Bengaluru Skill Summit

Led by the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood (SDEL), under the patronage of the Hon’ble Minister Shri Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil, the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 is set to be a landmark platform shaping the future of India’s workforce.

Envisioned as Karnataka’s premier platform for workforce development, the summit seeks to evolve into a landmark event. The 2025 edition will bring together stakeholders from across the skilling ecosystem – government leaders, industry experts, global organisations, educators, training providers, and youth, to develop and drive actionable strategies for reskilling, upskilling, digital transformation, and employability in emerging sectors.

VISION & IMPACT

Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy

Key Highlights:

🔹 Summit led by National and International Ministers	🔹 Skill Expo Pavilion showcasing cutting-edge training solutions and technologies
🔹 Two-day conference with policy dialogues, keynote sessions, and panels	🔹 Skillathon, a dynamic innovation challenge for youth and institutions
🔹 High-level networking opportunities fostering partnerships across government, industry, and global stakeholders	🔹 Kaushalya Karnataka Awards honoring excellence in skilling
🔹 Exclusive roundtables, masterclasses, and fireside chats with policymakers and global experts	🔹 Artisanal showcase celebrating Karnataka’s heritage and craftsmanship

EVENT SCHEDULE

Day 1 (04 November 2025)

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM	Registration and Networking
4:30 PM – 05:00 PM	Karnataka Rajyotsava Sadagara Celebrating the spirit of Karnataka and its rich Kannada culture, witness a soulful music with renowned singers Manasa Holla and Ashwin Sharma, as they enchant the audience with melodious Kannada songs that reflect the essence, pride, and heritage of our land. Performers: * Manasa Holla, Singer * Ashwin Sharma, Singer
05:00 PM – 07:00 PM	Inauguration by Sri Siddaramaiah, Hon. Chief Minister, Sri D.K. Shivakumar, Hon. Dy. Chief Minister, and Dr. Sharanaparakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon. Minister, Department of SDEL and ME Inauguration by Sri Siddaramaiah, Hon. Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka August Presence Sri D.K. Shivakumar, Hon. Dy. Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka Dr. Sharanaparakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon. Minister For Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood and Medical Education, Government of Karnataka Guest of Honour * Hon. Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem, Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Government of Mauritius * Dr. M. B. Patil, Hon. Minister for Large & Medium Industries, and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka * Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon. Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, and E, I.T. & Bt, Government of Karnataka * Shri Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka * Shri Santosh S. Lad, Hon’ble Minister for Labour, Government of Karnataka * Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Hon. Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka * Shri Rizwan Arshad, Hon’able MLA for Shivajinagar Assembly Constituency, Government of Karnataka * His Excellency Dr. Phillipp Ackermann, Ambassador, Federal Republic for Germany to India * Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, IAS(R), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority * Shri Ashutosh Gupta, Managing Director – India and Asia Pacific, Coursera
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM	Networking Dinner

Day 2 (05 November 2025)

