New Delhi
26th‐27th November 2026
Conference & Expo
26th November 2026
HR Excellence Awards
1800-103-2198 (Toll Free)
About Conference
Today, where technology and business processes continue to advance, it is people who make progress possible. They are the ones driving innovation, adapting to change, and making things happen. That’s why HR is no longer just about policies and processes. It’s about enabling human potential, building cultures that thrive, and leading with purpose.
The SHRM India Annual Conference & Expo 2026 is built around this belief. Now in its 15th edition, it’s where the power of people takes center stage. Two power-packed days of breakthrough sessions led by global changemakers and HR disruptors who are redefining the game.
HR Professionals
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Why Attend
The Big Shift
Experience how technology, talent, and transformation converge to redefine the HR playbook, with people at the heart of every decision.
AI-Powered People Strategy
Discover how intelligent technology is reshaping decisions, elevating experiences, and unlocking human potential.
Skills. Strategy. Speed.
Learn what it takes to build agile, future-ready teams that thrive amid disruption.
Culture Rewired
Explore new ways to embed purpose, trust, and performance into the DNA of your organization.
Leadership for the ‘Now and Next’
Hear from bold leaders who are rethinking how work gets done and how people are led in today’s dynamic environment.
Connections That Count
Engage with innovators, decision-makers, and peers who believe in the impact of people.
Knowledge Pathways
Talent Alchemy
Craft resilient, adaptive talent pipelines with bold approaches to sourcing, upskilling, and robust processes for workforce success.
Next-Gen Leadership
Reimagine organizational structures and leadership models to foster agility, cross-functional alignment, and workforce productivity in dynamic environments.
HR Tech & Insights
Harness AI, automation, and predictive analytics to deliver actionable insights and measurable business impact.
Culture and Employee Experience
Build thriving organizations where purpose, engagement, and innovative practices drive performance, collaboration, and sustained impact.
Past Speakers
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP
President & CEO<br>SHRM
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer<br>SHRM APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer<br>SHRM APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna is the CEO for SHRM India, APAC & MENA. SHRM India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management with more than 3,00,000 HR and business executive members in 165 countries.
Achal is responsible for leading the India operations of SHRM, as well as Asia Pacific operations including Middle-East. She serves on the global SHRM Leadership Team and is responsible for building the brand, expanding its business and developing professional relationships with government agencies, and other HR and business associations in the region.
Achal has over 30 years of work experience. Prior to joining SHRM, she was Managing Director for Kelly India operations; Vice President for GE; and Country Manager for Polaroid India. She has also worked with Dupont, ITC and Cosmo Group in various capacities.
She is a recipient of the “Best Women Executive in India” award.
Achal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics; a Master’s Degree in English Literature and she is an MBA from Delhi.
Jessica Jensen
Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer<br>LinkedIn
Gautam Khanna
CEO<br>P.D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre
Gautam Khanna
CEO<br>P.D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre
Gautam Khanna is the Chief Executive Officer of PD Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, one of India’s premier multi-specialty tertiary care hospitals. He is an Inspirational business leader committed to advancing patient care, operational excellence, and digital transformation in the Indian healthcare sector.
He has a rich experience of over 30 years in healthcare and manufacturing sectors successfully managing diverse businesses and creating sustainable shareholder value in challenging environments.
Prior to assuming his role as the CEO of PD Hinduja Hospital, he relentlessly served at 3M Health Care businesses nationally & internationally for over 22 years. He held multiple leadership positions including Executive Director & Country Business Leader, in both Sri Lanka & India.
Gautam Khanna is amongst the coveted members of the QCI (Quality Council of India. He is also the Member, onboarding committee, GSMST, IIT Kanpur, President, Association of Hospitals (AOH)Mumbai. He was also a member of the Board of Studies for Health Care Management Program at Goa Institute of Management. He has held Apex position in FICCI as the Chairman - FICCI Health Services Committee & also chair of FICCI Medical Device Forum. He has also played pivotal roles in other prestigious forums like AMCHAM Medical Device Committee, & Advamed.
Gautam holds a a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Kanpur and a master’s degree in business administration from IIM Calcutta.
Hemant Kumar Ruia
Country Manager – India Subcontinent<br>DP World
Sandeep Alur
CTO, Microsoft Innovation Hub<br>Microsoft India
Sandeep Alur
CTO, Microsoft Innovation Hub<br>Microsoft India
With a career spanning more than 26 years, Sandeep is a true technologist driven by a deep passion for technology. As the Technology Leader at Microsoft, he spearheads the 'Microsoft Innovation Hub,' an Experience Center dedicated to empowering customers on their digital transformation journey.
With a passion for all things tech, Sandeep has earned his reputation as a fervent evangelist, particularly drawn to technologies that profoundly shape human lives.
A true thought leader and a trusted adviser, Sandeep's meticulous approach to implementation sets him apart. He envisions 'Innovation Culture' as the driving force behind the next technological leap, recognizing its potential to revolutionize industries. He believes 'Generative AI' will usher Human-Computer Interaction into a new era of transformative experiences.
Sandeep holds a Bachelor’s degree in ‘Mechanical Engineering’ from RVCE, a Postgraduate degree in ‘Data Science and AI’ from the Indian School of Business, and 'Chief Technology Officer' executive program accreditation from the University of Cambridge.
Vineet Mishra
Vice President - Operations, India & South Asia<br> Accor
Moninder N. Jain
VP & Head - Global Emerging Markets<br>Logitech
Pratik Gandhi
Indian Theatre & Film Actor & Host Ideabaaz
Sanjeev Jain
Global Head - Business Operations<br>Wipro
Sanjeev Jain
Global Head - Business Operations<br>Wipro
Sanjeev leads the Global Business Operations team responsible for Talent Supply Chain, Talent Skilling, Global Mobility, Talent Acquisition, TopGear and Business Resilience functions.
Sanjeev is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in leading large, diverse teams, scaling up global Operations, deploying Lean Six Sigma, Design Thinking for Operational Excellence and Business Transformation.
Prior to joining Wipro, Sanjeev has held leadership roles at Kyndryl Holdings (IBM spin-off), IBM, Cognizant, and GE. In his previous roles, Sanjeev enabled profitable growth by integrating end-to-end Talent Supply Chain, driving margin expansion, simplifying processes, and strengthening operating rhythm. Sanjeev has been instrumental in setting & scaling up of Global Capability Centers(GCC’s) for GE Capital across India, Philippines, Guatemala, and the turnaround of GE-State Bank of India Credit Card JV as a co-CEO.
Sanjeev is a distinguished alumni from NITIE (National Institute of Industrial Engineering), Mumbai and a certified Master Black Belt from GE.
Deeply committed to making a difference in the community, Sanjeev serves on the Boards of Literacy India and United Way of Bangalore, focusing on education, environment, and empowerment of women.
Sukhjit Singh Pasricha
Group CHRO<br>IndiGo
Sukhjit Singh Pasricha
Group CHRO<br>IndiGo
Mr. Pasricha has had an illustrious career spanning over 27 years, across sectors and in complex businesses that operate in both the B2B and B2C spaces in. He has been instrumental in building business-aligned HR strategies, driving HR transformational projects and strengthening organisational capabilities through formulation & implementation of HR processes and ensuring proactive HR interventions. Previously, Mr, Pasricha has been Chief of HR & Admin at Bajaj Finance, and in leadership roles at companies such as Bharti Airtel, PepsiCo and Spice Communications as well.
He has completed a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with Honours from Chandigarh and holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Human Resources as well. BA Hons in Sociology from Chandigarh and holds an MBA degree in Human Resources. Mr. Pasricha supports social causes is close to his heart and makes time do to volunteer work regularly.
Manu Wadhwa
Chief Human Resources Officer<br>Sony Pictures Networks (SPN)
Manu Wadhwa
Chief Human Resources Officer<br>Sony Pictures Networks (SPN)
“To believe in heroic makes heroes” Benjamin Disraeli - Driven by the purpose to strive for excellence, Manu focuses on nurturing ecosystems wherein individuals challenge their own, as well their team’s limits, to drive the growth of the organization and the universe around them.
With a career spanning over two plus decades, across multiple industries and countries, Manu has steered workplace & people agenda of globally dynamic organizations likes Sony Pictures, Coca- Cola, American Express & GE, specializing in roles like Head HR, Talent & Development, Mergers & Acquisitions, HR Transformation, Change & Digital Innovation. She has also operated in board positions wherein, she was/is entrusted to safeguard the company's interest as it pertains to license to operate and sustain in the marketplace. Manu is a graduate of the GE Human Resources Leadership Program (#HRLP) and started her career as a Finance Analyst with Tata Unisys.
