Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies - 2026

HR Conclave 2.0 on “Future of Work” Concludes Successfully at SVKM’s NMIMS Chandigarh

Chandigarh, 23 February 2026

SVKM’s NMIMS Chandigarh successfully hosted HR Conclave 2.0 – Future of Work, a flagship Industry–Academia interface that brought together eminent HR leaders, legal experts, corporate professionals, academicians, and students for a day of insightful deliberations on the rapidly evolving world of work. The conclave commenced at 9:30 AM at the NMIMS Chandigarh campus and witnessed enthusiastic participation, thought-provoking discussions, and meaningful networking throughout the day.

The event witnessed the virtual presence of Dr. Meena Chintamaneni, Pro Vice Chancellor. The inaugural lamp lighting ceremony was led by Prof. (Dr.) Jyotsna Singh, Campus Director, and Mr. Abhinav Kaushik, Deputy Registrar, NMIMS Chandigarh Campus, along with the Guest of Honour, Dr. Ravinder Singh Zandu; Dr. Parul Grover Mahajan, Program Chair, School of Commerce; Prof. Dr. Rashmi Khorana Nagpal, Associate Dean, School of Law; Mr. Abhishek Mehta, Assistant Director – Placements; Mr. Gurpreet Singh, Coordinator- Placements; and HR delegates.

The conclave was honoured by the presence of Dr. Ravinder Singh Zandu, Head of Digital & Systems, Cabinet Office – Government Campus for Skills, UK Civil Services, as the Guest of Honour. The event was meticulously organised by Mr. Abhishek Mehta, Assistant Director – Placements, and Mr. Gurpreet Singh, Coordinator – Placements, whose dedicated efforts brought distinguished leaders from industry and the legal fraternity onto a common platform for dialogue and collaboration.

In her address, Dr. Meena Chintamaneni said, “We believe we are in the noble profession of educating the youth, but if they are not useful to society and industry, it has no meaning, which is why industry stakeholder feedback helps us know whether we are on the right track. For nearly a decade, we have focused on outcome-based, learner-centric education through experiential learning, project-based learning, and internships aligned with real industry needs. Our ultimate goal is that students become truly employable, prepared from day one with the skills, critical thinking, and digital readiness required by the industry.”

Prof. (Dr.) Jyotsna Singh highlighted,“At SVKM’s NMIMS, we carry forward a legacy of value-based quality education, and through this HR Conclave, we are creating an ecosystem that strengthens the vital bridge between academia and industry. In today’s AI-driven era, it is not just about how AI is shaping industries, but how the entire industry landscape is changing across domains. As an institution of higher education, our responsibility goes beyond imparting knowledge; we must ensure our curriculum and learning remain aligned with real-world needs, because while we provide degrees, it is students’ skills, adaptability, and ability to apply knowledge that will define their future.”

Dr. Ravinder Singh Zandu spoke, “ This conclave brings together academia and industry to reflect on whether we are on the right track in preparing students for real world needs. Data is the crux for any AI system to work rightly, and unless you have the right, varied, and truly representative data, the outcomes will always be wrong. That is why transparency, fairness, ethics, and explainable AI are essential to build systems that people can truly trust.”

Sharing his thoughts on the success of the conclave, Mr. Abhishek Mehta said:
“HR Conclave 2.0 was envisioned as a knowledge-sharing platform where students could directly engage with industry stalwarts and legal experts. The overwhelming participation and depth of discussions reaffirm the importance of such initiatives in bridging the gap between classroom learning and corporate expectations.”

The conclave served as a dynamic forum for exchanging ideas on key themes including HR transformation, digital disruption, talent management, leadership strategies, organisational agility, and the legal dimensions of modern workplaces. The interactive panel discussions offered rich industry insights and practical perspectives, enabling students to develop a deeper understanding of contemporary HR and legal challenges while fostering meaningful dialogue and professional networking.

