CII ANNUAL TECHNOLOGY & IP SUMMIT

Mr B Thiagarajan

B Thiagarajan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Madurai University. He has also completed the Senior Executive Programme from London Business School. He has over four decades of experience, having worked for reputable companies such as Larsen & Toubro Limited, BPL Systems Limited, and Voltas Limited, prior to joining Blue Star in 1998. Mr Thiagarajan has led Products and Service Businesses and many Corporate functions before being elevated to the Board in 2013. He was appointed as Joint Managing Director in 2016 before taking charge as Managing Director in April 2019. Mr Thiagarajan is a member of the Board of National Skill Development Corporation. He plays an active role in various industry forums. He is currently a member of the CII National Council and chairs the CII Skills Steering Council and CII National Committee on CSR. He also Co-chairs the CII National Committee on Technology, R&D, and Innovation.

In the past, he has served as the National Chairman of the Indian Green Building Council, Chairman of CII Green Cooling Council, President of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Manufacturers Association.

Mr Alok Nanda

Alok Nanda is General Manager, Services Engineering at GE Aerospace. Based in Bengaluru, he leads a global engineering organization dedicated to improving fleet stability, customer responsiveness, and services performance across the commercial engine installed base. His teams partner with Product Lines, Systems Engineering, Customer Experience, and MRO operations to increase Time On Wing, accelerate shop visit turnaround, scale Part Return to Service, and strengthen shop economics — with Analytics Based Maintenance, AI-enabled insight, and FLIGHT DECK operating rigor as core levers. Alok has spent 25 years at GE in engineering and technical leadership roles across GE Aerospace, GE Research, and the legacy energy business. Most recently, he was Chief Technology Officer for GE Aerospace in India and, earlier, Chief Executive Officer of the GE John F. Welch Technology Centre and Chief Technology Officer for GE South Asia. He began his career with India's Defence Research & Development Organisation, where he spent eight years in product development and program management. He holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Design from IIT Bombay and serves as co chairperson of the CII National Committee on R&D and Innovation.

Dr Gopichand Katragadda

Dr. Gopichand Katragadda is the Founder and CEO of Myelin Foundry, an AI company focused on transforming human experiences and outcomes across media and entertainment, industrial IoT, and automotive. He serves as an Independent Director at Bosch India, Asian Paints, and ICICI Securities and advises and invests in early-stage Deep Tech startups. Previously, he was Group Chief Technology Officer and Innovation Head at Tata Sons, driving technology collaboration and innovation across the Tata Group. He also served as Chairman and Managing Director of GE India Technology Centre, where he helped develop GE’s largest R&D centre. Dr. Katragadda is the immediate past Chairman of the CII National Technology Committee and has contributed to establishing Centres of Excellence at IIT Madras and IIT Kharagpur. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University, has authored SMASH on innovation, and holds five patents and over 30 journal publications.

Daisaku Yukita

Mr. Yukita is a career JETRO official with nearly three decades of experience, having joined the Japan External Trade Organization in 1997. His career has been particularly focused on international business development, with previous US and European experience, who has arrived in India at a time when JETRO is trying to broaden the bilateral economic relationship into technology, innovation, SMEs, human resources and regional/state-level cooperation.

He became Chief Director General of JETRO India in June 2026, and has been visibly involved in the current push to broaden the India–Japan economic relationship. In the recent interview, Yukita described India–Japan relations as having entered a "new era." His emphasis is on moving the relationship toward areas such as economic security, innovation, clean energy, technology, human capital and collaboration between Indian and Japanese companies, while continuing to promote Japanese investment in India.

He also moderated the Economic Security, Innovation and Human Capital session at the July 2026 India–Japan Joint Economic Forum in New Delhi, involving companies including Fujifilm, Preferred Networks and quantum-computing startup Yaqumo.

Max Shmagin

Mr. Maxim Shmagin is the Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Israel in Bengaluru since July 2026. In this role, he supports the Consulate's diplomatic, political, economic, and cultural engagement across South India, while strengthening bilateral relations between Israel and India.

Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Shmagin served as the First Secretary at the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine, where he contributed to advancing Israel's diplomatic interests and fostering bilateral cooperation.