Apart from corporate endeavors, Manu is an active industry activist and member of various forums like Co-Chairperson of the CII Western Region Leadership & HR Committee, Member of CII – National Leadership & HR Committee, Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) – Asia Pacific Advisory Board, LNOD Advisory Council, Chandigarh University Corporate Advisory Board, Jombay Board of Directors and AIMA YLC. She is also an active participant in various country growth efforts, such as #Startup India and a regular speaker at industry forums, wherein she passionately delivers insights on Leadership and HR Transformation, Change Management and Human Capital Index, amongst other key topics.
Manu is a qualified MBTI, Six Sigma professional, Instruction Designer & Facilitator on variety of leadership & professional skills subjects. She has acquired her bachelor's in Finance, Statistics & Economics and master’s in human resources from Symbiosis Center of Management & HRD, India.
#GlobalHR #ChangeAgent #HRTransformation #StartupInvestor #BoardMember #TalentManagement #M&A #CultureTransformation
Partha Neog
CEO & Founder<br>Vantage Circle
Partha Neog
CEO & Founder<br>Vantage Circle
Partha is the CEO and Co-founder of Vantage Circle. He has over two decades of expertise in product and executive management. Partha has a proven track record of scaling great businesses and was instrumental in developing and launching 99acres.com.
He gained remarkable expertise in various industrial verticals when he worked for Aricent, Hughes Software Systems, and Bharat Electronics. He has gained deep insights in unlocking employee productivity using employee recognition and engagement through his experience with several companies and HR departments. His strategic skills in a learning and entrepreneurial environment, where complexity can require a dive into the content and creativity, problem-solving skills and intelligence are maximally utilized.
Partha is a strong believer in being able to have an impact together with a team. He leads the company with innovative flair, a reason why Vantage Circle enjoys a sustained competitive position in the market. Under Partha's leadership, Vantage Circle has become a globally recognized HR Tech company, establishing itself as one of the leading Employee Rewards and Recognition SaaS-software in India, UAE and North America.
Dr. Praveen Purohit
Senior Vice President & CHRO, Vedanta Aluminium Vedanta Limited
Dr. Praveen Purohit
Senior Vice President & CHRO, Vedanta Aluminium Vedanta LimitedPraveen spearheads high impact strategic and transformational interventions at the Vedanta group He started his career with the Group in 2005 and has served across various locations/businesses. He has been instrumental in continuously setting benchmarks in global best people practices, creating a strong pipeline of leaders from within and strengthening and sustaining Vedanta as an ‘Employer of Choice’ through some of the industry leading key initiatives such as –‘ Vice Chairman’s Internal Growth Workshop (Flagship top-talent program) ’, V-Reach (Graduate development program), V-Lead (Anchoring for women leaders) and VLDP (Flagship Campus Leadership program), V – Deliver (Leadership Performance Scorecard). Praveen is a strong proponent of knowledge sharing and regularly contributes articles eminent journals & magazines. Amongst industry recognitions, Praveen has been conferred with Top 100 HR minds –TOI, The Economic Times -Great Managers Award (Overall), Young HR Leader and ‘Star of the Business’
Manmohan S. Kalsy
CHRO<br>Inbrew Beverages
Manmohan S. Kalsy
CHRO<br>Inbrew Beverages
Manmohan S Kalsy serves as President - HR & Business Operations at Medi Assist. His key role is to align business outcomes with people practices at the Company which employs more than 5,000 employees and is India’s largest health tech and benefits administration company.
Recently , he has served Inbrew Beverages and Go First airlines as the head of human resources functions. He was CHRO at United Breweries Limited from 2013 to 2020 which was a joint venture with Heineken Prior to UB, Manmohan worked as Executive Director - HR at Xerox where he was also appointed on the board of the Company as a whole- time director.
Across his stints at Gillette, PepsiCo,Airtel, Vodafone, Xerox and UBL, Manmohan has led senior executive hiring at CEO & CXO levels and has been involved with multiple projects of start-ups, acquisitions and mergers.
Manmohan is an MBA from IPM, Meerut and has been certified by INSEAD, DDI, Hogan, Hay and Gallup.Manmohan is associated with Chandigarh University on its corporate advisory board and contributes to the HR fraternity by sharing his thoughts for the function at various HR forums. He has also been a part of CII & various government committees to advise on policy matters pertaining to HR ,IR and safety issues. Manmohan has served the NHRD chapters and is a past Rotarian.
Richard Lobo
Chief People Officer<br>Tech Mahindra
Ruchee Anand
Senior Director-Talent & Learning Solutions, LinkedIn, India
Ruchee Anand
Senior Director-Talent & Learning Solutions, LinkedIn, India
Ruchee is a senior sales professional and leader with motivational management style and reputation for building and retaining highly motivated sales teams. Ruchee is currently positioned as Senior Director-Talent & Learning Solutions at LinkedIn where she gets to work, learn and collaborate with the best & the most diverse talent.
Ruchee manages a team of people managers & top consultative sales professionals who are passionate about connecting talent with opportunity on a massive scale. LinkedIn is transforming the way companies find talent, market, and sell. Their solutions help thousands of companies in the world to find great candidates and improve efficiency and create new economic opportunities producing a virtuous cycle that is changing the world into a better place.
She also leads the India Chapter of LinkedIn's ERG (Employee Resource Group) "Women at LinkedIn". Ruchee has the privilege to work with a high energy team that is committed towards creating an Inclusive community that empowers women to advance their careers while being their authentic selves.
Ruchee specializes in Building High Performance Sales Teams, Talent Acquisition, Sales Force Management, Sales Team Training & Team Building,Sales & Business Development, Key Account Management & Retention.
Ayush Gupta
Director, Human Resources<br>GAIL
Ayush Gupta
Director, Human Resources<br>GAIL
Mr. Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL (India) Ltd is a 1992 batch Electrical Engineer from IIT Roorkee, MBA in Operations Management & P G Diploma in Human Resources Management. He has over 33 years of varied and rich experience in the field of Human Resource Management, Projects, Operations and Maintenance in Oil & Gas Sector and Process Industry.
Mr. Gupta is working with GAIL since last 27 years. He is among the youngest Directors to be on the Board of GAIL India Ltd. He is a strong proponent & practitioner of sustainable business practices and ensuing highest standards of safety in plant & pipeline operations. He has taken several initiatives to promote gender equality & women empowerment.
During his tenure at GAIL, Mr. Ayush Gupta had been instrumental in introducing various initiatives, such as Spandan (Monthly Wellness Hour dedicated towards enhancing employees’ physical, mental and emotional well-being), Ojas (young employees engagement & development platform), Abha (for educating, mentoring and hand-holding of spouses of GAIL employees for their entrepreneurial ventures), Samanvay (Care, Connect & Commit – to establish a periodic two way communication in the organization), Mentoring Journey – Saarthi (a unique approach towards development of young talent), e-Learning Courses, etc.
He is a recipient of the prestigious Chevening Rolls Royce Science, Innovation, Policy & Leadership Fellowship from UK Government in 2013, Winner of the National Corrosion Awareness Award 2004, Emerging HRD Thinkers Award in 2011, HR Leader of the Year Award-2024 by Governance Now and recognized as Top 50 HR Thought Leaders of 2024 by Economic Times HR World. He is author & co-editor of the book titled ‘Natural Gas Markets in India’ published by Springer International and has to his credit several awards for papers published and presented at national and international forums.
He is Chairman of GAIL Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd and a Director on the Boards of GAIL Gas Ltd, ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd & China Gas Holdings Ltd.
He is an Executive Committee member of SCOPE (Standing Conference of Public Enterprises), Member on the Board of Governors of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology & Indian Institute of Petroleum & Energy, Director on the Board of IFTDO (International Federation of Training & Development Organizations), Member, HR Core Committee of All India Management Association (AIMA), Member, CII National Committee on Industrial Relations 2023-24 and Member, IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) Labour Rights Advisory Board.
Sharmila Bhowmick
Veteran Journalist, formerly with CNBC-TV18 & Business Today Founder, Mocha Ink & Host, Mocha Talks Podcast
Sharmila Bhowmick
Veteran Journalist, formerly with CNBC-TV18 & Business Today Founder, Mocha Ink & Host, Mocha Talks Podcast
Pallab Mukherji
Chief People Officer<br>Equitas Small Finance Bank
Rohan Sylvester
Talent Strategy Advisor<br>Indeed
Rohan Sylvester
Talent Strategy Advisor<br>Indeed
An experienced content creator, with over eleven years of experience across verticals, Rohan Sylvester has a demonstrated history of working in the content industry. Combining his passion for content, data-driven insights, and recruitment technologies, he is able to provide companies with actionable strategies to enhance their recruitment.
As the recruitment evangelist for Indeed in India, Rohan leverages Indeed’s extensive platform data and research to support HR and TA professionals across India with insights that could help them attract and hire the right talent.
Rohan is a Marine Engineer and an alumnus of Birla Institute of Technology.
