Inaugural Session: Digital Bharat 2030: Powering Education Ecosystem through AI, Skill & Innovation
The summit commenced with an inspiring Inaugural Session on “Digital Bharat 2030: Powering Education Ecosystem through AI, Skill & Innovation,” setting the tone for discussions on India’s technology-driven education transformation. The session opened with a warm Welcome Address by Kumar Chandan Anand, Founder, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group, who highlighted the importance of innovation and collaboration in advancing the education ecosystem. Guest of Honour Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) and National Board of Accreditation (NBA), shared valuable insights on technology-enabled education and quality enhancement. Guest Speaker Kunwar Shekhar Vijendra, Co-founder & Chancellor, Shobhit University and Chairman, ASSOCHAM National Council on Education, and Dr. S. K. Rathor, Founder, Chairman & MD, Sanfort Group of Schools, further shared their perspectives on technology, skills and innovation shaping a future-ready India. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
Panel 1: NEP 2020 for Viksit Bharat: The Blueprint Aligning Policy, Process & Innovation for National Growth
The first panel discussion, “NEP 2020 for Viksit Bharat: The Blueprint Aligning Policy, Process & Innovation for National Growth,” brought together eminent education leaders to deliberate on the effective implementation of NEP 2020 and its role in building a future-ready education ecosystem. The session was moderated by Dr. Sujeet Eric Masih, Principal, Apeejay School, Saket, New Delhi. The distinguished panel featured Prof. Basuthkar Jagadeeshwar Rao, Pro Chancellor & Vice-Chancellor, SGT University, Gurugram; Prof. (Dr.) Ajay Rana, Director General, AMITY University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh; Tijay Gupta, Co-founder & COO, Bachpan & AHPS Group of Schools; Prof. Ankur Gill, Director of Operations, Swami Vivekanand Group of Institutions, Chandigarh; Mary Mahendri, Principal, GEMS Millennium School, Gurugram, Haryana; and Tripti Tiwari, Principal, Lawrence Academy, Gulaothi, Bulandshahr. The panellists shared valuable perspectives on aligning policy, institutional processes and innovation to accelerate NEP implementation and support India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
Panel 2: Building Future-Ready Schools: From Smart Campuses to Intelligent Education Ecosystem
The second panel discussion, “Building Future-Ready Schools: From Smart Campuses to Intelligent Education Ecosystem,” brought together leading school education experts to explore how technology, innovation and intelligent infrastructure can transform learning environments and create future-ready institutions. The session was moderated by Amol Arora, MD, Shemrock & Shemford Group of Schools, who guided the discussion on evolving school ecosystems and the changing needs of learners. The distinguished panel featured Manish Rastogi, Group CEO & Director, Zee Learn Limited; Abhishek Rathor, COO, Sanfort Group of Schools; Bindu Sangwan, Founder Principal, The Gurukulam School, Jaipur; and Neha Singh, Director, St. Kabir’s School & Siddharth International School, Hisar. The panellists shared valuable perspectives on smart campuses, AI-enabled learning, personalised education, digital infrastructure, teacher preparedness and the importance of creating intelligent, inclusive and learner-centric schools where technology meaningfully supports educational outcomes. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
Panel 3: Reshaping HEIs Beyond Degrees: Reimagining Employability, Skills & Career Readiness in the AI Age
