ROPAR: Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar successfully organized Industry LYNK 2025 under the theme “Aligning Horizons: Talent, Ideas, and Industry for a Smarter Future.”an event that brought together students, faculty, over 600 participants, and more than 20 eminent speakers from industry and academia.
The event commenced with Opening Remarks by Dr. Pushpendra P. Singh, Dean (CAPS), IIT Ropar, highlighting the genesis of Industry LYNK. This was followed by the Inaugural Address by Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar, who emphasized the importance of academia–industry collaborations in shaping Viksit Bharat and building future-ready talent.
A Keynote Address by Dr. Varadharaju Janardhanan, CHRO, Flipkart Super Money, followed by MoU announcements with industry partners and a TED Talk by Dr. Raju Kadam, Bharat Forge.
The first panel discussion, focused on HR under the theme “The Future of Workforce in the Era of Industry 4.0: Rethinking Recruitment and Talent Readiness for Viksit Bharat, ” was moderated by Ms. Cheshta Dora (People Matters), with panelists Mr. Charles Godwin (HR Leader and Public Speaker, Zoho Corp.), Mr. Niket Gupta (Head of Talent Acquisition and Campus, Myntra) and Mr. Mayank Jain (Chief Metaverse Officer and Head of Digital Transformation, US Tech Solutions), The panel explored how emerging technologies and digital transformation are reshaping talent acquisition, workforce development, and HR strategies. This was followed by a Keynote Address by Dr. Vilas Zode, Executive Director – HR, HPCL, a TED Talk by Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Murata, and a Keynote Address by Mr. Abhishek Goyal, Managing Director & Global Delivery Lead – Industry X, Accenture India.
The second panel discussion, on R&D, explored “Shaping Viksit Bharat: AI, Data, and Industry 4.0 through Academia–Industry Collaboration” and was moderated by Mr. Shaunak Sontakke (Director of Engineering, Pattern), with panelists Ms. Soumya Gopinathan (Ecosystem and Tech Excellence Leader, Schneider Electric), Dr. Jatinder Kaur Arora (Advisor, Northern Region S&T Cluster), Mr. Yachneet Pushkarna (CEO & Director, Haribol Foods), Mr. Dinkar Gupta (Founder, LEAP Tech), and Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar (Director, Annam.ai). The session was enriched with a TED Talk by Ms. Ruchi Challu, Senior Vice President, BHIVE, and a Keynote Address by Mr. Nilesh Biniwale, Managing Director, Pattern.
The third panel discussion, focusing on CSR, highlighted “Industry–Academia Synergy for Social and Sustainable Innovation” and was moderated by Mr. Abhishek Jha (Consulting Editor, Foreign Affairs, CSR Universe). The panel delved into collaborative models between industry and academia to drive impactful CSR initiatives and sustainable development. Panelists included Mr. Ramesh Venugopalsamy (CSR Head Skilling, Bajaj Auto Ltd.), Mr. Victor Sundararaj (Associate Vice President – Education, Learning and Development, Infosys), Mr. Aishwarya Mahajan (Managing Trustee & President, M3M Foundation), Mr. Naveen Jha (Director, ISAP India), and Mr. Anirudh Singh Rana (Founder, Smillets). The session also featured a TED Talk – Alumni Perspective by Mr. Ashwin Goyal, Product Manager, HRS Group and IIT Ropar Alumnus.
The program concluded with the announcement of Industry LYNK 2026 by Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director IIT Ropar, and the CAPS Team, followed by the Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Surya K. Sahdeo, Coordinator – Alumni & Placement, IIT Ropar.