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-founder & COO<br>AdvantageClub.ai
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-founder & COO<br>AdvantageClub.ai
Smiti Bhatt Deorah is the Co-founder and COO of AdvantageClub.ai, an AI-powered employee engagement and rewards platform with offerings like rewards and recognition, flexible benefits, wellness, surveys, moments that matter, and communities on a single platform. In her current role, she oversees various functions, including business development, marketing, customer relations, and content operations.
An alumna of the University of California (UCLA) with a Master's degree in Computer Science, Smiti has strong experience in B2B networking and relationships. Prior to co-founding AdvantageClub.ai with Sourabh Deorah, she was a Software Engineer with one of the Big 5-Microsoft-in the US, where she was instrumental in the brand’s expansion across the globe.
Smiti envisions AdvantageClub.ai to disrupt the traditional employee experience and engagement industry. She firmly believes that corporations need to engage with their employees beyond the provident fund & corporate discount schemes extensively. With her guiding principle of “If it is not useful to the end-user, it's probably not worth doing,” Smiti has redefined AdvantageClub.ai from an HR Tech Start-Up to a multi-million-dollar venture.
Besides her entrepreneurial role, Smiti enjoys reading and discussing HR and tech, sales, business, and Indian start-up scenes. She also has a self-confessed love for Harry Potter trivia.
Rittik Mondal
Senior Manager, Country Marketing<br>Indeed
Rittik Mondal
Senior Manager, Country Marketing<br>Indeed
Rittik is a seasoned consultant turned adept marketer. In his capacity as the Country Marketing Manager at Indeed, Rittik leads initiatives aimed at improving market presence, expanding job-seeker base, enhancing product usage and optimizing revenue streams.
With a robust track record spanning over 6 years, Rittik excels in formulating and executing comprehensive strategies for both B2C and B2B campaigns. In addition, Rittik also had the opportunity to work on various product development and product development initiatives.
A distinguished alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Kanpur, Rittik brings a wealth of professionalism and proficiency to the marketing arena.
Prasad Rajappan
Founder & Managing Director<br>ZingHR
Prasad Rajappan
Founder & Managing Director<br>ZingHR
Prasad Rajappan is a seasoned HR Tech leader and Founder of ZingHR.
With 30+ years in ERP, BPR, and HR, he's driving ZingHR's growth as an employee-centric HCM platform. Previously at Mahindra & Mahindra, Ernst & Young, and Reliance, he led large-scale SAP implementations.
At ZingHR, his innovative 'OutcomationTM Index' methodology delivers tangible business outcomes through 'Power of One' HR Tech suite. ZingHR focuses on HR transformation to meet People, Profit, and Planet goals with ESG-led OKRs and KPIs. Under his leadership, ZingHR has a global presence and caters to millions of users.
Dr. Pradnya Parasher
Managing Director<br>ThreeFish Consulting, India
Dr. Pradnya Parasher
Managing Director<br>ThreeFish Consulting, India
Pradnya is the Founder and CEO of ThreeFish Consulting. She has 20+ years of experience in Strategic HR, Talent Management, Executive Assessment & Coaching. An Industrial-Organizational Psychologist by training. Pradnya has lived and worked in the United States and India.
She is co-author of the book, The Secret Life of Organizations: Invisible Rules of Success for the Young Indian Professional, - which gives an insider view of what makes organizations tick, and helps young professionals take the smart path to the top. Instrumental in bringing Hogan Assessments to India, Pradnya has provided Hogan feedback to hundreds of business leaders. As the Master Distributor for Hogan Assessments in India, she is responsible for ensuring scientific rigour in the application of Hogan solutions across clients, resellers and solution partners.
In the past, she has held various HR leadership roles including Director – People & Organization Capability for Microsoft India, Senior Director & Country HR Head for eFunds, Director & Country HR Head for Discovery Communications, and AVP HR for InterGlobe Enterprises. Her last role was as a Global Talent Assessment Program Manager for Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, USA.
She brings rich experience across a variety of industries and deep understanding of workplace behavior and organizational dynamics to her coaching and consulting engagements. Pragmatic & result focused, Pradnya believes in human potential for transformation. At ThreeFish, she leads the design and implementation of coaching, consulting and learning solutions.
Pradnya has a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida and is a member of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP). She is a regular attendee and presenter at the Annual SIOP Conferences. She continues to be a Life Member of the National HRD Network in India
Teena Wooldridge
Senior Director - APAC & China Marketing<br>LinkedIn
Jaspreet Singh Bakshi
Partner & India HR Leader<br>Marsh McLennan
Jaspreet Singh Bakshi
Partner & India HR Leader<br>Marsh McLennan
Jaspreet is an HR practitioner with expertise in providing Human Capital Management solutions. He has over 22 years of experience in developing and deploying HR solutions aligned with business strategy, and partnering for growth and transformation.
In his current role at Marsh MacLennan, as a Partner & HR Leader he is responsible for providing strategic HR oversight & business partnering to global service delivery teams across the different verticals of Mercer, Marsh, Guy Carpenter & Oliver Wyman.
Prior to Marsh MacLennan, Jaspreet has spent 11.5 years at NatWest( RBS) in multiple roles within HR, last role being Managing Director-Human Resources leading Colleague Experience & Delivery.
Before transitioning to BFSI industries, Jaspreet has led multiple roles to support business strategy for Marketing, Sales, and Services organizations supporting clients across Americas, Asia-Pac, Europe and India.
Jaspreet is a certified and practicing ICF & AoEC Executive Coach & also a Six Sigma Black belt.
Mahipal Nair
Managing Director, Trellix India & Vice President-HR, India & APJ
Paresh R. Ranpara
Director, Human Resources<br>GRID-INDIA
Paresh R. Ranpara
Director, Human Resources<br>GRID-INDIA
Shri Paresh R. Ranpara is the Director (Human Resources) of Grid Controller of India Limited. Shri Ranpara is a seasoned HR Professional with more than 30 years of experience. Before joining Grid-India he has worked with state owned power sector companies of Gujarat. Prior to joining power sector of the state he had also worked in private sector. He was actively involved in process of unbundling of erstwhile GEB and steered communication exercise for making it the smoothest transition.
As Director (HR) at Grid-India, he focused on Capacity Building within the organization, which is highly knowledge-driven. He introduced and redesigned critical HR policies to better align with the company's business objectives. He has prioritise succession planning and leadership development in Grid-India. He also introduced coaching program for senior management team. His efforts contributed significantly in building a robust leadership pipeline for the Company.
As a member of the Board of Directors, he gained deep insights into the complexities of the power sector, enhancing his strategic perspective in aligning HR initiatives with the organization’s broader goals. He also played a pivotal role in enhancing infrastructure. He is strong believer in team work and giving platform to the right talent in the organization.
His leadership continues to shape Grid-India's HR landscape and its adaptation to emerging industry trends.
Krishna Kumar Thakur
Director HR<br>BHEL
Krishna Kumar Thakur
Director HR<br>BHEL
Mr. Krishna Kumar Thakur is a 1998 batch officer of the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS). He is a Post-Graduate in Literature from Tilka Manjhi University, Bhagalpur and has done his Post-Graduate Diploma in Management with specialisation in Human Resource (PGDM-HR) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
Prior to joining BHEL, Mr. Thakur was heading the HR and Administration function of Central Railway as Chief Personnel Officer. He has 25 years of holistic and hands-on experience in handling HR matters and administration in the Indian Railways as well as other Central PSUs.
In his long career in Railways and other PSUs, Mr. Thakur has headed the HR departments of three important Railway divisions namely Solapur, Bhopal & Mumbai, which included all HR matters of the thirty-five thousand staff of the Mumbai Division. As Chairman, Railway Recruitment Cell, Western Railway, he successfully completed recruitment of approximately twelve thousand employees.
While working on secondment with RITES, he served in a foreign project of Train Operation at Saudi Arabia and his contribution was critical in the issuance of work visas (IQAMA), procurement of human capital and efficient management of resources, meeting client’s satisfaction in a time bound manner. He has also headed the HR department of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, where he played an important role in developing and streamlining HR policy and procedures.
As an HR professional, Mr. Thakur is credited with maintaining cordial industrial relations and fulfilling corporate responsibilities as well as long-term systemic improvements for corporate and government functioning in overall organisational perspectives.
Dr. Ankur Baruah
Director, Human Resources<br>Oil India
Dr. Ankur Baruah
Director, Human Resources<br>Oil India
Dr. Ankur Baruah is the Director Human Resources (HR) of Oil India Limited, a leading Maharatna energy company in India. An engineer turned HR leader, Dr. Baruah holds an MBA degree in Human Resources, a PhD in Business Administration and prestigious certifications, including IPMA Project Management and Psychometric Testing accreditation.
Prior to his appointment as Director (Human Resources), he was serving as the Executive Director (Human Resources) in Oil India Ltd.