The third panel discussion, “Reshaping HEIs Beyond Degrees: Reimagining Employability, Skills & Career Readiness in the AI Age,” brought together eminent higher education leaders to examine how institutions can move beyond traditional degree-centric models and prepare learners for an evolving world of work. The session was moderated by Dr. Amit Gupta, Chairman, Jagannath International Management School (JIMS), New Delhi, who steered the conversation around employability, skills and career readiness. The distinguished panel featured Dr. Picheswar Gadde, Chancellor, Lingaya’s Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Faridabad; Prof. (Dr.) Tankeshwar Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh; Vinita Rohera, Managing Trustee, Gandhinagar University, Gandhinagar; Prof. (Dr.) VR Raghuveer, Vice-Chancellor, SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat; and Prof. Buta Singh Sidhu, Vice Chancellor, Shobhit University, Gangoh. The panellists shared insights on industry-aligned curricula, emerging skills, experiential learning, adaptability and leveraging AI to strengthen employability and career readiness. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
Panel 4: Responsible AI for Student Enrollment: Balancing Innovation, Transparency and Trust in Higher Education Systems
The fourth panel discussion, “Responsible AI for Student Enrollment: Balancing Innovation, Transparency and Trust in Higher Education,” examined the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence in student enrollment while highlighting the importance of transparency, accountability, fairness and trust. The session was moderated by Abhay Gupta, Founder & Chairman, Luxury Connect Business School, Gurugram, who led an insightful conversation on responsible AI adoption across the admissions ecosystem. The distinguished panel featured Prof. (Dr.) Shalya Raj, CEO, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut; Dr. R. D. Patidar, Vice Chancellor, O. P. Jindal University, Raigarh; Siddhartth Singh, Director – Sales, Meritto; Dr. Manoj Manuja, Vice Chancellor, Geeta University, Panipat; and Prof. (Dr.) Arun Garg, Vice Chancellor, MVN University, Palwal. The panellists discussed AI-enabled enrollment, data privacy, algorithmic fairness, ethical governance and the need to balance technological innovation with student rights and institutional responsibility. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
Panel 5: Digital Divide Challenge: Ensuring Inclusive, Accessible & Equitable Education for Every Learner
The fifth panel discussion, “Digital Divide Challenge: Ensuring Inclusive, Accessible & Equitable Education for Every Learner,” brought together eminent higher education leaders to examine the persistent gaps in digital infrastructure, connectivity, technology access and quality learning opportunities. The session was moderated by Prof. (Dr.) Satish Chander Sharma, Pro Vice Chancellor, Babu Banarasi Das University, Lucknow, who guided the discussion on advancing digital inclusion and educational equity. The distinguished panel featured Prof. (Dr.) P.N. Hrisheekesha, Vice Chancellor, Dr. K. N. Modi University, Ghaziabad; Dr. Manju Gupta, Vice Chancellor, Glocal University, Saharanpur; Dr. Parma Nand, Vice Chancellor, Sharda University, Agra; Prof. (Dr.) Jayanand, Pro Vice Chancellor, Shobhit University, Meerut; and Prof. (Dr.) Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Pro Vice Chancellor, IIMT University, Greater Noida. The panellists discussed affordable connectivity, accessible digital content, multilingual resources, teacher preparedness and inclusive technology solutions to ensure equitable access to quality education for every learner. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
Kapil Jaitley
The Industry Speech on “Smart Classrooms, Smarter Learning: How Samsung is Transforming Education with AI-Powered Displays” was delivered by Kapil Jaitley, Chief Manager, B2B, D.Sol Biz, Samsung.
Vikram Shah
The Industry Speech on “Rewire or Retire: The Intelligence Era of Education” was delivered by Vikram Shah, Chief Business Officer, Meritto.
Urvashi Rana
The Industry Speech on “Building a Connected School — Empowering Administrators, Educators & Families to Advance Student Outcomes” was delivered by Urvashi Rana, Senior Manager, Sales, PowerSchool.
Abhyash Singh
The Industry Speech on “Drillbit Plagiarism and AI Usage and Features” was delivered by Abhyash Singh, Associate Vice President, Drillbit Softtech India Pvt Ltd.
Richa Mohini
The Industry Speech on “Introducing AI-Powered Unified Communications” was delivered by Richa Mohini, Chief Operating Officer, SUPERBOT.
