Confederation of Indian Industry Karnataka Annual Meeting Highlights Industrial AI Transformation and Announces New Leadership
Bengaluru, Mar 10: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Karnataka State Council hosted the CII Karnataka State Annual Meeting 2025–26 in Bengaluru under the theme “Industrial AI Transformation and Trust.” The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology experts to discuss the transformative role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of industrial ecosystems.
Addressing the gathering, MB Patil, Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka, highlighted the state’s strong position in driving AI-led industrial growth.
He said, “Karnataka is entering a new phase of industrial transformation where artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and trusted digital ecosystems will redefine global competitiveness. With over 800 R&D centres, more than 18,000 start-ups, and nearly 35% of India’s Global Capability Centres, Karnataka is uniquely positioned to lead this transition.”
Delivering the keynote address, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President of CII and Co-founder of Infosys, emphasized the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.
He stated, “Artificial Intelligence is a transformative technology that will fundamentally redefine what is possible for economies, industries, and societies. While AI offers extraordinary opportunities to expand productivity and democratize expertise, it is equally important to invest in domestic capabilities, responsible governance, and large-scale reskilling.”
Offering a special address, Thomas John Muthoot, Chairman of CII Southern Region and Chairman & Managing Director of Muthoot Fincorp, stressed the importance of trust and governance in AI adoption.
“Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the way industries operate, but its success will depend not only on technological capability but also on trust, governance, and responsible implementation,” he said, adding that organizations must ensure inclusive adoption, continuous skilling, and transparent frameworks.
Rabindra Srikantan, Chairman of CII Karnataka State Council 2025–26 and Managing Director of ASM Technologies Ltd, highlighted the evolving relationship between humans, machines, and intelligent systems across industrial value chains.
“As AI moves beyond assisting human judgment to enabling autonomous decisions, trust becomes the critical link between advanced technology and human confidence. This trust must be built through strong ethical frameworks, transparent governance, and accountability,” he noted.
Guruprasad Mudlapur, Vice Chairman of CII Karnataka State Council 2025–26 and President of Bosch Group in India, emphasized the growing importance of industrial AI in manufacturing.
“Industrial AI has evolved from experimentation to a core driver of productivity, quality, and resilience in manufacturing. Karnataka’s strong engineering talent and innovation ecosystem place it in a unique position to lead this transformation,” he said.
Industry Panel Discussion
The event also featured a panel discussion on “Industrial AI Transformation and Talent Integration.” Moderated by N Venu, Managing Director and CEO – India and South Asia at Hitachi Energy, the discussion explored how organizations can successfully integrate AI with existing systems and skilled talent.
Mr. Venu highlighted that industrial AI enables faster, data-driven decisions across operations, and organizations that effectively combine human expertise with intelligent systems will unlock higher productivity and long-term competitiveness.
New Leadership Announced
During the meeting, CII Karnataka announced the new office bearers for the 2026–27 term.
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Guruprasad Mudlapur – Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council 2026–27
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Sam Cherian – Vice Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council 2026–27
Mr. Mudlapur has been serving as President of Bosch Group in India and Managing Director of Bosch Limited since July 2023 and previously held several leadership roles in engineering and automotive electronics within the Bosch ecosystem. Prior to joining Bosch, he worked with NXP Semiconductors in Singapore and the Netherlands for nearly 15 years.
Mr. Cherian is the Managing Director of Schevaran Laboratories Pvt Ltd, a leading provider of cleaning and hygiene solutions in India. He is also the founder of Cleanfix-Schevaran, a joint venture with Switzerland-based Cleanfix to manufacture advanced cleaning machines and robotics in India.
Industry Participation
The event saw participation from leading companies including Bosch Ltd, Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery, 3M India Ltd, Bangalore International Airport Ltd, Volvo Group India, Brigade Enterprises Ltd, and Alliance University, among others.
More than 100 CXOs and industry stakeholders attended the meeting, sharing insights on AI adoption, talent integration, and the importance of trusted digital ecosystems.