With three decades of professional experience spanning the full spectrum of HR and corporate leadership, Dr. Baruah is a recognized expert in manpower planning, talent acquisition, performance management, stakeholder engagement and change management. His strategic and innovative approaches have strengthened Oil India Limited’s reputation as an industry leader in HR excellence.
A distinguished thought leader, Dr. Baruah has delivered keynote addresses and participated in high-profile panels at national and international forums. His contributions to the HR domain have earned him numerous prestigious accolades, including the Most Iconic HR Leader, the Topmost HR Leader in Asia and the HR Excellence Award.
A permanent resident of Kushal Nagar, Jorhat, Assam, Dr. Baruah is a passionate believer of human centric leadership in creating better workplaces and organizations.
Pallav Popli
Chief Revenue Officer & Employee Engagement Evangelist <br> Vantage Circle
Pallav Popli
Chief Revenue Officer & Employee Engagement Evangelist <br> Vantage Circle
Pallav is a distinguished leader with nearly two decades of expertise in industries like HCM, SaaS/PaaS, HR outsourcing, and recognition and rewards. His deep knowledge in HR technology, Rewards and Recognition programs makes him a sought-after speaker in the HR space. With a strong foundation in consulting, recognition strategy, and HR solutions, Pallav is known for simplifying complex products and translating them into actionable insights for entrepreneurs, HR leaders and professionals.
His ability to demystify HR technologies, particularly in the recognition and rewards domain, empowers organizations to optimize their HR strategy and boost workforce engagement. Pallav’s extensive experience, combined with his impactful skills, makes him a valuable voice at industry events. He highlights how cutting-edge technologies, and strategic frameworks can streamline HR processes and elevate employee recognition initiatives. Don’t miss the chance to hear from this industry visionary, register now for #SHRMTECH25 and gain valuable insights into HR technology and engagement!
Aditya Kohli
CHRO<br>Orient Electric
Aditya Kohli
CHRO<br>Orient Electric
Aditya is the Chief Human Resources officer at Orient Electric (CK Birla Group), and is responsible for building the culture and the human capital of an organization that is undergoing significant transformation. He is passionate about leading the people agenda that ensures that we get the right people, in the right roles, with the right capabilities to drive differentiated performance and make a significant impact in our Industry.
He has over two decades of experience that spans across multiple facets of HR including Performance, Reward and Benefits, Business Relationship Management, HR Transformation & Change Management, Employee Engagement, HR Technology & Service Delivery Strategy, Shared Services and Global Payroll Models. He is a results-driven leader, who has worked in Singapore, India and London, managing global teams in a highly matrixed global environment. In all of his roles, he has created space to drive change through a multi discipline approach that leverages all aspects of Human Capital Management, Technology and Culture to drive productivity and performance.
Prior to Orient he has worked across sectors in marquee organisations like Clix Capital, Airtel, Standard Chartered Bank and Hewitt Associates (Aon).
Ashutosh Anshu
Board Director and CHRO<br>Hitachi India
Aarti Srivastava
CHRO<br>Capgemini, India
Aarti Srivastava
CHRO<br>Capgemini, India
Aarti Srivastava has been appointed as the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) for Capgemini in India, effective 2022. Before taking this role, Aarti was the CHRO for Business Services GBL at Capgemini.
Prior to joining Capgemini, Aarti has performed on various leadership and strategic roles in HR at FIS, Deutsche Bank
Aarti is a seasoned people leader with over two decades of expertise in multiple dimensions of human resources. Her experience includes organization design and development, employee experience, and leadership development. She has successfully executed multiple global programs driving change management, M&A integration, overall business growth and functional transformation.
Aarti holds an MPM degree in HR from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM). She has also completed her certification in ‘Strategic HR’ from NSU, Singapore and ‘Strategic Thinking’ from London Business School.
Zubin Zack
Managing Director – Middle East, Africa & South Asia<br>O.C. Tanner
Candy Fernandez
Director – People & Great Work Middle East, Africa, South Asia, O.C. Tanner
Sanjeev Sahgal
SVP - People Experience & GCC<br>Assurant
Sanjeev Sahgal
SVP - People Experience & GCC<br>Assurant
Sanjeev Sahgal brings in more than 25 years of experience working in leadership roles across human resources, agile, lean, six sigma, HR technology and was an entrepreneur early in his career. He has worked across the US, Asia and Africa while managing global portfolios with organizations like the World Bank, GE, Genpact, Target and is currently working as the Chief People Officer at Mercy Corps, a global nonprofit.
Sanjeev is an avid learner and an advocate of the ‘human’ experience in organizations and is passionate about sharing his knowledge and helping others succeed.
Sanjeev is an active contributor and speaker with Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Exchange Network, Hacking HR, and Shared Services Organizations Network (SSON).
Adnan Rashid
Director Solution Engineering, HCM Applications<br>Oracle India
Dr. Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra
Founder & CEO, HridaySe Consulting Former Director, HR Indian Oil
Dr. Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra
Founder & CEO, HridaySe Consulting Former Director, HR Indian OilMr. Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra is Director (Human Resources) on the Board of Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil) with effect from 19.2.2018. Prior to this, he was IndianOil’s Executive Director in charge of West Bengal State Office. A Mechanical Engineering graduate from BITS, Pilani, with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, Mr. Mohapatra joined IndianOil in 1987 and has since worked on varied assignments, including Terminal Operations, Supply Chain Management & Logistics. With in-depth knowledge and acumen in Supply Chain & Logistics, he had been associated with evacuation of finished products from IndianOil’s domestic refineries, and product upliftment agreements with stand-alone refiners as well as other oil marketing companies (OMCs). Mr. Mohapatra was also one of the chief architects of the auto fuel quality (BS-III/BS-IV) upgradation programmes of OMCs in India. Between April 2010 and Jan. 2012, he headed the Operations function of IndianOil’s Maharashtra State Office, which oversees the largest number of bulk storage terminals & depots in a State. As Managing Director of IndianOil(Mauritius) Ltd., the Company’s overseas subsidiary, during 2012-2015, Mr. Mohapatra led a team of young professionals, registering sizeable growth in market share and profitability. He was also on the Board of Mer Rouge Oil Storage Terminal, a joint venture formed by four MNCs to set up modern oil storage facilities in Mauritius. Under his inspiring leadership as head of IndianOil’s West Bengal State Office, the OMCs released a record 10.5 lakh PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) connections in the first 116 days of the scheme, that is, over 9,000 new connections a day. Always eager to try out new things, Mr. Mohapatra achieved cashless transaction facilities at almost all Indian Oil fuel stations in West Bengal State and piloted a smart auto-fuel complex that has come up at Rajarhat in Kolkata. Being a person with human touch, Mr. Mohapatra initiated his direct interaction with Young Officers of different functions in the State Office, which has been greatly appreciated. He also conceptualized and launched the now acclaimed Fab-14, which is a novel mentoring system within the channel partners. Widely travelled in Europe, USA, Africa and Southeast Asia, Mr. Mohapatra presented papers in several national and international forums and published a number of articles in international journals and supply chain reference books
Amit Vaish
Vice President & Head Human Resources<br>Optum India
Amit Vaish
Vice President & Head Human Resources<br>Optum India
Amit brings over 25 years of human resource leadership experience in diverse industry contexts in India and the Asia Pacific region. In his current role with Optum, a UnitedHealth Group company, he has overall responsibility for partnering with leadership teams to grow and lead the India operations from a human capital standpoint.
As a member of the India leadership team, he is also responsible for supporting the overall transformation of the operations, technology and shared services entities in India.
Prior to Optum, Amit spent close to 16 years in HR leadership roles with Accenture and then Barclays, supporting their growth journeys in India and other emerging markets in the APAC region.
Earlier in his career, Amit spent a few years in HR consulting with global majors like Arthur Andersen and EY, where he partnered with a wide range of clients on large-scale business and HR transformation programs in India, Middle East and Africa.
A seasoned and passionate HR leader and certified executive coach from the Coaching Foundation India Limited (CFI), Across his varied career experiences, Amit has consistently elevated the talent agenda to deliver an enhanced employee experience and strategic impact for the business. He has led the journey for his global organizations to build recognized employer brands in India.
Amit holds an MBA in human resources from XLRI, Jamshedpur and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He is also a global fellow of talent management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Charles Godwin
HR Leader<br>Zoho
Charles Godwin
HR Leader<br>Zoho
Charles is an astute Human Resource Professional with 19 years in-depth experience in the entire gamut of People Programs & Processes from renowned IT Industry. He is currently with Zoho as HR Leader. He has an extensive exposure to manage change during acquisitions & mergers, building capabilities & talent during high growth phases, executing apt HR interventions.
Previously, Charles has worked with Polaris Software, Hexaware Technologies, WABCO Global Business Services and Royal Cyber.