Before joining Israel's diplomatic service, Mr. Shmagin practised as an advocate in Jerusalem, Israel, providing legal representation and advisory services. His legal background has equipped him with extensive expertise in legal affairs, negotiations, and public administration, which continues to support his diplomatic work.

With experience spanning both the legal profession and international diplomacy, Mr. Shmagin brings a strong combination of legal acumen, strategic insight, and cross-cultural engagement to his current role. He is committed to promoting cooperation between Israel and India in areas including innovation, technology, trade, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

Mr Sacha Wunsch-Vincent

Mr. Wunsch-Vincent is Co-Editor of the Global Innovation Index and Head of Section in the Department for Economics and Data Analytics, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector at WIPO, where he leads a team of economists and data scientists to produce evidence-based insights and policy recommendations on innovation and intellectual property (IP) issues.

With close to 30 years of experience in the field of innovation economics and IP, Sacha is passionate about fostering innovative minds and institutions around the world, and translating the work of innovation economics for policy. He has published several books and articles on topics such as the informal economy, public research, and ICTs, and has advised organizations such as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum. He is also a lecturer at the University of Oxford and an adjunct professor at Sciences Po. Sacha holds a PhD in economics from the University of St. Gallen, and has been a fellow at several institutions, such as the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology and the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He sits on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Innovation Studies and was a scholar of the German Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes throughout his studies.

Dr K Ganesh

Dr.K.Ganesh is a Partner, Managing Partner of Chennai Office and Global Lead of “Manufacturing and Supply Chain Center of Competence” – 100 members team of McKinsey & Company. He is specialized in logistics and supply chain transformation for various industry verticals – FMCG, Auto and Oil & Gas focusing digital, AI and Agentic AI advancements. He has graduated in Production Engineering with the university first rank, and pursued his Masters’ degree in Industrial Engineering at NIT Trichy with college first. He did his PhD in Supply Chain at IIT Madras. He is having total 22+ years of SC research and consulting experience. He has published more than 200+ papers in leading international journals and written 15+ international books. He is editorial board for 10+ international journals. He likes writing English & Tamil poems.

Manoj Meena

Manoj Meena is the Founder, Chairman & Managing Director of Atomberg, a deep-tech, R&D-led consumer technology company, which also operates Atomberg Innovation Private Limited (AIPL), its B2B components manufacturing subsidiary. His interest in energy efficiency was shaped early. Growing up in rural Rajasthan, where reliable electricity was not a given, he developed a lasting conviction that Indian households deserve appliances engineered for Indian operating conditions rather than adapted from global blueprints. He graduated from IIT Bombay in 2011 with a dual degree in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering, and founded Atomberg the same year. Between 2012 and 2015, he led the foundational engineering work across data acquisition, embedded and control systems, and motor design that produced Atomberg’s first BLDC motor prototype for ceiling fans — a breakthrough in power consumption that is today a five-generation motor platform, each generation improving efficiency, form factor, integrated control electronics and cost. Anchored in a first-principles, India-first engineering philosophy, Manoj has built Atomberg as a platform led technology company on a dual-engine model: a consumer appliances business spanning fans, mixer grinders, water purifiers, kitchen appliances and smart locks; and AIPL, which designs and supplies critical motor and electronics components to leading OEMs across appliances, automotive, industrial, and emerging defence, medical and space applications. Both draw on a shared, modular stack of motors, power electronics, control systems, embedded software, connectivity and industrial design.

Andreas Kurbos

Andreas Kurbos is a transportation and product designer and CEO of StudioKurbos GmbH in Stuttgart, with an additional studio in Shanghai. He holds a Diploma in Transportation Design from the Instituto Europeo di Design (IED), Turin, where his studies were sponsored by smart GmbH.

He began his professional career at smart GmbH, working across exterior, interior, and product design, including projects for the smart fortwo, smart crossblade, and smart formore. He subsequently joined Silberform AG, where he served as Team Leader and later as Head of Design and Member of the Management Board. Since May 2013, Andreas has led StudioKurbos, an independent, owner-managed design studio with more than 50 permanent employees. The studio’s clients include Porsche, Daimler, the German Aerospace Center, Mercedes-Benz Accessories, RUF Automobile, Wiesmann, Chery, Geely, Bosch, Ford, Interstuhl, German Bionic Systems, BLANCO, Warwick, and Leica Camera.