Distinguished Panel Speakers included:
Deepti Mehta – CHRO, Interface Microsystems
Ruhi Ranjan – Senior Managing Director (Ex-Accenture)
Yamini Khanna – HR Head, Grazitti Interactive
Sanjeev Kumar Pathania – VP HR & Country Manager, Basware
Jalaj Sharma – Associate Director of People, Watermark
Chandan Bhambhwani – Director – People, EXO Edge
Samit Mhatre – Chief People Officer, EXO Edge Advantage India Pvt. Ltd.
Dhiraj Kumar – Head HRBP & TA, Fibe India
Parmod Lamba – CHRO, Tynor Orthotics
Amrit Lal – Chief People Officer, Trident Group
Gaurav Kapoor – Assistant Vice President, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.
Khushboo Raipal – Manager HR – Talent Acquisition, HPCL
Kulwinder Singh – Practicing Advocate (High Court) & VP, Tri City Consumer Courts Bar Association
Vikram Sharma – Regional Legal Officer, AU Small Finance Bank
Abhinav Jaiswal – Sr. Manager – Practice Development, SKV Law Offices
Dr. S. S. Kanwar – DPIIT IPR Chair Professor, Panjab University, Chandigarh

The event concluded on a high note with a shared commitment to further strengthening the industry–academia partnership and continuing collaborative efforts towards developing agile, skilled, and future-ready professionals.

About SVKM

Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM) is one of India’s premier educational trusts with a distinguished legacy of academic excellence. Over the decades, SVKM has established and nurtured reputed institutions across multiple disciplines, known for their academic rigour, innovation, and value-based education, contributing significantly to the nation’s educational landscape.

About NMIMS Chandigarh

SVKM’s NMIMS Chandigarh is a constituent campus of NMIMS Deemed-to-be University and proudly carries forward the rich legacy of the NMIMS family, which has been shaping higher education in India for over 45 years. With its industry-aligned curriculum, dynamic learning ecosystem, experienced faculty, strong corporate engagement, and state-of-the-art infrastructure, the campus is committed to nurturing competent, socially responsible, and future-ready professionals for a global environment.

Executive MBAs gain traction amid AI-driven workplace changes; NMIMS opens admissions for MBA NEx 

Mumbai, February 2026 - As artificial intelligence transforms how professionals learn, work and advance their careers, a pressing question is emerging across India’s workforce: what kind of management education truly matters today? With information now instantly accessible, the focus is shifting from acquiring knowledge to building judgement, leadership capability and strategic perspective. Keeping pace with this change, SVKM’s NMIMS School of Business Management has opened admissions for its MBA NEx (NMIMS Executive MBA), Batch 2026, aimed at experienced professionals seeking advanced leadership development alongside their careers.

Recent remarks by a prominent start-up founder questioning the relevance of MBA degrees in an AI-driven world have further fuelled debate around management education in India. While such views echo growing scepticism towards traditional, early-career MBA programmes, educators note that the conversation shifts significantly when it comes to working professionals in leadership roles. Supporting this trend, a recent College Vidya study reported by Shiksha indicates that nearly 60 per cent of working professionals in India now view Executive MBA programmes as a strategic lever for career advancement, reflecting a growing preference for structured, experience-led learning at the mid-career stage.

The two-year MBA NEx is conducted on weekends, with intensive in-person sessions at the main NMIMS Mumbai Campus, allowing participants to continue working while pursuing management education. Founded in 1981, NMIMS has grown into a multidisciplinary Deemed-to-be University, with 17 specialised schools across seven campuses. Its School of Business Management (SBM) ranks among India’s top 10 business schools, known for academic rigour, industry connections, and global recognition. The MBA NEx curriculum follows a problem-solving approach that integrates theory with real-world application, covering Executive Leadership, Data Analytics, Marketing, Finance, and Digital Transformation. Delivered through experiential, peer-based learning, the programme equips professionals for senior leadership and C-suite roles in complex business environments.