Charles is a prominent speaker in student & industry forums and has delivered over Two-Thousand Guest Lectures, spends his weekends mostly visiting colleges & speaking to young minds. He conducts counselling session for students & helps many youngsters choose the right career path. He has also launched a new initiative ‘HR Lens’ to inspire young minds of our nation.
Honoured with Excellence Award in recognition of outstanding contribution in the field of Human Resource Management & Social Initiatives. He has also received many awards in recognition for the best Associate Connect & People Management. He is also one of the key members, board of advisors for many Institutions, HR Forums & Social Organisations.
He specializes in Talent Acquisition & Retention, Talent Management, Talent Engagement, Talent Development, Employee Relations, OD interventions, Compensation Management, Performance Management, Administration of Policies, Programmes & Practices, Employee Discipline, Employee Welfare & Branding.
Debeshi Chakraborty
President - ICF Delhi NCR Chapter Leadership & Story Coach-Dezinecareers
Debeshi Chakraborty
President - ICF Delhi NCR Chapter Leadership & Story Coach-Dezinecareers
Debeshi Chakraborty is a possibilitarian who met Mother Teresa during the Gulf War as a student—an encounter that inspired her to ‘Design the Inner Hero’ in individuals.
Trained as a Smart City Designer in London, she transitioned from designing cities to shaping leaders, bringing her global experience across Fortune 500 firms, leadership coaching, and education.
Journey as an ICF Volunteering Leader
- ICF Delhi Charter Chapter: President (2025)
- ICF Global: Impact Award Evaluator for Organizations (2024)
- Secretary & Executive Board Member (2023)
- ICF India Awards: Nominated as Core Committee Member (2022)
As the first woman President of the ICF Delhi Charter Chapter, Debeshi is committed to making it a home for all coaches in Northern India. She is ICF-PCC & Gallup certified Strengths Coach, Commonwealth Scholar-London and a Gold Medalist, M.Arch, Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
Capt. Rajneesh Bhardwaj
CHRO<br>Paradeep Phosphates
Vibha Adlakha
Director - Customer Success<br>LinkedIn Talent Solutions, India & Japan
Vibha Adlakha
Director - Customer Success<br>LinkedIn Talent Solutions, India & Japan
Vibha is the Director - Customer Success, LinkedIn Talent Solutions, India & Japan. She is passionate about problem solving and making positive impact on people.
Vibha has a proven track record as a cross-functional leader in a hyper-growth global internet/technology company for building and scaling their new products business (media products) across markets in Asia Pacific region.
Being a part of global leadership teams and leading large and culturally diverse teams, Vibha has shown business success across markets, ranging from advanced and mature markets such as U.K. on one hand, and new and emerging markets such as Indonesia, Philippines etc on the other.
Personally, she is driven by experiences that expose her to diversity of thought, gender, cultures and countries and meaningfully challenge her to think different!Her core skills include are Go-to market strategy and execution, Business strategy & planning, Product positioning, Product marketing, Stakeholder management, Talent Management, Team building, Coaching, Customer Success, Digital Media sales, Cross-functional leadership, Relationship Building, Executive communication, Storytelling, Public Speaking.
Pooja Minocha
Vice President & CHRO<br>Bata India
Pooja Minocha
Vice President & CHRO<br>Bata India
Pooja is the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Bata India. She is renowned HR professional with 2 decades of expertise in Global Human Resource Management in diverse multinational companies and in multi-geographies with specialization in Strategic HR, Organization Capability Development, Employee Communication, Compensation & Benefits, and HR Business Partnership.
A people science evangelist, an entrepreneur by heart, employer branding, culture and capability building are her forte. Her work revolves around organization transformation through the fabric of its leadership by architecting differentiated talent models. At the core of her efforts is an intent to ride the “Future of Work” wave and foster a culture of engagement, agility and innovation.
A postgraduate in HR, Pooja is a behavioral training coach and has certification in psychometric assessments for DiSC and Devine Inventory. Pooja was also a Founder and Partner with CHRO nexus, a boutique HR consulting company in Strategic HR, Rewards and Talent Management areas. Pooja’s corporate stint involved working in several industries like Pharmaceuticals, Insurance, Telecom and BPO both in MNC and Indian companies like Merck/MSD, Advanz Pharma, AXA, IBM, and Reliance and helped her organizations deliver best-in-class and innovative HR Programs.
Pooja is a visiting faculty in management institutes teaching and upskilling young talent in the human resources domain and partners with NGOs to support the education of underprivileged children. She is an enthusiast who loves biographies, being a full-time mother and advocating creativity in every walk of life.
Christine Kirbach
CHRO and Head of Global HR<br>Elektrobit Automotive
Viekas K Khokha
SVP & CHRO<br>Sharda Motor
Viekas K Khokha
SVP & CHRO<br>Sharda Motor
Viekas K Khokha has a rich experience of 25 years, spreading across 5 industries including office automation, telecommunications, healthcare, chemicals & fertilizers & auto ancillary.
Viekas is currently the SVP & CHRO with Sharda Motors Limited where he is channelizing their people and culture transformation agenda through organization design, talent transformation, new ways of working, Technology immersion, to name a few. In the past, he has served some industry leaders like Bharti Airtel Ltd., Zimmer Biomet India, Dhanuka Agritech to name a few.
Viekas has a unique yet powerful career progression including some interesting cross functional moves like his career shift from sales to HR. He has consistently progressed in his career by undertaking some large transformation projects like integration of 3500 workforce across Bharti Airtel and Setting up of Global Centre of Excellence for them consuming back-end processes for 16 countries of Africa, Re-organisation of business unit based structure at Zimmer. He measures his success through a fine print that he can establish basis his connect with the field sales which helps him develop an understanding of the consumer.
Post the completion of Global Fellow Program in Talent Management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in the US, he developed the understanding the need for Inclusion in Indian organizations for their long-term development and sustainability. He undertook leadership course in Diversity and Inclusion and started volunteering with the organisations in India developing understanding of their Diversity & Inclusion craft.
Allison Howell
VP, Market Innovation<br>Hogan Assessment
Suvarna Mishra
HR Director<br>Pluxee, India
Suvarna Mishra
HR Director<br>Pluxee, India
Suvarna Mishra, CHRO at Pluxee India, formerly Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services, has 20+ years of experience managing HR for large, complex organizations focusing on talent management and organisation effectiveness/development initiatives.
At Pluxee, Suvarna has been instrumental in driving substantial organizational growth by aligning HR strategies with business objectives. Under her leadership, Pluxee India has achieved significant recognition, including five (5) consecutive years as a Great Place to Work, top scores in the Happiness Index for India; and prestigious GEEIS Level 3 certification for gender equality & diversity; and its overall HR practices.
She has successfully led organisational transformation through multiple mergers and acquisitions, enhancing HRs’ efficiency by leveraging digitalisation in HR.
Industry has accorded her with notable certifications from the National HRD Network, Indo French Chambers of Commerce, and NDTV.
Srilata Kolachana
Director of Learning and Development, APAC CGI
Srilata Kolachana
Director of Learning and Development, APAC CGI
Srilata currently leads learning for APAC as the Director for Learning and Development at CGI. In her earlier work stints, she was the Country head for Training for India, at Hinduja Global Solutions. Prior to that she was the Senior Director, Talent Management and Development, Sutherland Global Services, heading the Talent Management initiatives for Healthcare Vertical globally and the project leader for the Inclusivity and Diversity initiatives at Sutherland India.
Srilata has previously worked in leading IT firms like Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC India), Franklin Templeton India, Convergys Information Management (India), Tech Mahindra, Health Management Research Institute and Infor Global Solutions leading OD, L&D and Talent Management Functions.
Education & Certifications:
- The Wharton School, Associate Fellow, Talent Management 2018
- Global Talent Management Leader, Talent Management Institute (Credential Id – AFP99894072)
- Independent Director Certificate – Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs
- Currently pursuing Executive FPM (PhD) program in Organizational Behavior from XLRi
- Master of Business Administration (Marketing and Finance) Osmania University
- Certified in training - International Certificate in Training Skills - City and Guilds London.
- Certified Assessor- Assessment and Development Centers - T.V Rao Learning Systems.
- Certified Behavioral Analyst
- Certification in LSIP and Power Coach Fundamentals
- Certification workshops in the areas of Instructional Methodology, Psychometric Test Professional, Assessment Centre Analyst, Certified Performance and Competence Developer, Certified Organizational Development Analyst (CODA)
Ankit Aggarwal
Founder & CEO<br>Unstop
Ankit Aggarwal
Founder & CEO<br>UnstopAnkit Aggarwal is the Founder & CEO of Unstop, a community engagement and hiring platform for students and freshers , where talent meets opportunities. Unstop is a playground for talented individuals to learn, upskill, showcase their skills, gain CV points, and get hired to unlock their true potential throughout their academic journey. Unstop has a community of ~7 Million+ Students and Freshers. Ankit’s journey combines a background as a Consultant at top firms, including Sapient and Deloitte, with a passion for education, demonstrated through his involvement with Teach for India. Ankit’s dedication to Unstop has been duly recognized, earning Unstop the distinction of the Best Workforce Enablement Startup by Entrepreneur India and the prestigious Startup 50 Trailblazer Award by Dun & Bradstreet. His impactful ideas have reached global audiences through his engaging TEDx talks, and he was named among India’s 100 Great People Managers by Forbes in 2020.