Leonid Artemov

Deputy Director of the Center for Technological Cooperation at the Skolkovo Foundation. He has over 30 years of experience in business development, international cooperation and technology commercialization. His key competencies include building international technology consortia, structuring joint ventures with BRICS+ partners, and managing large-scale projects in unmanned systems. He focuses on creating practical mechanisms that connect developers, manufacturers, investors and industrial customers.

Sergei Vikharev

President of the Association of High-Tech Developers “Union for International Technology Cooperation” (SMTC). He has over 30 years of experience in business development, industrial management, B2B/B2G sales, and project development across manufacturing and technology-driven sectors. His key competencies include technology commercialization, building partnerships between developers, manufacturers, investors and customers, and developing international cooperation, including BRICS+ markets. He holds an engineering degree and an MBA and focuses on creating practical cooperation models that bring technologies to production and market.

Ms Galina Bulavintseva

Head of International Projects at the Skolkovo Foundation, Russia's largest innovation ecosystem uniting over 5,500 technology companies in AI, DeepTech, Industrial Tech, Energy and other priority sectors. She focuses on expanding the Foundation's international network of accelerator partners and developing cooperation on corporate innovation and technology scouting with organizations working closely with corporations seeking innovative technology solutions.

Ankur Goel

CEO of Skwerup Capital Partners and Advisor to the President at the International Alliance of BRICS Strategic Projects. He is a member of seven Industrial Committees of the Russian Federation Business Clusters. With extensive experience across BRICS+ markets, he provides 360-degree solutions for technologies and innovations, including investments, B2B and B2G collaborations, technology transfer and licensing across various sectors.

Dr Lt General RK Anand

Dr Lt. General RK Anand an alumnus of IIT Delhi, has done PhD in Cyber Security, has experience of 40 years in Indian Army involving setting up of next generation Data Networks, Cyber Security, Logistics Networks and Infrastructure development. He is currently the CEO of iQuantara, Executive Director & Group President with AVPL International.

Dr Ajay Jaysingh Khopade

Dr. Ajay Jaysingh Khopade is a Site Head of R&D, and Vice President Heading non-oral speciality division at Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (SPIL).

He has over 25 years of experience in Sun Pharma in pharmaceutical product development. In his current role as VP-R&D, is responsible for the development of SPILs complex generic and specialty products.

Dr. Khopade was a recipient of a prestigious lifelong Humboldt post-doctoral fellowship under which worked at the Max Plank Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Germany. He is also a recipient of a prestigious JSPS fellowship from the Ministry of Japan.

He is a board member of the European Union’s prestigious Marie-Curie Fellowship P4FIT programme. He is also on the academic board for MS University, NIPER, and various other colleges and institutes.

Dr. Khopade has participated as a CMC expert in the submission of a number of INDs, NDAs to USFDA and other regulatory Agencies.

He is an inventor of a platform nanotechnology in the field of oncology (Nanotecton®), ophthalmics (GFR®, SMM® Trisurf® and TearAct®) protected by various IPs globally with over a dozen patents. Most of these technologies are commercialized.

He is a pharmaceutical and material scientist with an interest in understanding the physical chemistry of drug delivery system design.

Dr Surat Parvatam

She completed her PhD in Cell Biology from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, where her research focused on understanding how cell shapes and patterns influence development.

Following her PhD, she served as Chief Manager at the Centre for Predictive Human Model Systems, Atal Incubation Centre–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (AIC-CCMB), established in collaboration with Humane World, for four years. During her tenure, the Centre worked towards enabling human-relevant technologies in the biomedical research sector in India through multi-stakeholder dialogue, policy engagement, awareness and training programmes.

She currently serves as Senior Program Director (Research and Toxicology), where she works towards regulatory transformation and the adoption of innovative, human-relevant technologies across drug development, chemical and agrochemical safety testing, vaccine batch safety testing, and biomedical research.

Dr KVS Raju

Dr. K. V. S. Narayana Raju is a veterinarian and subject matter expert in Pharmacology and Toxicology, currently leading the New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) initiative at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad. He led the release of the report, “Landscape Analysis on Alternatives to Animal Testing for Drug Development in India,” in collaboration with inStem and Humane World for Animals (HWA), India.