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM	Registration and Networking
10:00 AM – 10:10 AM	Opening Remarks Guest of Honour Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, IAS(R), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM	Empowering Clusters: Karnataka’s Dialogue on Local Skills for Global Opportunities This roundtable focuses on developing region-specific skill and industry networks that ensure each economic cluster in Karnataka has the right balance of skilled talent to meet local demand while contributing to the state’s global competitiveness.
10:10 AM – 10:40 AM	Flourishing with AI: Shaping Karnataka’s Next Era through Innovation Speaker: * Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman Global Energy Alliance and Former Chairman, Microsoft India & Bank of Baroda
10:40 AM – 11:20 AM	Catalysts of Change: Green Skills for a Sustainable Future Speakers: * Murali Arikara, Chief Technology Officer, Racanaa Energy * Dr. Bipin Chandra, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Esyasoft Group * Marisa Talamonti, Global Head of Human Resources, Esyasoft Group * Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Ather Energy Moderator: Nav Kishlay, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Poornakala – The Art Village
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM	Global Best Practices in Skilling The International Roundtable will unite high-level diplomatic leaders and global visionaries to reimagine the future of talent, mobility, and innovation. Through strategic exchange and collaboration, the dialogue aims to forge enduring partnerships between Karnataka and partner nations, driving a new era of globally connected, future-ready workforces.
11:20 AM – 11:50 AM	From Trends to Transformation: Building Tomorrow’s Skills Today Speakers: * Atul Kumar Tiwari, IAS (R), Former Secretary to Government of India, Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering * Jitendra Chaddah, Managing Director & Country Head, GlobalFoundries India Moderator: Dishaa Singhal, Regional Head and Principal Consultant, Ripples Learning
11:50 AM – 12:30 PM	Inclusive Skilling as the Next Growth Multiplier Speakers: * Dr. Gayathri Vasudevan, Chief Impact Officer, Sambhav Foundation * Prateek Madhav, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, AssisTech Foundation (ATF) * Giorgia A. Varisco, Chief YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India), Unicef India Country Office * Veenu Jaichand, Partner, EY Moderator: Supria Dhanda, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, WYSER
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM	Reimagining Higher Education for a Skills-First Future This roundtable will bring together academic leaders to reflect on the evolving role of higher education in a skills-first world. As industries demand adaptable, practice-oriented graduates, universities must rethink curricula, partnerships, and credentialing. The discussion will draw on a working model from Bangalore, where the university–industry partnership has moved from pilot to implementation, creating a credible pathway for embedding skills within higher education. Leaders will explore how such collaborations can bridge the gap between degree frameworks and employability, build lifelong learning pathways, and offer scalable lessons for other institutions across India.
12:30 PM – 1:10 PM	Convergence of Education, Skills & Industry for a trillion USD Economy by 2032 * Dr. Sharanaparakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon. Minister For Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood and Medical Education, Government of Karnataka * Dr. M. B. Patil, Hon. Minister for Large & Medium Industries, and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka * Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon. Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, and E, I.T. & Bt, Government of Karnataka * Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Hon. Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka Moderator: Madan Padaki, Managing Trustee, Head Held High Foundation
1:10 PM – 2:00 PM	Networking Luncheon
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM	Ecosystem Synergy – Driving Skills Innovation through Collaboration This session will spotlight how partnerships across government, industry, academia, and social enterprises create synergy in advancing skilling. The discussion will reflect on successful PPP models, lessons from global best practices, and the pathways to building a collaborative innovation culture in India’s skill ecosystem. Speakers: * Dr. Abhilasha Gaur, Chief Executive Officer, NASSCOM IT-ITeS SSC * Dr. PB Kotur, Global Head, Global Engg. Academy, L&T Technology Services
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM	Keynote Address by Mr. B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM	Empowering MSMEs through Skills, Technology, and Collaboration Leaders from government, industry, and enterprise will engage in a focused dialogue on strengthening MSME competitiveness through workforce skilling, digital transformation, and strategic collaboration, shaping actionable pathways for sustainable growth and inclusive participation in Karnataka’s evolving industrial ecosystem.
