Key Speakers
Jagadish Babu
Chief Operating Officer at EkStep Foundation
Jagadish Babu is the Chief Operating Officer, EkStep Foundation one among architect of Bharat-Vistar Program of Govt. of India. Alumni of IISc, Bangalore. With over 25 years of experience across government, private, and nonprofit sectors, he has helped shape India’s education DPI, including DIKSHA, built reusable digital public goods, and earlier contributed to Aadhaar, one of the world’s largest digital identity systems.
Dr. Rakesh Chandra Agrawal
Former Deputy Director General (Agriculture Education), ICAR, New Delhi
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Dr. Paresh Verma
Director General, Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII)
Dr. Paresh Verma is currently the Director General of Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII). He is a former Executive Director, Bioseed SE Asia and Research Director-Bioseed in DCM Shriram Ltd. Prior to joining Bioseed he served as Director Research at Proagro Seed Company Ltd (now Bayer Biosiencce Pvt Ltd). As an industry leader, he has been actively engaged in policy advocacy on issues related to regulations, IPR and research. He was an office bearer in the Governing Councils of National Seed Association of India (NSAI) and All India Crop Biotech Association (AICBA) and later served on the Board of Directors of Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII). He was also the Head of Alliance for Agri-Innovation (AAI), which is a special interest group on agri-biotechnology in FSII.
Before joining the Indian seed industry in 1992, he worked for the University of Nebraska, USAID’s International Sorghum and Millet Consortium (INTSORMIL) and International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
Paresh obtained his Master’s degree from GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar and Ph.D. from University of Nebraska, USA.
Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra
Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department
His leadership in modernising India’s cyclone warning system since 2007 marks pivotal transformation of IMD’s meteorological prowess. His tenure witnessed quantum leap in forecast precision which boosted preparedness and resilience in cyclone-vulnerable regions not only in India but also in 13 neighbouring countries in the North Indian Ocean (NIO). His visionary approach positioned India as a global leader in early warning systems and disaster preparedness. He is popularly known as the ‘Cyclone Man of India’.
Sachin Nandwana
Director & Co-Founder, BigHaat
Mr. Nandwana has a deep exposure of over 11 years in the Agri Value Chain, where he has been instrumental in developing innovative solutions for farmers. Notably, he built India’s first smart irrigation controller aimed at improving crop yield, showcasing his commitment to leveraging technology for agricultural advancement.
Dr. Narendra Singh Rathore
Former Deputy Director General (Engineering & Education), ICAR, New Delhi
Distinguished academician, administrator, and researcher with over 45 years of exemplary service in Agricultural Education. A visionary leader who has served as Vice Chancellor for multiple state universities including MPUAT Udaipur, MLSU Udaipur & SKNAU Jobner and as Deputy Director General (Engineering & Education) at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Renowned for institutional building, policy formulation, and driving innovation in Renewable Energy and Agricultural
Engineering. Proven track record in securing international accreditations, fostering global collaborations, and spearheading large-scale research initiatives.
Prof. Y. Narahari
Honorary Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
Prof. Narahari was a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) at MIT in 1992 and a Visiting Scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in 1997. He is a fellow of IEEE, Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Sciences. He received the J.C. Bose National Fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and the IISc Alumni Award for Research Excellence in Engineering in 2009. In September 2024, he was selected for the Sir M. Visvesvaraya Life Time Achievement award for Senior Scientists from the Government of Karnataka.
Prof. S. R. Mahadeva Prasanna
Director, IIIT Dharwad
S. R. Mahadeva Prasanna is a recipient of the National Award for Teachers 2023 from the honorable President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu. He is working as Director, IIIT Dharwad on leave from IIT Dharwad from May 2024 and as Director (Additional Charge), IIIT Sri City, AP from August 2025. He is Professor in the Dept. of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at IIIT Dharwad.
Dr. P. Rajalakshmi
Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad
Dr. P. Rajalakshmi is a distinguished professor in the Electrical Engineering department at IIT Hyderabad. She serves as the Project Director of the NMICPS TiHAN Foundation, focusing on autonomous navigation, cyber-physical systems, and IoT-enabled technologies. She also holds the Cyient Chair Professor (Future Communication) position.
Dr. C. R. Mehta
Director, ICAR- Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal
Dr. C. R. Mehta has been working as the Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, since February 28, 2020. He has worked in different scientific positions at ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal, during the last 34 years. He has a specialization in Farm Machinery and Power, Ergonomics, Conservation Agriculture and Instrumentation. He published over 250 papers, including 90 in referred national and international journals, 6 policy papers, 46 books/book chapters, 44 technical bulletins, and presented more than 150 papers in conferences/workshops.