Dr. Raju represents Dr. Reddy’s in HWA’s Animal-Free Safety Assessment (AFSA) Collaboration – Medicines Work Stream, contributing to NAMs-related scientific and regulatory advancements. Previously, he served as Head, Preclinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, Biologics at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, leading safety programs for biosimilars, monoclonal antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates. He is also a trained GLP Auditor with extensive experience auditing CROs in India and internationally.

He earned his Ph.D. from TANUVAS, Chennai, and previously served as an Assistant Professor at Madras Veterinary College.

Sridar Narayan

Dr. Shridhar Narayanan is a pharmaceutical scientist, drug discovery expert and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in drug discovery and development, particularly in infectious diseases. He is Founder Director, Chairman and CEO of the Foundation for Neglected Disease Research (FNDR), a not-for-profit organization focused on developing treatments for neglected diseases. Previously, he served as Vice President and Head of Innovative Science at AstraZeneca India, contributing to drug discovery and development in tuberculosis, malaria and other therapeutic areas. He has also worked across pharmaceutical partnerships, licensing and translational research. Dr. Narayanan holds a PhD in Pharmacology from The Ohio State University.

Dr Pradip Das

Dr. Pradip Das is a Life-sciences R&D and quality leader with 20+ years of industry experience and more than 13 years of experience in leading multidisciplinary capabilities across clinical development support, analytical strategy, nonclinical testing, regulatory readiness, technology transfer and commercial lifecycle management. Currently he leads an approximately 100-member organization spanning virology, stability, in vivo testing, molecular biology and developmental and commercial vaccine programs. He is experienced in building operating mechanisms, scaling specialist capabilities, developing leaders, integrating matrix stakeholders and converting global program needs into phased roadmaps, governance, talent plans and measurable delivery. He is currently working as a general manager at Biological E Limited.

Dr Kasinath Viswanathan

Dr. Kasinath obtained his PhD from University of Madras in chemistry. He has 8 years of postdoctoral experience from US and Canada. He brings over 14 years of drug discovery experience in various therapeutic areas including inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases, anti-infectives and metabolic disorders. He is currently appointed as Senior general manager and head (in vitro biology) at Zydus Research center.

Rahul Date

Dr. Rahul Date is a Biochemist, with 20 years of experience in molecular biology, embryonic stem cell culture, animal handling and generation of transgenic models, protein biochemistry, viral and non-viral vector mediated gene delivery, and has strong aptitude for diagnostics and therapeutic approaches for diseases. He has obtained his PhD in biochemistry from University of Bonn and has over 4 years of postdoctoral experience from Germany. He has worked on characterization of cancer-associated molecules, lipid peroxidation system and flavonoid’s beneficial effects. He has 11 years of sound industrial experience involving idea generation to concept development and testing, cost reduction and technical support in quality management and up scaling of the process. He is currently serving as a R&D section head at JRF Global.

Mr Janak Nabar

Janak Nabar has been leading CTIER’s research initiatives. He has worked as an Economist and Investment Strategist in Singapore and the UNHCR in Serbia. He has served on various Government and Industry committees to inform innovation policy.

He is a trustee and on the governing council of various healthcare and education NGOs. Janak holds a BA in Mathematics from the University of Pune, an MA in Mathematics from Oxford and an MSc in Econometrics & Mathematical Economics from LSE.

Dr (Hon.) Premraj Keshyep

Dr. (Hon.) Premraj Keshyep is the Founder and Managing Director of Conmat Heavy Industries. (formerly known as KYB Conmat, an equity partnership with KYB Corporation of Japan). A technocrat known for his focus on Product Development and Innovation, he started Conmat Group of Industries from a small, rented facility.

Through his vision, dedication, and leadership, he transformed the Company into one of the world’s most prominent Concrete Construction Equipment manufacturers. Driven by its State-of-the-Art R&D facility in Vadodara, Conmat is now diversifying into manufacturing of Earthmoving Equipment and Heavy Electric Vehicles.

