The conference was centred on how digital technology can help achieve technology-led growth, enhance system resilience and ensure inclusive nation-building in the rapidly changing economy of India.

Vision for technology-driven education

Inaugurating the Conclave, Prof. Ashok Banerjee, Director of the Indian Institute of Management Udaipur, began by pointing out the increasing need for technology and artificial intelligence professionals. He spoke about the initiatives taken by IIM Udaipur to meet this need through its MBA programmes in technology and by aligning its teaching and research activities with the requirements of the global industry. He also spoke about the institute’s focus on reaching out to large cities in India to enhance academia-industry interaction.

Digital governance and state-led innovation

The keynote session at the Conclave was delivered by Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana. Speaking about the success of the Digital India programme in Telangana, he pointed out the technological changes brought about in the governance of Telangana, such as optical fibre connectivity, digital services and the use of technology in agriculture and rural development. He also emphasised the need for collaboration between the government, academia and independent institutions to ensure the sustainability of technology-driven growth in emerging economies.

Artificial intelligence and societal value

Prof. Ramayya Krishnan, Emeritus Dean of Carnegie Mellon University, spoke about building business and societal value using artificial intelligence. He talked about multilingual communication systems, healthcare solutions for rural settings and AI-based learning solutions developed with the help of the Gates Foundation. He emphasised the importance of upskilling the workforce, AI governance and reworking organisational processes.

Resilience, innovation and future trajectories

The Conclave included sessions on resilient and inclusive nation-building, success stories from the corporate world through the Ministry of Railways on the GatiShakti initiative and student innovations in AI-driven supply chain solutions. The event ended with a fireside chat that emphasised the importance of data analytics and technology in enhancing sports performance and grassroots inclusion. IIM Udaipur, through D’Future 2026, thus reiterated its position as a facilitator of dialogue and collaboration at the nexus of technology, policy and society.