Professor of Practice, Indian School of Public Policy and Co-Founder, PAFI, brought the two days together with a closing session on Way Forward: Reflections and Discussion.