He served as the Chairman of CII Gujarat State Council for 2025-26. Presently, he is the Chairman of CII Gujarat State Council's Taskforce on Research, Development & Innovation and Co-Chairman of the CII Western Region's Sub-Committee on Quality & Standards.

Mr. Premraj has been conferred upon many national and international awards for his contribution towards Industry & Society. He is also an advisor to several industrial bodies and technical universities.

He believes that Business is a Journey and Success is just a milestone. Profit has no significance if the organisation does not play a role in giving back to the society.

Mr Sven Hommeyer

Sven Hommeyer is Head of Finance R&D for Siemens Electrification & Automation and is responsible for the financial steering of global research and development activities supporting next-generation electrification and automation technologies. With more than three decades of experience at Siemens, Sven has held a range of leadership positions across finance, business administration, operational excellence, and performance management.

Throughout his career, he has been closely involved in driving innovation through effective R&D governance, strategic investment decisions, and the scaling of global technology portfolios. His focus is on enabling sustainable growth by linking R&D excellence, business value creation, and international collaboration across innovation ecosystems.

Manoj Rustagi

In his current role as Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer at JSW Cement Limited, India, he leads the company’s sustainability and R&D initiatives across cement, GGBS, construction chemicals, and ready-mix concrete. He also serves as Whole-time Director and CEO of Shiva Cement Limited and Director on the Board of JSW Cement FZC, UAE. Passionate about sustainable growth, he champions advanced technologies, innovation, and next-generation industrial practices, and regularly speaks at global forums on sustainability, innovation, and low-carbon building materials.

Sanjeev Agrawal

An R&D professional with over 30 years of experience in design, engineering, innovation and product development across electrical, lighting, consumer, industrial, IT and IoT products. He has extensive expertise in setting up design and engineering centres, managing innovation and R&D, and leading multi-location and cross-functional teams. His experience spans product design, engineering and industrialisation, program and project management, quality and testing, mould and tool development, and complex product platform development. He has worked across low-voltage products, switchgear, lighting, white goods, consumer durables, motors, fans, IT equipment and IoT solutions. He specialises in innovation management, end-user-driven product development, engineering management, competency building and standard-driven product design.

Rahul Vale

Rahul Vale is a seasoned Engineering & Technology professional with 25+ years of rich experience in leading R&D teams and managing Innovation ecosystem in various industries. Rahul is a Mechanical Engr and Gold Medallist from Pune University, later completed his master’s degree from BITS Pilani. Rahul started his R&D career with DRDO Pune and is a recipient of “Best Scientist of the Year” Award. He transitioned later in corporate world while working at GE and Eaton in the R&D domains.

Rahul is currently leading Danfoss India Innovation Centre, a Global capability centre for Danfoss. He has been working with Danfoss from past 20 years and has a leadership experience Product Design, Simulations and Innovation Management. During his two decades of career with Danfoss, he has designed & developed various Hydraulics products and systems and commercialized them. Rahul played a key role in introducing new technologies in the areas of Materials, Manufacturing and Biomimicry to drive Sustainability in the products. Rahul is instrumental in establishing capability for AI & ML at DIIC to enable smart product features, productivity and drive Digital Factory initiatives within Danfoss plants. At DIIC, Rahul is leading overall team of 700+ engineers, technologist and professionals.

Rahul has a strong record of working with innovation partners such as Government bodies like ARAI, Institutes like FPSI and Academia which includes IITs and several Engineering colleges to develop talent pipeline and R&D capabilities. Rahul has been supporting FPSI as a Vice Chairman of West India Chapter.

Dinesh Tantuvay

Dinesh Tantuvay leads Electric Power Systems Engineering at Collins Aerospace. He focuses on engineering excellence, strategic execution, talent development and building future-ready engineering capabilities. With over two decades of experience in aerospace engineering, including Collins Aerospace and prior experience at HAL, Dinesh brings a strong blend of technology, innovation, systems thinking, business perspective and engineering leadership to discussions on innovation, capability development, talent development, and collaboration.

