Emphasising the need to bridge the gap between academia and industry in the age of Artificial Intelligence, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Vidarbha Zone, in association with Symbiosis Institute of Technology (SIT), Nagpur, organised the CII Vidarbha Zone Industry–Academia Conclave 3.0 on Saturday. The conclave, centred on the theme “Code with Core: Redefining Higher Education for Realizing an AI-Driven Viksit Bharat,” brought together leading industrialists, policymakers, academicians and students to deliberate on the future of engineering education and workforce readiness.
Welcoming the gathering, Mr. Amitabh Sinha, Chairman, CII Vidarbha Zonal Council and Managing Director of Metlok Private Ltd., highlighted the growing importance of collaboration between educational institutions and industry to create a skilled and innovation-driven workforce. Dr. Manoj Bramhe, Convenor of the CII Vidarbha Zone Industry–Academia Panel and Head of the Department of Information Technology at SVPCET, Nagpur, introduced the theme and stressed the need for curriculum reforms aligned with emerging technologies and industry expectations.
Addressing the conclave, Dr. Nitin Rakesh, Director and Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Nagpur, said that institutions must move beyond conventional teaching by integrating innovation, research, entrepreneurship and ethical values into engineering education. He underscored the importance of preparing graduates who are not only technologically competent but also capable of leading India’s journey towards an AI-enabled Viksit Bharat.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Rajeev Agrawal, Managing Consultant, Empirical Management Solutions and Adjunct Professor at the Indian Institute of Management Nagpur, spoke on the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in reshaping industries and careers. He urged educational institutions to focus on continuous learning, interdisciplinary thinking and stronger industry engagement.
The Guest of Honour, Mr. Vikas Jain, Retired Additional Director of Industries, Government of Maharashtra, and former Joint Director of Industries, shared insights from his four-decade-long professional journey in both the government and private sectors. A postgraduate in Chemical Engineering from IIT Bombay, he highlighted Maharashtra’s industrial development initiatives, policy reforms for manufacturing, Information Technology and Special Economic Zones, and encouraged students to become active contributors to India’s innovation and industrial ecosystem.
A lively panel discussion on “Beyond IT – Navigating the Future of Engineering Jobs in the Age of AI,” moderated by Mr. Amit Kale, Associate Vice President, GlobalLogic, featured Ms. Shilpa Mahajani of Cognizant, Mr. Sahil Suranna of Calderys, Mr. Jogindra Singh Thakur of Waaree, Mr. Sachin Mohod of Accenture Nagpur and Dr. M. S. Ali of Anuradha College of Engineering and Technology. The panel explored how Artificial Intelligence is transforming engineering careers and the skills expected from future professionals.
Another panel discussion on “Redefining the Curriculum – From Code with Core Competencies,” moderated by Dr. Rizwan Ahmed, Chief Business Officer, Delaplex, featured Mr. Shailesh Awale of HCLTech, Mr. Amitabh Sinha, Mr. Shashikant Chaudhari, Co-founder of BabyVerse and Happy Eaters Club, Mr. Rajendra Thakare, Plant Head, Ashok Leyland, and Dr. Narendra Kanhe, Principal, Bajaj Institute of Technology, Wardha. The discussion focused on curriculum transformation, experiential learning, multidisciplinary education and strengthening industry–academia partnerships to equip graduates with future-ready competencies.
The conclave concluded with a summary of the deliberations by Dr. Rajeev Khaire, Associate Professor and III In-charge, Ramdeobaba University, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. Satyendra Kumar, Vice-Chairman, CII Vidarbha Zonal Council and Director – Industrial Operations & Projects, Southwest Asia, Calderys India Refractories Ltd.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from industry leaders, academicians, faculty members, researchers and students from across the region, reaffirming the shared commitment of CII Vidarbha Zone and Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Nagpur, to strengthening industry–academia collaboration and developing future-ready talent for an AI-driven India.