Arati Porwal
Senior Country Head – India<br>CFA Institute
Harpreet Datta
CEO & Founder, Astralis Solutions & Chief Business Officer - Education<br>GMR Group
Harpreet Datta
CEO & Founder, Astralis Solutions & Chief Business Officer - Education<br>GMR Group
Harpreet is the Group COE Head responsible for Talent Acquisition & Management for the GMR Group of companies. Her focus areas include hiring for Top Management roles for across the group and building internal succession pipelines. During her tenure in GMR, she has hired more than 45 CXOs across the Group. In her current role, in addition she is responsible for Employee Engagement, Culture building through Values & Beliefs and is Chairperson of IC, PASH for the GMR Group.
Harpreet is an Honours Graduate in Commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) 1989 & Masters in Commerce from University of Delhi 1991. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management (MBA) from Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad, 1995 batch with dual majors in Human Resource Development (HRD) and Finance.
Harpreet has been heading HR during the last 16 years for companies across industry. She has worked and contributed to the growth of companies namely SMS Siemag, a German MNC, ABC Consultants, WWIL, a Zee Network Company, Fortis HealthWorld Ltd., The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), The Princeton Review - Manya and Engineers India Limited (EIL).
Harpreet has more than 26 years of rich and diverse experience in areas of Human Resource Management broadly – Organisation Transformation and Management of Change, Organisation Re-structuring, M&A’s, HR Digitalization, Talent Acquisition & Management, Compensation & Benefits, Performance Management, HR Policies and Guidelines, Organization Development, Learning & Development, Statutory Compliance, Reward & Recognition, Succession & Career Planning, HR Budgets & Audit and Data.
She has been invited as speaker to top academic institutes, committee member in top industry bodies and expert evaluator in industry level competitions including BML Munjal L&D Awards.
Rajesh Rai
SVP & Head HR - APAC <br> GlobalLogic, Hitachi
Rajesh Rai
SVP & Head HR - APAC <br> GlobalLogic, Hitachi
Rajesh Rai is Vice President – People Team and Head of Human Resources for GlobalLogic in India. Rajesh is responsible for spearheading the company’s HR transformation, Learning & Development, Change Management and D&I & Sustainability initiatives for India. Rajesh works towards building new frontiers that will bolster the company’s vision in building a ‘humans and people first’ culture, drive employee experience, nurture diversity and inclusion, and transform the employees’ and company’s growth journey.
With over two decades of experience in the HR industry, Rajesh has extensive experience of working with global business & HR teams across multiple cross-cultural border teams effectively.
Rajesh has worked with various leading global organizations such as Eicher Motors, Expedia, United Colors of Benetton, Adobe Systems, Ernst & Young, and Arthur Andersen. Rajesh was previously associated with Accenture as Head of HR for their Consulting business in India, along with India Corporate Functions. He enabled HR interventions & strategies for a huge workforce, that focused on crafting industry leading HR practices, commissioning large-scale transformational change and redefining employee experience through Human Capital strategies, Culture, Performance Achievement, Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion.
Rajesh holds a Bachelors and masters in chemistry from Delhi University and an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur. He is a GALLUP Strengths Coach and loves coaching teams and individuals for leveraging & applying their strengths. Rajesh loves to travel & experience local cultures. He also loves Yoga, meditation, painting, sketching, music, soccer and is an avid reader.
Param Kaur
Director, People Shared Services<br>Publicis Sapient
Udit Bhatia
Director - India Learning Leader<br>EY
Udit Bhatia
Director - India Learning Leader<br>EY
Experienced leadership professional with a demonstrated history of working in diverse industries in the area of training and development. Also skilled in Behavioural, Leadership development, Talent Management, Performance Improvement, Coaching, and Employee Engagement and thus a seasoned human resources professional.
Abhijit S Rao
Vice President & Head - People & Culture <br> Keka
Andy Waroma
Head of Corporate Sales APAC<br>Google Cloud
Ruchira Bhardwaja
CHRO<br>Kotak Life
Ruchira Bhardwaja
CHRO<br>Kotak Life
Ruchira brings an interesting combination of strategic HR and cross-functional expertise.
Over 25 years of experience spanning across diverse industries (Manufacturing, Consulting, Hospitality, Retail, Banking & Insurance) and multiple functions have been instrumental in shaping her learning and the realization that agility has to be constant in her life. She had had the opportunity to play significant role in the transformation journeys in two companies in the BFSI sector.
Apart from Human Resources Ruchira had had the opportunity to contribute towards New Product Development, Business Excellence, Knowledge Management and Business Ethics initiatives in the organizations she has worked with.
She has worked with the Tata’s for 14 years. At Tata’s she had the privilege of having a multi-company stint which spanned between iconic organizations as Taj, Rallis to start-ups such as CROMA. In the BFSI industry, Ruchira has been with Axis Bank and Future Generali India Life.
Ruchira is currently the CHRO at Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Co.
She is an Alumni of IRMA, and NMIMS. She is a Global Fellow, Talent Management from the Wharton School.
She is a visiting faculty at NMIMS and is zealous about mentoring working women professionals at her personal capacity.
Ruchira lives in Mumbai, India. She creates time to learn and hone new skills outside of workplace. She is an avid photographer and considers herself as a decent story-teller.
Rajiv Naithani
Chief People Officer<br>Persistent
Rajiv Naithani
Chief People Officer<br>Persistent
Rajiv is a young, dynamic and a fast tracker HR and OD thought Leader who believes in “Self” being the “Instrument of Change”. Having worked with Hi-Tech Industry throughout in his career, he has played a key role in the transformational journey of some of these companies (i.e. Infogain, Dassault Systèmes, GlobalLogic and HCL). Rajiv is inspired with “Employee First” concept and finds it to be the key driver towards catering to the expectations of “Customers” and “Shareholders”.
Katamneni Gopichand
Vice President- Corporate, Head HR & Admin, IT Systems & Compliance<br> iClean- Takasago Thermal Engineering
Katamneni Gopichand
Vice President- Corporate, Head HR & Admin, IT Systems & Compliance<br> iClean- Takasago Thermal Engineering
Ruchi Mago
Chief Human Resources Officer<br>Orange Business
Ruchi Mago
Chief Human Resources Officer<br>Orange Business
Ruchi is a dynamic HR leader with nearly 20 years of transformative experience across all facets of human resources.
As part of the Global HR leadership team at Orange Business Internationally, she currently heads Human Resources and Employee Experience for India and serves as the APAC Diversity Lead.
Renowned for her strategic thinking, agility, and ability to lead diverse teams across geographies, Ruchi has driven numerous global initiatives, including building a Center of Excellence for Talent Acquisition and establishing GCCs in India and Malaysia. Her expertise spans Total Rewards, Talent Management, and Strategic HR projects, making her a pivotal force in shaping innovative HR solutions and creating high-performing teams.
Paras Kaushik
Group CHRO & CIO <br> HT Media Group
Paras Kaushik
Group CHRO & CIO <br> HT Media Group
Paras is a seasoned HR Leader, backed by 19 years’ experience in organizations ranging from global to local, start-up to mature, manufacturing to retail and listed to not-for-profit organizations. Currently he is CHRO at Hindustan Times Media Group. Post Graduate from Symbiosis International University, Paras is passionate about telling stories and sharing his experiences in variety of conferences, webinars, B-School events and social media.
Before joining HT Media, Paras was Head, Group HR at Motherson Group and responsible for managing the HR function for the Group’s 1,35,000 employees across 41 countries. Prior to which, he worked for 17 years at Aditya Birla Group in various HR leadership roles across sectors, companies & countries which includes stints at Hindalco, Corporate HR, Minacs Philippines, BITS Pilani, Madura Garments, Pantaloons, Birla Carbon US and Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail.
Bhanu Sharma
Managing Partner<br>Helyxa Consulting Group
Bhanu Sharma
Managing Partner<br>Helyxa Consulting Group
Bhanu is Executive Committee Member at Tega Industries. He is Global Head of HR & IT for Tega, a global leader in design and manufacturing of critical to operate consumables for the mining, mineral processing and material handling industry. He manages a diverse workforce operating in 21 different countries, spread across six continents. He started as a computer science engineer and then moved to HR after his MBA from MDI Gurgaon. Outside of professional life, he is a retired ultra-marathoner (where he has completed 100 km trail run), he is
father of a teenage son, an avid reader and an engaged philanthropist. He actively invests in and mentors non-profits to help them scale up. He is a practitioner of Applied behavioural science, where he actively participates in ISABS Labs and GRC (Group Relations Conference).