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM	Global Perspectives: Skilling for Dignity, Equity and Empowerment This fireside chat highlights how skilling initiatives can go beyond economic utility to become pathways for dignity, equity, and empowerment. The conversation will explore inclusive approaches that uplift marginalized communities, enable equitable access to opportunities, and instill pride in work across both formal and informal sectors. By drawing on lived experiences and policy innovations, the discussion will showcase how skills can serve as a foundation not only for employability but also for social mobility, community resilience, and human development at large. Speakers: * Achim Burkart, Consul General, Federal Republic for Germany in the states of Karnataka and Kerala * Gi Soon Song, Director (South Asia), Human and Social Development Sector Office, Asian Development Bank * Deepak Prabhu Matti, Chief Executive Officer, Cognizant Foundation
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM	Building India and Karnataka as the Global Hub for Future-Ready Talent This roundtable will bring together HR leaders from various domains and segment of organisations to discuss how India is transitioning to a skills-first and AI-enabled talent model. Using Karnataka as a working reference, participants will involve in insightful discussion on workforce architectures, Tier-2/3 expansion, apprenticeships, payroll compliance and employee benfits. They will benchmark time-to-skill, internal mobility, and retention, align on academia–industry partnership models, and crystallize policy asks. The dialogue will culminate in a actionable brief, and a coalition to track outcomes for presentation at the Bengaluru Skill Summit.
3:30 PM – 4:10 PM	Leveraging Technology to Scale Skills This discussion explores how innovation can make skilling more inclusive, efficient, and scalable. It will examine practical ways to use technology as an enabler—expanding access, improving delivery, and ensuring quality at scale—while aligning with the evolving needs of learners, educators, and industries. Speakers: * Arvind Vaishnav, Head of Philips Innovation Campus (PIC), Bengaluru, Royal Philips * Ishvinder Singh, Head India & SAARC, Cisco Networking Academy * Nikita Bengani, Director – Youth Program, Quest Alliance * Prof. Venkappayya R Desai, Director, IIT Dharwad * Madan Padaki, Managing Trustee, Head Held High Foundation
4:10 PM – 4:40 PM	5 Skills to Become Unstoppable in the Age of AI Speaker: * Ishan Sharma, YouTuber, Social Media Influencer & Co-Founder, MarkitUp
4:40 PM – 5:20 PM	Champions of Skills: Stories of Transformation and Triumph Speakers: * Nandita Saxena, Pâtisserie and Confectionery, Silver Medal at WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition * Likith Kumar Y P, Prototype Modeling, Bronze Medal at WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition * Varun Hanumanth Gowda, Mechatronics, Medallion of Excellence at WorldSkills 2017 Abu Dhabi * Steven Harris Ramdev, Graphic Design Technology, Medallion of Excellence at WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition * Shashidhara Hirematada N, Skill Development Specialist and Managing Director, TechVoc Finesse Consultancy
5:20 PM – 6:00 PM	Skillathon Finals A national competition uniting college students to design creative solutions for India’s skilling ecosystem. Hosted under the Bengaluru Skill Summit, Skillathon celebrates youth-led innovation, policy insight, and collaboration to shape the future of education, employment, and empowerment. Prize Distribution by: * Dr. Sharanaparakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon. Minister For Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood and Medical Education, Government of Karnataka * Atul Kumar Tiwari, IAS (R), Former Secretary to Government of India, Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering * Smt. Shivakantamma (Kanta) Naik, Chairperson, KSDC, and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation
6:00 PM – 6:40 PM	Cultural Performance Presented as part of the Bengaluru Skill Summit, Karnataka Vaibhava honors Karnataka’s rich legacy of nurturing performing arts as a vital skill. For centuries, the state has empowered countless artists to transform their passion for dance, music, and theatre into thriving professional careers — symbolizing Karnataka’s creative strength and skill heritage. A captivating showcase of Karnataka’s cultural heritage, it brings together classical and folk dance, theatre, and music in perfect harmony. ✨ Highlights ✨ Celebrates the Hoysala Dynasty & Vijayanagara Empire under King Krishnadevaraya Depicts sacred centers – Melukote, Sringeri Mutt & Udupi Mutt Features the powerful story of Goddess Chamundi’s victory over Mahishasura Showcases the splendour of the world-famous Mysuru Dussehra Festival Presented by: Kala Arathi Rathna Dr. Sanjay Shantaram, Founder, Shivapriya School of Dance, Bengaluru Kalathilakam Guru Iswarya Bharadwaj, Founder, NANDA Performing Arts, Dubai

