Event Schedule

Ceremonial Inauguration and Kulgeet

Dignitaries proceed to the dais, floral tribute to Bharat Ratna Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Ji, lighting of the ceremonial lamp, followed by the Kulgeet.

Felicitation of Guests & Welcome Address

Felicitation of the Chief Guest and distinguished Guests of Honour, followed by the Welcome Address by Prof. Ashish Bajpai, Director, IM-BHU.

Prof. Ashish Bajpai

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Welcome Address

Welcome remarks and opening address to the dignitaries, guests, participants, and attendees of the Bharat Innovation Conclave 2.0.

Prof. Ashish Bajpai

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

About AIC & Introduction to Bharat Innovation Conclave

An overview of AIC and an introduction to the vision, purpose, and key highlights of Bharat Innovation Conclave 2.0.

Prof. Rajkiran Prabhakar

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Inauguration of CoE (Centre of Excellence) of BFSI SSC

Inauguration of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) of BFSI SSC (Banking, Financial Services & Insurance Sector Skill Council of India), followed by an address by the Chief Guest, Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Vice Chancellor, BHU, in the presence of Mr. Rishi Dhariwal, CEO, BFSI Sector Skill Council.

Dr. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Address by the Chief Guest

Address by the Chief Guest highlighting key perspectives and insights on innovation, education, and the vision of the conclave.

Dr. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Address by the Guest of Honour

Address by Mr. Ravi Shanker Pandey, Guest of Honour and Consultant, Department of IT & Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Ravi Shankar Pandey

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Skilling India's BFSI Workforce for the Startup Economy

Insights on developing a skilled BFSI workforce to meet the evolving needs of India’s startup and innovation ecosystem.

Mr. Rishi Dhariwal

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Address by the Guest of Honour

Address by Mr. Vishal Saraswat, IDES, CEO, Cantonment Board, as the Guest of Honour.

Address by the Guest of Honour

Address highlighting MSME development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs.

LBS Yadav IEDS

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Vote of Thanks

Prof. P.V. Rajeev, Professor-in-Charge, AIC-B, will deliver the Vote of Thanks, expressing gratitude to the dignitaries, speakers, organizers, partners, and participants.

National Anthem & Inaugural Ceremony Concludes

The session will conclude with the rendition of the National Anthem, with the participation of all dignitaries and participants.

BIS Activities for Startups

Mr. Ritwik Anand, Scientist-E, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), will share insights on BIS initiatives, standards, and support relevant to startups.

Mr. Ritwik Anand

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Investing in Bharat: Capital, Conviction & the Next-Gen Startup

A keynote address by Sudhir Rao, Investor at Celesta Capital, exploring investment opportunities in Bharat, the role of capital and conviction, and the growth of next-generation startups.

Sudhir Rao

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Medical Technology

Panel discussion and startup pitches with Dr. A.K. Kaushik, Dr. Ashish Kumar Gupta, and Dr. Sneha Gupta, moderated by Mr. Satish Kumar Vishwakarma.

Break

MSME & Startup Financing: The SIDBI Playbook

Mr. Akshay Kumar, Assistant General Manager, SIDBI, Varanasi, will share insights on MSME and startup financing, funding opportunities, and SIDBI’s role in supporting emerging businesses.

Dr. Akshay Kumar

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Social Entrepreneurship

Panel discussion and startup pitches with Ayush Narsaria, Anshuman Ranjeet Singh, Sachin Shukla, Pooja Goswami, and Shaila Dhanuka, moderated by Dr. Anshuman Bhattacharya.

Retail, Legacy Business & the New Entrepreneur

Mr. Dhawal Prakash Agrawal, Founder & Chair, Young Indians (YI) Varanasi Chapter and Owner, The Raymond Shop, will share insights on retail, legacy businesses, entrepreneurship, and adapting to the evolving business landscape.

Mr. Dhawal Prakash Agrawal

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Clean Tech

Panel discussion and startup pitches with Kaushiv Agarwal, moderated by Mr. Majid Mumtaz.

Networking Break

Cultural Programme

Cultural performances featuring classical and Bollywood music, along with folk dance by Shivangi Mathur, Aditya Singh, Anant Narayan Singh, Kuntal Mondal, Ananya Patel, Nitya Shah, Sheenam Dhingra, and Mahek Raj.

Day 1 Closing Remarks

Industry-Academia Collaboration for Innovation-Led Growth

Keynote address on industry-academia collaboration and innovation-led growth.

Umang Kumar Sah

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

EdTech

Panel discussion and startup pitches with Dr. Shalini Singh, Pratibha Trivedi, Dr. Saurabh Sen, and Dr. Sarita Rao, moderated by Mr. Vivekanand Pandey.

Government–Industry Synergy for Startup Growth

Mr. Ravi Shankar Pandey, Consultant, UPIT, will share insights on strengthening government–industry collaboration and its role in supporting startup growth and innovation.

Ravi Shankar Pandey

Swatantrata Bhawan, BHU, Varanasi

Agri Tech

Panel discussion and startup pitches with Dr. Mahendra Singh and Dr. Rajeev Kumar, moderated by Ms. Vidushi Pathak.

Break

Electronics

Panel discussion and startup pitches with Prof. Rajesh Kumar Upadhyay, moderated by Ms. Medha Mishra.

Panel & Pitch Session 7

A panel discussion and startup pitch session featuring Ms. Taruna Seth and Ms. Manisha Shewaramani as panelists/evaluators, moderated by Ms. Namrata Priyadarshini, Vasanta College for Women.

Networking Break

A short networking break for participants and guests to connect and interact.

Innovation, Technology & Cybersecurity for a Secure and Self-Reliant Bharat

Panel discussion and startup pitches with Mr. Raj Tiwari, moderated by Ms. Harshita Shah.

Transition to Valedictory

Valedictory Session

Valedictory session with the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, and AIC-BHU Team.