Mumbai : UPES Dehradun hosted the second edition of DrishtiKone, an invitation-only leadership forum, in Mumbai. The platform brought together senior industry leaders and members of the university’s academic leadership to discuss the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence (AI), executive judgement, talent strategy and higher education.
Conceived as a closed-door dialogue, DrishtiKone is designed as a long-term strategic platform to facilitate candid discussions between academia and industry. The forum aims to explore emerging trends shaping the future of work and learning, while identifying ways to strengthen collaboration between universities and organisations.
The theme for this edition, “The Confluence of Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence,” centred on the growing role of AI in organisational decision-making and capability building. Participants included senior representatives from sectors such as consulting, technology, manufacturing, aviation, human resources and financial services. Among those present were Sumit Kapoor, Partner, Risk Advisory, KPMG in India; Sameer Pitalwalla, Head of Gaming – APAC, Google Cloud; Lakshmi Deshpande, Head of XR Innovation and Design, TCS; G S Selwyn, Executive Vice President, Rolls-Royce in India and Managing Director, MTU India; Dr Nilay Ranjan, Head CSR and Sustainability, Air India; Harjeet Khanduja, SVP – HR, Jio; Azmina Poddar, Managing Director – Experience Design, JPMorgan Chase; and Ravi Hemnani, Vice President – HR and Head, Talent and Learning, Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd.
The session began with a welcome address by Dr Sunil Rai, Vice Chancellor, UPES. Mr Manish Madaan, Registrar, UPES, along with the UPES Alliances team, outlined the context and objectives of the discussion. Academic convenors included Prof. Rajiv Nandwani, Senior Director, School of Computer Science; Prof. Bhaskar Bhatt, Dean, School of Design; and Dr. Padma Venkat, Dean, School of Health Sciences and Technology.
The discussions were structured around three boardroom conversations. The first session examined how AI is influencing executive judgement, with emphasis on accountability, ethics and contextual decision-making. The second focused on changing talent expectations in an AI-driven environment, including curriculum design and institutional readiness. The third addressed models of collaboration between industry and academia, highlighting the need for co-creation and long-term workforce planning.
Speakers noted that while AI tools can enhance speed, scale and analytical capability, human oversight remains central to governance and responsible decision-making. Several participants highlighted the importance of maintaining human accountability, particularly in sectors such as finance and manufacturing where consequences are significant.
According to UPES, DrishtiKone is intended to serve as a recurring forum to support structured engagement between the university and industry leaders. The university stated that such interactions aim to ensure curriculum relevance, strengthen employability outcomes and foster sustained collaboration in an AI-driven landscape.
The event concluded with a closing note, followed by informal discussions among participants. Further details are available on the university’s official website.