Speaking about the rapid pace of technological and organisational change, Dr. Zode highlighted adaptability, resilience, emotional intelligence, coordination and human connection as key capabilities for the workforce of the future. He also stressed the need for stronger industry-academia collaboration to keep management education aligned with changing business realities.

Held on the theme “The Future of Industries: What Will Shape Tomorrow’s World?”, Utkarsh 8.0 brought together senior HR professionals and industry leaders to discuss artificial intelligence, automation, emerging industries, changing business models, future skills, reskilling, leadership and evolving employee expectations.

Dr. Bhimaraya Metri, Director, IIM Nagpur, in his Welcome Address, highlighted the scale at which technology is transforming industries. Referring to developments such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence, he stressed the need for organisations to view technological disruption as an opportunity and build a growth-oriented, data-driven workforce.

Prof. Alok Kumar Singh, Dean – Executive Education, IIM Nagpur, presented an overview of the institute’s Executive Education programmes and highlighted IIM Nagpur’s growing engagement with working professionals and organisations. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between industry and academia.

The conclave featured three broad panels covering Emerging Industries, Automation and the Workforce of 2035; Customer Expectations, New-Age Business Models and Changing Talent Requirements; and Future-Proof Careers, Reskilling, Leadership and Employee Experience.

The discussions featured industry leaders including Dr. Charu Jain, Mr. Asit Khuntia, Mr. Rushad Shah, Ms. Prakriti Mehta, Ms. Deepshikha Thakur, Ms. Ruchi Mago, Ms. Nupur Jain, Ms. Samriti Malhotra, Mr. Ashish Banka, Ms. Reessha Chughh, Ms. Aditi Mukherjee, Ms. Mrunal Mahakal, Ms. Urvashi Gupta, Mr. Subhanish Malhotra, Mr. Atul Mishra, Mr. Sushil Barkur, Ms. Megha Thapar, Mr. Arun Pratap Singh, Mr. Indranil C, Mr. Vishal Saxena, Mr. Suhas Paradkar, Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Ms. Rajbir Kaur, Ms. Nishi Srivastava, Mr. Meghesh Nandi, Ms. Vrinda Parasnis, Ms. Deepti Mehta, Mr. Kabir Gaikwad, Mr. Hari Menon and Mr. Shibu Singh.

Mr. DK Bakshi, Chief Mentor & CEO, Global Talent Company, delivered the concluding lecture, offering a forward-looking perspective on workforce planning and the disruptions organisations may face in the coming decade.

A key message emerging from the conclave was that AI and automation are changing work rather than simply eliminating jobs. As technology and business models evolve, organisations and employees will need to continuously develop new skills, while adaptability, leadership, resilience and emotional intelligence will remain critical.

Prof. Shailendra Nigam, Chairperson – Placements, IIM Nagpur, was also present along with faculty members, staff and students. Mr. Rahul Chaturvedi, Placement Officer, IIM Nagpur, delivered the Vote of Thanks.

Utkarsh 8.0 provided IIM Nagpur students an opportunity to interact with industry practitioners and understand contemporary challenges facing organisations, while reinforcing the importance of sustained industry-academia engagement in preparing future managers for a rapidly changing world of work.

Shri C Kumar, Executive Director (HR), accepted the honor on behalf of NTPC during a gala felicitation ceremony attended by prominent industry leaders and HR strategists.

This accolade strongly reinforces NTPC’s long-standing organizational commitment to its core “People before PLF” philosophy, which prioritizes human capital and employee well-being alongside operational performance. By fostering an inclusive, supportive, and continuous-learning environment, NTPC empowers its workforce to innovate, grow, and achieve professional excellence while steering the nation’s energy transformation.

The inaugural edition of Office Drama brought together nine original plays inspired by modern workplace experiences before an audience of over 300 founders, HR leaders, CXOs, creators and media in Bengaluru. Judged by acclaimed actors Chandan Roy and Rajeev Mehta, the platform marked the coming together of India’s startup ecosystem and independent theatre community.

Unlike conventional brand-led events, Office Drama has been designed as a year-round creative platform. Each participating theatre group will collaborate with Onsurity over the next nine months to develop original workplace storytelling content across films, short-form videos and digital formats, while also receiving paid creative opportunities, healthcare benefits and long-term partnerships.

Beyond judging the performances, Chandan Roy and Rajeev Mehta conducted mentoring sessions with participating theatre groups, sharing insights on storytelling, performance and creativity, and discussing how these skills can strengthen communication, leadership and workplace culture. With themes ranging from burnout and AI to leadership and workplace relationships, Onsurity plans to take Office Drama to startup hubs across India before expanding into Tier II and Tier III cities.

Chandan Roy, said, “Every workplace has stories that deserve to be told, and theatre has a unique way of making those experiences feel real and relatable. I am excited to be part of an initiative that not only celebrates storytelling but also creates meaningful opportunities for theatre artists.”

Rajeev Mehta, said, “Theatre has always reflected society, and workplaces are one of the biggest parts of our lives today. Office Drama is a refreshing idea that encourages people to look at work through empathy, humour and honest conversations while giving theatre artists a larger platform.”

“Office Drama began with a simple belief that workplaces are made up of stories, not just systems and processes. We wanted to create a platform where those experiences could be interpreted through theatre while creating meaningful opportunities for India’s independent theatre community. Our investment goes beyond an event—we’re building a long-term cultural property that sparks better workplace conversations and supports creators along the way,” said Kulin Shah, Co-Founder & COO, Onsurity.

“Traditional campaigns buy attention, but cultural properties build memory. Office Drama marks our shift from campaign-led marketing to platform-led brand building. Every performance will evolve into digital content over the coming months, making this a year-round storytelling platform rather than a one-time activation,” said Sourav Samadder, Associate Director – Brand & Communications, Onsurity.

Office Drama will be evaluated across brand, community, content and business outcomes, including earned media, audience engagement, creator participation and long-term relationships with founders and business leaders. Through this initiative, Onsurity aims to build one of India’s most distinctive cultural platforms exploring the future of work.

Under his leadership, GAIL has successfully launched several pioneering HR transformation initiatives aimed at building a future-ready, inclusive workforce. These flagship programs include ” GAIL Abha” (an entrepreneurship initiative for employee spouses), AI “ Tarang “ (driving company-wide AI adoption), “Spandan “ (promoting holistic employee well-being), and “ Manthan  “ (an internal innovation and suggestion scheme). This recognition stands as a testament to Shri Gupta’s exemplary leadership and underscores GAIL’s unwavering commitment to nurturing talent and empowering its people.

GAIL #Leadership #HRTransformation #PeopleFirst #Innovation #ArtificialIntelligence #EmployeeWellbeing #FutureOfWork #TalentDevelopment #CorporateLeadership #Sustainability #IndiaEnergy #EnergizingPossibilities