Day 3 (06 November 2025)

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM	Registration and Networking
10:00 AM – 10:10 AM	Opening Remarks by Nagaraja N.M, I.A.S, Managing Director, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation
10:10 AM – 10:20 AM	Opening Keynote by Hon. Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem, Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Government of Mauritius
10:20 AM – 10:50 AM	Country Partner Session by German Missions in India | Global Opportunities: Pathways to Germany This session delves into the diverse opportunities for higher education and vocational training in Germany. The German Consulate in Bangalore will provide insights into pathways for skilled and fair migration. The Goethe-Institut will highlight the importance of learning the German language and introduce its language programs, along with valuable transition support. Indo-German Chamber of Commerce will discuss the equivalence of qualifications and the requirements for working in Germany. Speakers: * Annett Baessler, Deputy Consul General, German Consulate Bangalore * Denise Eichhorn, Head of Skilled Migration, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce * Dr. Michael Heinst, Director, Goethe Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore, Cultural Institute of the Federal Republic of Germany
10:50 AM – 11:30 AM	The Fusion Factor: Converging Technologies and the Skills They Demand Speakers: * Dr. Augustus G S Azariah, Regional HR Director for Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa regions, Kyndryl * Shyamala Jhaveri, Vice President, HR Operations & Global Shared Services Deployment Program Lead, Alstom * Surya Prakash Mohapatra, Global Competency Head for Industry Cloud and Digital Business, WIPRO * Vaibhav Srivastava, Country Human Resources Head, ABB India * Animesh Rai, Chief Operations Officer, Ripples Learning
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM	Advancing Automation for Industry 4.0 The roundtable on “Advancing Automation for Industry 4.0” explored strategies for integrating smart technologies like AI, IIoT, robotics, and digital twins to enhance industrial productivity and flexibility. Discussions emphasized workforce upskilling, cybersecurity, and scalable automation models to bridge the gap between innovation and real-world industrial adoption.
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM	Public–Private Partnership for Enhancing the Skilling and Placement Ecosystem in Karnataka The CSR Roundtable aims to bring together Govt representatives and Senior CSR Leaders to promote convergence of programs and funding for greater effectiveness and reach along with co-developing a roadmap for joint initiatives that drive measurable outcomes in skilling and placement initiatives
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM	Industry Voices: Why Inclusion Matters for Business This discussion will explore why inclusion is a critical driver of business performance, highlighting insights from industry leaders on best practices, strategies for building diverse and equitable workplaces, and how inclusive approaches can unlock innovation, enhance competitiveness, and create long-term value across organizations and ecosystems. Speakers: * Naveen Narayanan, Global Head of Human Resources, Biocon Biologics * Saraswathi Ramachandra, Managing Director, Lightcast India * Dr. Padmini Ram, Founding Director, Urban Ethnographers
12:00 PM – 12:40 PM	Karnataka as the Skills Gateway to the World This session will explore how Karnataka is positioning itself as a global hub for skills by leveraging its strong innovation ecosystem, progressive policies, and industry-academia partnerships, highlighting pathways to create globally competitive talent, attract international collaboration, and establish the state as a gateway for the future of work. Speakers: * Sheenam Ohrie, Managing Director, Broadridge Financial Solutions * Neeti Sharma Bhagat, Chief Executive Officer, TeamLease Digital * Ferdinand Schlechta, Head – India Competence Centre Dusseldorf (IKD, A joint project by IHK Dusseldorf), City of Dusseldorf and Messe Dusseldor * Thorsten Kiefer, Executive Director, DeFa Agentur GmbH * Jose Jacob K, Founding Director, The India Advantage Summit & The Future ICT Forum
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM	Gen AI for Academia As Generative AI transforms the landscape of higher education, universities face the dual challenge of adapting rapidly while maintaining academic integrity and purpose. This exclusive roundtable convenes Vice Chancellors, Deans, academic directors, AI practitioners, and policy leaders to explore how India’s higher education ecosystem can become a pioneer in AI-driven learning and research.
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM	Blue Dots in Practice: Verifiable Talent, Credible Jobs, Faster Matches At the Bengaluru Skills Summit, this roundtable presents our learnings from the pilot implementation of ONEST’s solution for timely, trusted discovery between youth and local MSMEs. Leveraging “Blue dots” signals and portable, verifiable credentials, where districts function as employment exchanges cutting churn, enabling local placements, and strengthening local economies through transparent, real-time visibility of talent and demand!
12:40 PM – 1:10 PM	Navigating Global Talent Expectations This session will explore global talent expectations through a diplomatic lens, highlighting how international partnerships, cross-border mobility, and shared standards can shape the workforce of the future, while examining the role of diplomacy in aligning education, industry, and policy to build talent ecosystems that are competitive, collaborative, and globally relevant. Speakers: * Dattatri Salagame, Chief Executive Officer, President and Managing Director, Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW) * Swati C Sharma, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, Accenture LearnVantage * Sanjeev Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission
1:10 PM – 2:00 PM	Networking Luncheon