Dr B Chagun Basha

Dr. B. Chagun Basha is the Chief Policy Adviser at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, where he leads the Policy Analytics and Insights Unit (PAIU). He is engaged in efforts related to standardization of science, technology and innovation (STI) indicators, technology foresight, shaping governance frameworks and international engagement strategies for emerging technologies, and advancing deep tech innovation. He plays a critical role in strengthening institutional mechanisms for science-policy interfaces. Dr. Basha also contributes to several regional and global task forces, actively shaping the evolving field of STI diplomacy -both as a domain of scholarship and a tool of statecraft.

Dr Devesh Kothwala

He holds a Doctorate (2003) Organic Chemistry, with research focused on Controlled Kinetics, and served in past as an industrial-research co-guide for postgraduate and Ph.D. scholars. With over 25 years of experience in Medical Devices, he currently serves as Vice President – Technical & R&D at Meril Life Sciences, Vapi.

He leads a team of around 180 professionals working on about 50 R&D projects across cardiovascular, peripheral, neurovascular, structural heart, orthopaedic and other medical-device segments.

He has 200+ research publications and 100+ granted patents across the globe. His R&D leadership has contributed to around 12 national and international recognitions, including patent, WIPO, CII and Hospital Tech Awards.

Dr Raj Kumar P Singh

Dr. R.K.P. Singh is Senior Director, Kalyani Centre for Technology & Innovation (KCTI) - Bharat Forge Ltd; PUNE. He is B.E. from BIT, Sindri (1970), M.Tech from IIT Bombay (1975) & Ph D from IIT, Madras in Metallurgical Engineering (1994). He has Green Belt Certification for SIX-SIGMA.

Before joining Bharat Forge Dr. R.K.P. Singh was Director General, Institute of Steel Development & Growth, Kolkata Dr Singh was Professor at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur for 3 years and earlier to that he served as General Manager (QC, R&D), Lloyds Steel Industries Limited, Wardha for six years. Before joining Lloyds Steel, Dr. Singh worked in SAIL at Bokaro Steel Plant and at R&D Centre for Iron & Steel in various capacities for a total period of 22 years. Dr. Singh has over 150 national / international publications and 26 Patents to his credit. He has widely travelled to USSR, Sweden, Norway, UK, USA, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, S-Korea, Spain, France, Germany, Australia and other countries. He has played Key role in development and transfer of several technologies in India. His prime areas of expertise are application engineering, product development, failure analysis, steel making and processing and TQM. He was conferred the Distinguished Service Award of IIT, Bombay in December 2018. He figures in Marquis Book of “Who-is-Who in Science & Engineering”, and in 2000 Outstanding Scientist of 21st Century compiled by International Biographical Centre Cambridge, England. He has guided 9 PhD’s under Indian and Australian Universities. He was conferred Fellowship of Indian National Academy of Engineering in 2023. He is Life Fellow of the Indian Institute of Metals. Since year 2012 he is member of the Apex Council for PM Fellowship.

Dr Chetan Hazaree

Dr. Chetan Hazaree is Head of Innovation & Sustainability at MYK LATICRETE, with over 24 years of experience spanning the USA, Europe, India and global markets. His work covers strategic innovation management, open innovation, academia-industry collaboration, technology scale-up and sustainability, connecting R&D with business impact. He actively promotes collaborative innovation ecosystems and translating research into scalable industry solutions. He has also contributed nearly 50 publications to industry and technical knowledge.

Pravin Hungund

Pravin Hungund brings 30+ years of leadership in deep tech, digital transformation, and public policy. As CEO of KTIMF and the Innoverse Foundation, he accelerates Karnataka’s deep-tech startups and oversees the Museum of Innovation in Bengaluru. A former Indian Administrative Fellow with GoK, he architected two DPI platforms, Pravin previously served as Chief Technologist & Global Head of Technovation at Wipro, establishing innovation centers in Bengaluru and Silicon Valley that delivered 100+ solutions. An active ecosystem builder, he serves on advisory boards for industry bodies and jury panels for CII and GoK Elevate awards in innovation, deep tech, and R&D.

Dr Shailaja Donempudi

Dr. Shailaja Donempudi is a Distinguished Scientist and Head, Business Development Group (BDG) at CSIR Headquarters, New Delhi, leading CSIR's new strategic vertical for business development, industry engagement, ministerial collaborations, and CSR initiatives across 37 laboratories. With over three decades of experience, she previously served as Chief Scientist & Head, BDRM at CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad, following 25 years in Polymers & Functional Materials research and 8 years in S&T strategy. She holds a Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry (1993) and has guided 4 Ph.D. and 25 master's students, published 35 papers, and completed major national projects. A CSIR-DAAD Fellow (1996), she has earned three Technology Team Awards for successful technology transfers and is an invited speaker at major national and international platforms including ASSAF, OPCW, and KISTEP.