Chandini Kamal
Global Head - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, People & Culture (Engage & Experience, Wellness, R&R)<br>HCLTech
Chandini Kamal
Global Head - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, People & Culture (Engage & Experience, Wellness, R&R)<br>HCLTech
Ritu Kumar
Director Human Resources-India, Lithuania & Poland, Global HR Services <br> COWI
Swati Khandelwal
Senior VP & Head HR<br>R1 RCM
Swati Khandelwal
Senior VP & Head HR<br>R1 RCM
Swati is Senior Vice President, and Head Human Resources for R1 RCM India.
With an overall experience of over 20 years, she has proven success in identifying innovative, global, and regional solutions to drive organizational effectiveness, talent strategies, compensation programs, performance management and HR operational excellence activities across sectors (Healthcare, Banking, Analytics, Telecom and IT).
Swati has been consistently delivering change and transformations with multi-industry exposure across the country. She is known for fast, agile, and proven leadership in business Strategy, Human Resource Management, Advisory and Leadership Development.
Swati is a passionate business leader with a unique experience of establishing complete HR and Performance Management systems along with successfully developing and implementing HR Strategy for organizations to create culture of performance, emotional involvement & successful teams.
She has completed her master’s from MDI Gurgaon and an Executive Development Program from Kellogg School of Management
Debasis Sarkar
Executive VP - Global Compensation & Benefits & Enterprise HR Head<br>HCLTech
Debasis Sarkar
Executive VP - Global Compensation & Benefits & Enterprise HR Head<br>HCLTech
As the Executive Vice President and Head of Global Compensation and Benefits and Enterprise HR, Debasis Sarkar leads the strategic design and implementation of the company's compensation and benefits function, aligning them with HCL Technologies’ global business objectives. He also heads the ‘Enterprise HR’ function, encompassing Global HR Shared Services, Global Policies & Compliance, Global Mobility and Employee Relations fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
Deb brings over two decades of HR management experience to his role, with deep expertise in compensation strategies, benefits design, and enterprise HR management. He also anchors the global HR shared services organization. This team supports all key hire-to-retire employee lifecycle processes. While managing global policies and compliance, his job is to ensure a well-balanced set of policies in every market of operations which is employee friendly, aligned to market practices and Business goals and also compliant to local legislations of every country.
In the past Deb has held several HR senior leader positions including the ‘Head of HR for the APAC and Middle East’ region at HCL Technologies, where he played a pivotal role in supporting business growth across 17 countries.
Throughout his career, Deb has successfully led numerous HR transformation projects, managed HR operations during mergers and acquisitions, and developed performance incentive programs tailored to diverse global markets. His leadership has been instrumental in driving employee engagement and retention, thereby contributing to HCL’s position as an employer of choice.
Debasis holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management from Xavier Institute of Social Service and a certification in Designing and Implementing Assessment Development Centers.
Madhukar Uniyal
Head - Solution Engineering<br>Oracle Applications
Prabir Jha
Founder & Chief Executive Officer<br>Prabir Jha People Advisory
Dr. Mihirini de Zoysa
Leadership Coach, Managing Director, Corporate Druids Non-Executive Director, Logicare Adjunct Faculty, Hult Ashridge
Dr. Mihirini de Zoysa
Leadership Coach, Managing Director, Corporate Druids Non-Executive Director, Logicare Adjunct Faculty, Hult Ashridge
Michelle Senanayake
Group Chief People & Corporate Communications Officer<br>Sunshine Holdings PLC
Dimple Mehta
Mindfulness Based Leadership Coach & Director<br>Soul Diets
Rashi Gupta
Chief Human Resources Officer<br>EDF power solutions India Private Limited
Atul Kapoor
VP, Hyderabad Centre Head<br>HCA Healthcare, India
Rakhee Malik
Head Human Resources<br>Kearney, India
Rakhee Malik
Head Human Resources<br>Kearney, India
Ms. Rakhee Malik has had an illustrious career spanning over 27 years in Human resources management. She has worked across a range of preeminent organizations in management consulting and Knowledge services industry in India
In her current role, Rakhee heads the people function for Kearney India, one of the world’s leading consulting firms. She is also a board member for Kearney’s India entity, Hoptek Ai and Cervello India. Rakhee has expertise in driving strategic HR priorities around Leadership development, Global talent management, Diversity & inclusion initiatives, and Transformational leadership.
Prior to Kearney, Rakhee has worked across leading organizations like McKinsey & Company and WNS Global services. While at McKinsey, she was instrumental in setting up and growing their first ever Knowledge Centre in India. Rakhee also spearheaded the HR and Professional Development function for the Research & Analytics team at WNS Global Services. An eminent speaker at industry forums and educational institutions, she is often invited to share her thinking on Woman Leadership and Diversity. Rakhee was on the Executive board for AIMA Young Leaders Council and their National Mentorship program chairperson till March 2025. She is also an author and has recently released her debut book “Embrace your genius”.She was recently awarded the “BW 50 under 50 HR People Leader” award in March 2025. Some other accolades to her name are “Women Super Achiever Award” by the World HRD Congress in 2016, “Most Influential HR Leader” in 2017, “Exceptional Women of Excellence” by Women Economic Forum in 2017, 2022 and 2023.
Richa Sharma
Vice President, Human Resources<br>Capgemini India
Mohini Palchowdhury
Global Head, People & Culture<br>Quantiphi
Mohini Palchowdhury
Global Head, People & Culture<br>QuantiphiMohini Palchowdhury is Global Head, People & Culture at Quantiphi. Over the past 8 years, she has played a pivotal role in scaling People and Culture, from Quantiphi’s startup roots to global expansion, seamlessly integrating people, processes, and performance across diverse geographies. Her forward-thinking initiatives—sentiment analysis, data-driven performance frameworks, and values-based culture maps—have not only optimized workforce efficiency but also redefined the modern employee experience. Mohini spearheaded QWEEN (Quantiphi’s Women Education & Empowerment Network), a groundbreaking initiative that provides financial aid and mentorship to women in STEM, breaking barriers and fostering future leaders. Beyond corporate success, Mohini is an advocate for inclusion and empowerment. With over 15 years of strategic HR experience, Mohini is a passionate innovator, strategist, and cultural architect, honored with multiple industry accolades, including 40Under40 HR Leader and WHRD HR Excellence Award.
Sudhanshu Bhatnagar
Global Head Compensation & Benefits<br>Tech Mahindra
Rohit Chaudhri
Head HR & HR Business Partnering<br>Ramboll
Rohit Chaudhri
Head HR & HR Business Partnering<br>Ramboll
Experienced org development professional with a demonstrated history of working in the EPC, mining & metals, shipping industries. Skilled in talent management, learning and development, employee engagement, performance management, talent acquisition and employee relations. Strong operations background with a PG in Human Resource Management (XLRI), Masters in strategy and defence.
Akanksha Choudhary
Director, Human Resources & Head of HR, India<br>Insight Enterprises
Gunjan Malviya
Human Resources Director<br>Experian India
Tania Ahuja
Founder & CEO<br>Nobias
Tania Ahuja
Founder & CEO<br>NobiasDr. Tania Ahuja is Founder and CEO of Nobias. She serves on the Board of the Stern School of Business, NYU and was former director of Citigroup and US Head, Arkera. Additionally, she sits on the boards of other learning organizations including the Center of Advanced Study of India (CASI) at the University of Pennsylvania, the Salome Chamber Orchestra, and the Summit Music Festival. Tania holds a PhD in Finance from Stern School of Business, NYU, a BS in Statistics from Bombay University and an MS in Operations Research from Case Western Reserve University.
Geetika Kwatra
Vice President – Human Resources, India<br>NatWest Group
Vidya Munirathnam
Vice President, HR <br> Lowe's India
Aditi Gujral
Global Head -Talent & Culture CoE<br>Firstsource
Seepika Singhal
Senior Director HR & head Global Total Rewards, Centre of Excellence<br>Brillio Technologies
Seepika Singhal
Senior Director HR & head Global Total Rewards, Centre of Excellence<br>Brillio Technologies
Ritu Bhatia
Sr. Vice President, Global Hiring Leader<br>Genpact
Ritu Bhatia
Sr. Vice President, Global Hiring Leader<br>Genpact
Ritu Bhatia is an experienced Human Resource professional with demonstrated history of working successfully in the Information Technology and Services Industry (ITES) for over 2 decades.
She has an extensive breadth and depth in executive search, recruitment, policies, strategic HR partnership, implementing enterprise level HR transformation projects. Ritu has a proven record of working in a global environment and building strong teams with core focus on providing strategic partnership to stakeholders. She is known for her responsiveness, solution orientation, and solving complex problems. Ritu has been recognised as one of the Forbes 2024 Top 30 Talent leader.