2:00 PM – 2:40 PM	The Human-AI Workforce of the Future This session will examine how the evolving partnership between humans and AI is reshaping the workforce of the future, highlighting new models of collaboration, emerging skill requirements, and the role of innovation in building resilient, adaptive, and inclusive talent ecosystems for a rapidly changing global economy. Speakers: * Sandeep Magavi, Learning & Knowledge Management Leader, IBM * Saurav Jha, President & Chief Executive Officer, Simnovus * Alokesh Das, Director, Mu Sigma Inc * Rajeev Khushu, Director GR Strategy and Corporate Affairs, Texas Instruments * Sandeep Magavi, Learning & Knowledge Management Leader, IBM * Saurav Jha, President & Chief Executive Officer, Simnovus * Nitika Goel, Managing Partner and Chief Marketing Officer, Zinnov
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM	AI as an enabler for Skilling and as a Co-Worker/Assistant – Room 1 The widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) demands a rapid, collaborative overhaul of workforce development. This roundtable focuses on AI’s essential dual function in skilling: as a superior Enabler of Learning and an indispensable Co-Worker/Assistant. CHRO’s Vision: Karnataka Skill Blueprint – Room 2 The roundtable aims to bring together senior HR leaders and industry experts to co-create a roadmap for capability development and workforce readiness aligned with Karnataka’s economic growth vision. It will focus on the evolving role of CHROs in driving enterprise transformation, the urgent need for structured skilling of professionals, and collaborative models to build a future-ready workforce. Unlocking the Future of Civil Engineering through Emerging Skills – Room 3 Frequent 100-year return period storms and polluted, encroached water bodies demand urgent action. This session focuses on developing skills and technical capacity for decentralized wastewater management, rainwater harvesting, water body rejuvenation, urban flood early warning systems, and natural drainage maintenance, integrating technology, innovation, and nature-based solutions for resilient cities Unlocking Global Careers – Essential Skills & Certifications – Room 4 This round table explores with key stakeholders from government, industry, and international organizations how Karnataka can align its training systems with global standards through international partnerships, global competencies, and recognized certifications—creating pathways for ethical overseas mobility and positioning the state as a global hub for future-ready talent.
2:40 PM – 3:10 PM	Keynote Address by Mr. Subroto Bagchi, Co-Founder of Mindtree, Former Chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority
3:10 PM – 3:50 PM	Learning in Times of Disruption This panel will explore how individuals, institutions, and industries can adapt to continuous change in the skills landscape, highlighting the integration of bootcamps and capstone projects within formal education, the evolving role of apprenticeships and work-based learning, and the potential of scalable micro-credentials for emerging skills, while also examining the rise of self-directed learning, the readiness of institutions to keep pace, and the balance between country-specific standards and global workforce demands. Speakers: * Dr. Jatin N. Trivedi, Chief Executive Officer, Adani Foundation * Mahesh Shetty, Head of Skill Development & Livelihood, JSW Foundation * Dr. Sunil Abrol, Founding Director, NOCN India Skills Foundation * Dr. Sowmya N S, Co-Founder & COO, StudyMEDIC Academy (P) Limited
3:50 PM – 4:20 PM	From Jobs to Journeys: The Evolution of Skills for the Future of Work Discussions will explore how the nature of work is shifting from static job roles to dynamic career journeys, where continuous learning and skill renewal are essential, and will highlight how governments, industries, and academic institutions can rethink skill frameworks, certification models, and career pathways to prepare talent for an unpredictable, rapidly evolving global economy. The focus will be on long-term strategies that connect skills development to economic resilience, employability, and personal growth. Speakers: * Mish Eastman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Vocational Education and Vice President, RMIT University & Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD) * Ramesh Kaza, Board of Director, BFSI Consortium * Dr. Basavaraju R Shreshta, Executive Director, Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM)
4:20 PM – 5:20 PM	Kaushalya Karnataka Awards Awards Presented by: * Dr. Sharanaparakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon. Minister For Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood and Medical Education, Government of Karnataka * Smt. Shivakantamma (Kanta) Naik, Chairperson, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation, and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation * Shri BV Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission
5:20 PM – 6:00 PM	Bharata Sambhrama Experience the grandeur of Bharath Sambrama, where singers Manasa Holla and Ashwin Sharma present an inspiring musical journey through patriotic songs celebrating India’s rich culture, heritage, and unity. a soulful tribute to the pride and spirit of our incredible nation. * Ashwin Sharma, Singer * Manasa Holla, Singer

You’ll Meet:

• National and International Leaders
• Senior Government Leaders
• CEOs & CHROs
• Industry and Industry Associations
• Academicians from Leading Educational Institutions
• Sector Skill Councils
• Training partners and Skilling Aggregators
• Leaders of Multilateral Agencies
• NGOs & Foundations in Skilling
• Social Impact Investors
• Youth Delegates
• Start-ups
• Entrepreneurs

Why should you attend?

• First hand access to Karnataka’s vision
• Insights into future skills demand
• Opportunity to be part of policy discussions, roundtables, and industry dialogues
• Learn about best practices in industry and government aligned training and jobs
• Explore pathways for international recognition, mutual agreements and overseas employment linkages
• See how Karnataka is making skilling aspirational
• Networking

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