Prof Dr Milind Dhobley

Prof. Dr. Milind M. Dhobley is a distinguished Design Educator, Academic Leader, Researcher, Artist and Institution Builder with over 27 years of experience in higher education. He currently serves as Director, DPU School of Design, Pune, and has previously served as Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts and Performing Arts, MIT ADT University. With a Ph.D., MFA, PGDM and UGC-NET in Visual Arts, he brings rich interdisciplinary expertise in design, visual arts and academic leadership. He has guided six Ph.D. scholars, authored 25+ research publications, published two books, and received the prestigious Pudhari Gaurav 2025 Award. His vision champions innovative, industry-connected and globally relevant design education.

Sunjeet Gupta

Sunjeet Gupta is a Digital Customer & Experience Transformation Leader with 26+ years of experience shaping the future of customer experience at the intersection of Design, Data, AI, and Digital Transformation.

He leads with a Design-first philosophy, helping organizations reimagine how they create, orchestrate, and scale intelligent customer experiences across Marketing, Commerce, Sales, Service, and emerging digital channels.

Sunjeet brings together Experience & Product Design, Enterprise Data, AI and Agentic Systems, Digital Customer Platforms, and Enterprise Architecture to build connected, intelligent ecosystems that continuously learn, adapt, and create differentiated customer experiences.

His work spans Design, Data & AI strategy; Digital Customer transformation; intelligent and hyper-channel experiences; personalization; AI and agentic experiences; and modern cloud-native architectures—helping enterprises transform data and intelligence into real-time customer journeys and measurable business value.

As a trusted advisor to CXOs and senior business leaders, Sunjeet helps organizations move from designing digital experiences to engineering intelligent experiences at scale —where design becomes the orchestration layer connecting people, data, AI, platforms, and channels.

He brings a future-focused perspective on how AI, Agentic Systems, Data, and Experience Design are reshaping the way enterprises engage customers, operate businesses, and build sustainable competitive advantage.

Dr Felipe Silva Bellucci

PhD in Materials Science and Technology and Post-Doctor at Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho – UNESP/Brazil; (ii) PhD in Physical Sciences at Universidad de Valladolid - UVa/Spain; (iii) Specialist in Public Policies on Science, Technology and Innovation from Brazilian National School of Public Administration (ENAP); and Specialist in Innovation Management from the School of International Business and Entrepreneurship – Steinbeis/Germany and MCTI. He has experience in the areas of applied research, technological development, innovation, entrepreneurship and new technology-based businesses, especially in the fields of nanotechnology, advanced materials, photonics and public policies on science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. Under his coordination, some Public Polices were implemented, such as the Brazilian Initiatives on Nanotechnologies (IBN) and on Photonics (IBFoton); the Brazilian Laboratories Systems of Nanotechnologies (SisNANO), of Photonics (Sisfóton) and of Assistive Technologies (SisAssistiva); the Graphene Innovation Program (InovaGrafeno); the Technological Hub on Advanced Materials and Strategic Minerals (GraNioTer) and others.

Mr Piyush Jain

Piyush Jain is the Deputy Chief Technology Officer at L&T Technology Services (LTTS), where he spearheads the company’s enterprise-wide technology and innovation strategy. In this role, Piyush leads the exploration and adoption of emerging technologies across LTTS’ diverse engineering services portfolio, with a strong focus on developing intellectual property, platforms, and segment-specific solutions that enable client-centric transformation. With over three decades of global experience in engineering and IT services, Piyush brings deep expertise in setting up large offshore development centers, leading multi-geography delivery operations, and championing innovation-led engagements. His experience spans technology consulting, change management, and talent development, with a strong track record of building future-ready engineering teams. At LTTS, Piyush is instrumental in nurturing the company’s innovation ecosystem by fostering collaborations with startups, academia, technology partners, and industry forums. He represents LTTS on the NASSCOM Engineering R&D Council, where he plays a key role in driving India’s positioning as a global technology innovation hub. Additionally, Piyush represents LTTS on the CII National Committees on Technology, Innovation and Research, contributing to shaping industry-wide technology agendas. A computer engineering graduate from NIT Surat, Piyush is passionate about solving complex engineering challenges and driving applied innovation at scale. He is currently based in Bengaluru, India.