“AI has democratised access to information, but leadership still demands context, judgement and the ability to take decisions in uncertain environments,” said Dr. Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor, SVKM’s NMIMS Deemed-to-be University. “Executive education must go beyond content delivery and focus on shaping leaders who can integrate technology with strategy, ethics and long-term value creation.”

Applicants must have more than four years of full-time work experience in an executive, supervisory, or managerial role. For additional eligibility criteria, please refer to the admission handout. Selection will follow a merit-based process, including an MCQ-based written test, personal interview, evaluation of academic background, and work experience. The University has reiterated that there is no management quota for MBA programmes.

“At the mid-career stage, professionals are not looking for information alone; they are looking for perspective,” said Dr. Subhashish Mazumdar, Program Chair MBA NEx, SBM, SVKM's NMIMS, Mumbai. “The executive classroom enables experienced professionals to learn from peers, engage with industry experts and apply concepts directly to real business challenges.”

As organisations recalibrate leadership expectations in an AI-driven economy, executive education is emerging as a critical enabler of leadership readiness. With admissions now open for MBA NEx Batch 2026, SVKM’s NMIMS positions its executive programme as a timely pathway for professionals looking to sharpen leadership capability while remaining rooted in real-world practice.

Candidates are advised to refer to the admission information handout for all other details, available on the official website: https://sbm.nmims.edu/mba-executive-program/

As AI Demand Surges, SVKM's NMIMS and Turiyam AI Collaborate to Equip Students for Industry Challenges

India, February 2026: SVKM’s NMIMS has entered a strategic collaboration with deep-tech startup Turiyam AI, a company specialising in AI hardware and deep learning solutions, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the SVKM’s NMIMS Mumbai campus by Dr Tanmoy Chakraborty, Registrar, SVKM’s NMIMS, and Mr Sanchayan Sinha, CEO, Turiyam AI, in the presence of Dr Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor; Dr Sharad Mhaiskar, Provost (Administration); and Dr Koteswararao Anne, Dean, MPSTME. With India projected to need 2.3 million AI professionals by 2027, classrooms alone cannot produce industry-ready engineers. While initiatives like Skilling for AI Readiness  (SOAR)  are building AI literacy among students and educators, this collaboration will bridge the gap between the industry that still struggles to translate awareness into applied capability.

Anchored at SVKM’s NMIMS School of Technology Management & Engineering (STME), the collaboration establishes a dedicated AI Lab for joint research, hardware-backed experimentation, and structured student projects focused on industry-relevant problem statements with measurable outcomes. Through access to Turiyam AI’s deep-tech hardware stack, computational infrastructure, and technical guidance, BTech, MTech, and PhD students will move beyond simulations to hands-on development.

Dr Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor, SVKM’s NMIMS, said, "At SVKM’s NMIMS, we have always believed that education should not just create awareness but build the capabilities to shape the future. With frameworks like NEP 2020 guiding us, we’ve pioneered initiatives from AI PI rounds for our management students to expanding applied research programmes. Now we’re glad to partner with Turiyam AI to take our vision further, giving students the chance to work with real AI systems, navigate real-world challenges, and solve problems that truly matter. That’s how we prepare the next generation of leaders to not just participate in industry but to drive it forward."

Mr Sanchayan Sinha, CEO, Turiyam AI, added, "Government initiatives have created momentum for AI education, but real impact comes when students can build, test, and scale solutions. We are grateful to partner with SVKM’s NMIMS, an institution that has consistently demonstrated excellence in blending academic rigour with innovation. This collaboration lets us mentor the next generation of engineers and create AI talent ready to tackle real-world challenges from day one."

The collaboration is expected to produce applied research papers, working prototypes, co-developed learning modules, and expanded student participation in deep-tech research, signalling a shift from AI awareness to real industry-ready capability. SVKM’s NMIMS has been at the forefront of implementing a Generative AI policy and AI-focused PI rounds for management students, which it continues to expand through applied research and skill development programmes.