The summit concluded with a thoughtful Valedictory Session, featuring Special Guest Dr. Anup Kumar Rajput, Department of Elementary Education, NCERT, Ministry of Education, Government of India. The session reflected on the key insights and discussions from across the conclave, highlighting the collective vision for a more inclusive, innovative and future-ready education ecosystem. The event concluded with a Thank You Note by Kumar Chandan Anand, Founder, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group, expressing gratitude to the distinguished speakers, education leaders, partners and participants for their valuable contributions towards making the conclave a meaningful platform for dialogue and collaboration. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
The conclave also featured a dynamic RoundTable Discussion on “From Smart Classrooms to Intelligent Campuses: Powering Education Transformation Through AI & Innovation,” exploring how AI, smart technologies and digital innovation can transform educational institutions from conventional classrooms into connected, intelligent learning ecosystems. The session began with a Welcome Note by Ashish Jain, Co-founder & COO, ArdorComm Media Group. The roundtable brought together technology and education leaders including Vikas Sanwal, Director, D.Sol Biz, SAMSUNG; Kapil Jaitley, Chief Manager, B2B, D.Sol Biz, SAMSUNG; Pardeep Nayar, Chief Manager – Marketing, D.Sol Biz, SAMSUNG; Varun Khandelwal, DGM – Vertical Sales, D.Sol Biz, SAMSUNG; Dr. H. R. Mahadevaswamy, Vice Chancellor, JSS University, Noida; Dr. Puneet Batra, Pro Vice Chancellor, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad; Dr. Arun Kumar Singh, Director, NIET Business School, Greater Noida; Dr. Prerna Dawar Saluja, Founder Dean – Student Welfare, Geeta University, Panipat; Harshit Bansal, Member, Abhinav Group of Schools; Pancham Bhatia, CEO, Holy Child Public School, Faridabad; Geetika Bahuguna, COO Academics, Little Millennium Education Pvt Ltd., Gurugram; Mohini Sharma, Director Principal, Basant Valley Public School, Sector 89, Gurugram; Arti Sharma, Director Principal, Basant Valley Global School, Gurugram; Dr. C.S. Nair, Director- Strategy, Skills & Capacity Building, Silverline Prestige School, Ghaziabad; Sanyogita Sharma, Director, Manav Rachna International School, Faridabad; Dr. Priti Ojha, Principal, Seth M.R. Jaipuria School, Bhiwadi; Geeta S, Principal, ITM Global School, Gwalior; Akhilesh Chandra Chaturvedi, Principal, DPS Marutikunj, Gurugram; Bindu Sangwan, Founder Principal, The Gurukulam School, Jaipur; Nisha Aneja, Principal, G.D. Goenka Public School, Sector 9, Rohini, Delhi; Tripti Tiwari, Principal, Lawrence Academy, Gulaothi, Bulandshahr; Manish Rastogi, Group CEO & Director, Zee Learn Limited; V K Mishra, Principal, Dewan Public School, Meerut; and Neetu Singh, Director-Principal, B N Public Group of Schools, Faridabad. The discussion highlighted the growing importance of intelligent infrastructure, connected campuses, AI-enabled learning and technology-led institutional transformation in building future-ready education ecosystems. Watch the session on ArdorComm TV.
Award & Felicitation Ceremony
A major highlight of the conclave was the ArdorComm Education Leadership Awards 2026, which celebrated and recognised individuals and organisations making significant contributions to India’s evolving education landscape. The prestigious awards honoured educators, academicians, institutions, EdTech companies and startups for their exemplary leadership, innovation and commitment to strengthening teaching, learning and employability outcomes. The Awards and Felicitation Ceremony provided a distinguished platform to acknowledge excellence and impactful contributions across key segments of the education ecosystem, including Preschool Education, School Education, Higher Education, Skills & Training, EdTech Startups and EdTech Corporate. The recognition celebrated those driving meaningful transformation through innovative practices, technology adoption, institutional leadership and learner-centric approaches, while highlighting their vital role in shaping a more inclusive, innovative and future-ready Indian education system.