Sonia Parashar

Currently serving as the Secretary General of the Federation of European Business in India (FEBI), Sonia Prashar is a distinguished professional with three decades of experience in Indo-European economic cooperation. She acts as a credible intermediary between the Indian government and EU businesses, facilitating policy dialogue, ease of doing business, and sustainable industrial growth. Sonia’s career is defined by her 28-year tenure at the IndoGerman Chamber of Commerce, where she rose to the position of Deputy Director General.

During this time, she pioneered incubation models for German companies entering the Indian market and led several high-stakes Mergers & Acquisitions projects, including due diligence and legal oversight. Her impact on international relations was formally recognized in March 2024, when she was awarded the German Order of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande) by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. A prominent figure in the global exhibition industry, Sonia served as the first female President of the Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) and currently holds board position with UFI (the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) in Paris and advisory with the Asian Federation of Exhibition & Convention Association (AFECA). Beyond her executive leadership, she serves on the boards of several major corporations, including NuernbergMesse India, Exponova Exhibitions and Conferences, Force Motors, and INSILCO (EVONIK Group).

Mr Tito Kishan

Sri. Tito Kishan Vemuri is a global authority in the strategic deployment of TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving). As India’s 1st MATRIZ Level 4 Specialist—a distinction held by fewer than 150 experts globally—he specializes in transforming traditional R&D organizations into high-velocity "Invention Engines." He doesn't just teach the methodology; he institutionalizes it as a core business discipline to accelerate technical breakthroughs and secure market-dominating patent portfolios.

Kishan’s deployment strategy is rooted in identifying impactful problems with his proprietary RISIR® framework: Reduce Cost | Increase Performance | Simplification | Increase Reliability | Reduce Environmental Harm. He has successfully implemented TRIZ and Systematic Innovation across seven diverse industrial sectors, partnering with leadership. A few impactful deployments come from industries like: Mobility, Aerospace, Software / IT Services, Industrial Automation, Power Generation & Trasmission, Healthcare devices, Materials, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Emerging Tech like Drones and with Funded start-ups.

Anuj Prasad

Anuj Prasad is an industrial designer and entrepreneur with over three decades of experience. An alumnus of the National Institute of Design (NID), he co-founded Desmania Design in 1993 and has built it into a multidisciplinary design firm serving diverse industries. His work focuses on using design as a strategic tool for business growth, innovation, sustainability, and user-centred solutions. In 2010, he established Desmania Autostudio, an automotive design studio working with OEMs and startups in India and abroad. He also founded Desmania Innovation Lab LLP, focused on innovation, intellectual property, and sustainable design. Anuj mentors startups and contributes to design education through academic advisory roles. Under his leadership, Desmania has received international recognition including Red Dot and iF Design Awards. He also serves as Chief Expert for India Skills and an Expert in Industrial Design Technology for WorldSkills.

Srinivas Prabhu B.K

Srinivas Prabhu B.K., Managing Director of TMS TECHNOV M Systems Pvt. Ltd., is an electronics engineer with management training and over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience. He has developed, patented, and commercialized fuel management technology using magnetic resonators.

Guided by customer value, innovation, sustainability, and affordable industrial technologies, he has helped position TMS as a profitable niche venture that supports industrial research and client-led collaboration.

Under his leadership, TMS created UVALE, an application that measures the real-time economic value of plant utilities and supports value-driven integration for clients.

TMS applies technology-led value analysis to key processes and builds improvement models that deliver measurable gains.

Since 2007, TMS has completed about 6,500 installations and helped save 0.7 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

His Made-in-India fuel management technology is exported to Europe, Vietnam, and Thailand. He has commercialized three domestic patents and applied for an international patent in 2024. Together with Ms. Vinutha, Director–Finance and a chartered accountant, he has led the organization for decades.