Rajlakshmi Saikia
VP - Learning Innovation, Capabilities & Insights, Global Operations Learning<br>Synchrony
Rajlakshmi Saikia
VP - Learning Innovation, Capabilities & Insights, Global Operations Learning<br>Synchrony
Meghna Bhatt
Head-Talent Management & OD <br>Ashok Leyland
Abhishek Kumar Sinha
General Manager- In Charge of Training and Development<br>RBI
Varun Gautam
Senior Corporate VP, Talent Supply Chain<br>Persistent Systems
Richa Sethi
Global Head - Performance & Talent Management <br> UST
Seema Gupta
Sr. Vice President - Talent Management<br>Publicis Media Services
Hemant Kumar Ravi
Vice President & Head - Talent Transformation and People Experience<br>Infogain
Performance
Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte
A 9 year old child singer & prodigy from Mizoram, India.
Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte
A 9 year old child singer & prodigy from Mizoram, India.
Esther Hnamte was born on the 19th of June, 2016. She started singing at the age of 2 and released her first music video when she was 3. Esther is now studying in school under the sponsorship of Assam rifles HQRS, Shillong.
Anu Menon
Comedian & Host
Anu Menon
Comedian & Host
Anu Menon did a masters in drama in London and moved to Bombay to pursue her first love- the stage. For 8 years she was better know As her alter-ego Vj Lola Kutty on channel V. Her stage credits include Lillete Dubey's Sammy, Raell Padamsee's Noises Off, Divya Palat's A personal War (that won at the Edinburgh Theatre festival) Rage's One on One - part 1&2 and Qtp's God of Carnage. Anu does stand up as well now and opened for Brad Sherwood and Colin Mochrie of Whose Line is it anyway fame during their India tour. Her stand up special "Wonder Menon" is the first female special to feature on Amazon Prime. Her dream is to do a shampoo commercial or item number.
Anshu Daga
Founder, The Inner Startup, Artistic Director, Roots & Wings Theatre, Coach & Performer Nautankibaaz Improv Collective
Anshu Daga
Founder, The Inner Startup, Artistic Director, Roots & Wings Theatre, Coach & Performer Nautankibaaz Improv Collective
Ankur Sardana
Founder, Nautankibaaz Improv Collective & Head of Design, Tata Neu, Tata Digital
Ankur Nigam
Standup Comedian, Comedy Coach Nautankibaaz Improv Collective
Celebrated Voices: SHRM India Advisory Council
Richard Rekhy
Vice Chair, Grant Thornton Bharat & Former CEO, KPMG in India
Pavitra Singh
CHRO & VP<br>PepsiCo India & South Asia
Pranjal Sharma
Economic Analyst, Advisor & Author<br>The Next New
Celebration Cafe
Host & Moderators
Amogh Deshmukh
Head - Leadership Practice<br>SHRM India
Amogh Deshmukh
Head - Leadership Practice<br>SHRM India
At SHRM India, APAC & MENA, Amogh heads the Executive Leadership practice and Amogh is responsible for the creation and implementation of the Executive Leadership strategy for the region. Extensive experience in providing business-relevant counsel and consulting solutions to top Indian/Global organizations primarily in the areas of leadership strategy, development, succession management, and talent acquisition. Consulted C-Suite level clients from diverse industries including automotive, BFSI, FMCG/CD, IT/ITES, healthcare, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, retail, start-ups, and telecommunications.
A trusted executive coach and a dependable talent development consultant extensively involved in research & publication, implementation of interventions and best practices, and helped clients in implementation of leadership development and talent management initiatives. Frequently quoted in trade and business magazine on talent and leadership development.
Shaakun Khanna
Senior Advisor & Head - Leadership & HR Transformation<br>SHRM
Shaakun Khanna
Senior Advisor & Head - Leadership & HR Transformation<br>SHRM
Shaakun Khanna is Advisor on Board with SHRM and specializes in HR Transformation, SkillsBased Organizations, Employee Experience, Talent Management, and HR Technology. With 25 years of comprehensive experience across India, APAC, and the Middle East, he has built a solid reputation in HR consulting, technology transformation, and strategy development, particularly within industries such as IT, professional services, consumer electronics, and banking.
In his recent role as Vice President and Head of HCM strategy and transformation for Oracle Corporation in Asia Pacific, Shaakun managed ecosystems to successfully implement Oracle Human Capital Management and other SaaS solutions, while cultivating relationships with key executives. Previously, as Head of HCM Strategy & Transformation, he led numerous HR transformation projects, securing key deals and enhancing Oracle’s market presence. His leadership at Right Management India as Country Head involved managing talent management initiatives and overseeing the country’s P&L.
Shaakun also served as Country Head at IBM Kenexa, where he built a significant consulting business and led projects focused on employee engagement and leadership assessment. Earlier in his career, he established the 'Strengths-Based Leadership Development' practice at Gallup Consulting and engaged with high-stakes clients like Microsoft and Tata Group.
Shaakun holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Delhi University. He is a Certified Strength Performance Executive Coach and is pursuing ICF Coach Certification. Additionally, he is certified in the Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Model. With a proven track record of driving organizational effectiveness through innovative, technology-driven solutions, Shaakun is well-equipped to partner with organizations in their HR transformation journeys
Dedeepya Ajith John
Senior Director - Consulting & Capability Services<br> SHRM APAC & India
Dedeepya Ajith John
Senior Director - Consulting & Capability Services<br> SHRM APAC & India
A passionate and multi-tasking business professional with over a decade of experience, Dedeepya handles the portfolios including Advisory, Research and Academic Partnerships catering to the regions of India, as well as APAC regions. She further also heads the South Region for SHRM India and is responsible for business development and consulting in the area of Human Capital Management. Prior to this, she has worked with Oracle India as HR Consultant. Her areas of interest include Knowledge Management, Diversity and Inclusion, Competency Assessment and Development, Organization Development, Research and HR Analytics. She has been involved in the project design, content generation and implementation of consultancy projects in the above areas. She is experienced in using Quantitative and Qualitative research methods for diagnostic purposes including identifying relevant variables, designing questionnaires and using various statistical methods for analysis. She co-authored papers/ book chapters in the areas of Diversity and Inclusion and further has contributed extensively to various articles / interviews in leading newspapers. Dedeepya is a Mechanical Engineer from Jawaharlal Technological University (Kakinada, A.P) followed by a MBA from Indian Institute of Science (IISc, Bangalore, India). She is a certified SHRM Senior Certified Professional ( SHRM SCP), Level -1 Hogan Assessor and is certified in Job Evaluation by KornFerry - Hay. Along with her work, Dedeepya is passionate about painting, dancing and sports.
Ashissh Kaul
Director - Knowledge & Advisory & Business Head - PSE Business<br>SHRM India
Ashissh Kaul
Director - Knowledge & Advisory & Business Head - PSE Business<br>SHRM India
Ashissh has over 21 years of experience in HR Consulting firms and has been providing strategic HR inputs to more than 300 clients across industries and geographies, including India, the Middle East, the Americas, and Southeast Asia.
Ashissh is a certified DDI Master Facilitator, Gallup Strengths Coach, Hogan Certified, Talent Management, and HR Technology, expert. Before joining SHRM, Ashissh worked extensively with world-class Consulting organizations like Gallup, Mercer, DDI, and Aon.
He is a trusted adviser to C suite leaders on improving business results by helping build leadership capability, people digital systems, craft talent management strategy, training and designing development journeys, and measuring employee engagement.
Ashissh is known for his executive presence, public speaking skills, and passion for facilitating leadership and behavioral training workshops. His other significant work includes evaluating and building organizational structures by linking to business needs and the application of competencies across the organization. He is also a certified Competency Based Interviewer. Ashissh is an engineering graduate and an alumnus of IIM Lucknow.
Nitya Vijaykumar
Director, Consulting and Capability Development<br>SHRM India
Nitya Vijaykumar
Director, Consulting and Capability Development<br>SHRM India
Nitya is an Organization development consultant with experience in Leadership Development, Behavioural Assessments for Succession planning, Performance Management and designing learning journeys for managerial development.
Over the last decade she has successfully leveraged her experience in Business and Consulting to drive meaningful and measurable change management initiatives for her clients across industries like BFSI, ITES, Fintech, Pharma & Manufacturing.
She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in executive HR from XLRI and is a certified HOGAN practitioner. She has extensively used Predictive Psychometric tools like CHALLY, Personality assessment DISC, Pearson personality tool Sosie, Critical thinking Assessments Watson Glaser etc. for designing talent management solutions for clients.
Prior to Organizational Development, her corporate journey began in Business with the Citigroup and later in Wealth Advisory for Private and Corporate clients at Deutsche bank.
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*Registration fee includes event attendance and food and beverages as per details mentioned in the conference agenda.
*Membership will be activated within 2-3 weeks of receipt of payment
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