MeitY–Nasscom Centre of Excellence Hosts Digital Innovation Conclave 2026 in Hyderabad, Showcasing India’s AI-Driven Future
Hyderabad, India, Jan 29: The MeitY–Nasscom Centre of Excellence (CoE) – IoT & AI successfully hosted the Digital Innovation Conclave 2026 in Hyderabad, convening over 300 industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, startups, and technology practitioners to explore how artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and next-generation digital infrastructure are transforming India’s enterprise landscape.
The day-long conclave featured inspiring keynotes, three high-impact panel discussions, nine startup innovation showcases, a masterclass, and expert-led deep-dive sessions, offering a comprehensive view of how enterprises can accelerate growth and competitiveness through AI-driven innovation.
Leadership Keynotes and Expert Talks
The conclave opened with a welcome address by Sanjeev Malhotra, CEO, MeitY–Nasscom CoE – IoT & AI, followed by a keynote on “Digital-First AI-Enabled Banking” by Ashish Jain, Lloyds Technology Centre, highlighting the role of AI in redefining customer experience and operational excellence in banking.
Shri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, emphasized the Government of Telangana’s commitment to nurturing a future-ready innovation ecosystem, strengthening India’s leadership in emerging technologies and leveraging digital solutions to address key priorities for the state and its citizens.
Further insights included a session on “Evolution of Digital Assets in Banking” by Ravi Kappagantu, Head – Architecture & Innovation, Lloyds Technology Centre, and a thought-provoking talk by Sanjay Shetty, Chief Business Officer – Recruitment, GCC & International Services, Quess Corp, titled “Beyond Volume: India’s GCC Transformation,” focusing on the shift from scale-led growth to capability-driven value creation.
Startup Innovation Showcases
Across three dedicated sessions, nine deep-tech startups—Technicious, Turiya Softech, Logic Ladder, Senda, Indus Vision, Botminds AI, MonkDB, TraceRT, and Datakriti—presented cutting-edge solutions spanning AI, data intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, and sustainability, demonstrating the depth and diversity of India’s startup ecosystem.
Insightful Panel Discussions
- Panel I: Innovation & AI – Powering the Next Evolution of GCCs, moderated by Gaurav Vasu, brought together leaders from Lloyds Technology Centre, HSBC, Franklin Templeton, and Amgen India, highlighting how India’s GCCs are evolving into global innovation hubs powered by AI and advanced data platforms.
- Panel II: The Agentic AI Mindshift – From Automation to Autonomy, moderated by Puneet Agarwal, Founder, AI Lifebot, explored how autonomous systems are reshaping enterprise operations, with insights from Matrix Pharma, Rainbow Hospitals, Ramoji Group, and Cigna Healthcare.
- Panel III: Accelerating Digital-First Industries, moderated by Divya Sharma (Salesforce), featured leaders from Google India, Qnity Electronics (DuPont), S&P Global, and Coromandel International, focusing on the convergence of digital infrastructure, innovation, and data intelligence across sectors.
Special Sessions and Masterclass
A compelling fireside chat titled “Beyond the Firewall: Leading with Intelligence in 2026” featured Vijay Banda, Executive Chairman & CSO, Synradar, in conversation with Naman Kothari, Head – Innovation & Partnerships, MeitY–Nasscom CoE, examining evolving cybersecurity challenges and leadership imperatives.
The conclave also featured a masterclass on “Amplifying Innovation for Growth in a GenAI Era” by Lokesh Venkataswamy, CEO & MD, Innomantra, offering actionable insights on leveraging generative AI for sustainable growth.
An expert-led deep-dive session by Nitin Dhavate, Head of Data Privacy, Novartis, addressed DPDP Act implementation challenges, providing practical guidance for enterprises navigating compliance and governance.
Closing Remarks
The event concluded with a closing address by Senthil Kumar, Head – Industry & Corporate, MeitY–Nasscom CoE, who emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration across industry, government, and startups to convert India’s digital ambitions into measurable, long-term impact.
Commenting on the success of the conclave, Sanjeev Malhotra, CEO, MeitY–Nasscom CoE – IoT & AI, said:
“The Digital Innovation Conclave brings together the best of India’s innovation ecosystem—industry, startups, and government—to drive meaningful impact through AI and emerging technologies. Hyderabad continues to strengthen its position as a high-quality innovation hub, and today’s conversations reaffirm the power of collaborative innovation in accelerating India’s digital leadership.”