Dr. Baldev Raj Gulati
Director, ICAR–National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI)
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Dr. Artabandhu Sahoo
Director, ICAR–National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology
Dr Artabandhu Sahoo did his post-graduation (MVSc and PhD in Animal Nutrition) from Indian Veterinary Research Institute. Joined ARS in 1993 as Scientist and then promoted to Senior Scientist in 2001 and Principal Scientist in 2006. Now, continuing as Head, Division of Animal Nutrition at ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute. Area of special interest are rumen microbiology, rumen function, metabolism and manipulation, stress nutrition, feeding systems and evaluation, feed resources and livestock production, clinical nutrition and dietetics.
Dr. Ravi Shankar
Co-Founder and Director, Gram Paathshala
Dr. Ravi Shankar is an expert in agricultural economics and a mentor to startups, particularly those focused on agriculture and rural development. He has served as a senior venture partner and a visiting professor for AI and Machine Learning (AIML).
He promotes a shift from job-seeking to job-giving among youth, with a strong focus on empowering small farmers and developing agricultural startups.
He has been actively involved in mentoring sessions with ICAR-CIRCOT R-ABI, working with Agri-Entrepreneurs, and participating in agricultural startup selection committees.
Mr. Ashis Panigrahi
Co-founder and Director at Domainxeed
Mr. Ashis Panigrahi is a seasoned technology leader with over 25 years of experience in technology consulting and driving digital transformation initiatives for government sectors (civic authorities, defense, aerospace) and commercial clients (retail, manufacturing, banking, telecommunications) across the APAC region and North America.
He has been at the forefront of leveraging emerging technologies such as Big Data, IoT, Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence to deliver accelerated business value and innovative digital transformation strategies.
Dr. Krishna Reddy P
Professor, IIIT, Hyderabad
Professor P. Krishna Reddy is in IIIT, Hyderabad since 2002. During 2013 to 2015, he was a Program Director, ITRA-Agriculture & Food, Information Technology Research Academy (ITRA), Government of India. During 1997 to 2002, he was a research associate at the Center for Conceptual Information Processing Research, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo. He has received PhD degree in Computer Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His research interests include data mining, database systems and IT for agriculture. He has published about 145 refereed research papers.
Dr. Santanu Kumar Bal
Project Co-ordinator, ICAR - CRIDA, Hyderabad
Dr. Santanu Kumar Bal has About 23 years of experience in teaching, research and coordination in the field of Agricultural Meteorology. He has been with CRIDA since 2017 and also worked at Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana and ICAR-NIASM Baramati. At present, leading the co-ordinated agrometeorological research program of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India with 30 centres in 25 states of India.
Dr. Sharan Angadi
R&D advisor to Seed Companies in India and Germany.
Dr. Sharan Angadi is a distinguished plant breeder and geneticist with over 42 years of experience in agricultural research, specializing in oilseed and horticultural crops. He has extensive experience in both public (ICAR, India) and private sectors, including roles as Head of Breeding for Asia Pacific at Nunhems (Bayer) and R&D advisor.
Holds a PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi.
Dr. Rajni Jain
Principal Scientist ICAR-NIAP, New Delhi
Dr. Rajni Jain obtained the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2005.The title of her thesis was “Rough set based Decision Tree Induction for Data Mining. Rajni Jain obtained her M.Sc. degree in the discipline of Computer Application from P.G. School, Indian Agricultural Research Institute in 1991 with a gold medal for her outstanding academic performance. Earlier in 1988, Rajni Jain obtained her B.Sc. degree in Physics Hons. From Hansraj College, Delhi University. Rajni joined as Scientist (Computer Applications) in July 1996 at National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP), India and presently working as Principal Scientist there. Besides, Rajni Jain is faculty member in Post Graduate School, ICARIARI for teaching and guiding students of M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Computer Application.
Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar
Associate Professor, IIT Ropar
Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar. He specializes in AI, Data Sciences, Social Computing, and Collective Intelligence, with a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. He is known for NPTEL courses on computing and AI.
Dr. Rajendra Machavaram
Associate Professor, IIT Kharagpur
Dr. Rajendra Machavaram received his Doctorate Degree (Ph. D.) in 2014 from IIT Madras specializing in Machine Design and Master Degree (M. Tech) from IIT Kharagpur in 2008 specializing in the area of Farm Machinery and Power. He worked from June 2008 to April 2010 as Research and Development Member at the TAFE R&D Center Chennai, from June 2014 to October 2014 as Assistant Professor at SRM University Chennai, from October 2014 to June 2016 as Visiting Faculty and from June 2016 to June 2021 as Assistant Professor at IIT Kharagpur. He is currently working as Associate Professor in Agricultural and Food Engineering Department of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) in Farm Machinery and Power specialization. His research interests are Machine Design, Design Optimization, Artificial Intelligence, Farm Power and Renewable Energy, Damage Identification and Evolutionary Algorithms.
Dr. Thirthamallappa
India Representative, Phenome-Networks
Dr. Thirthamallappa hold a Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding and have extensive experience in the seed industry, having previously served as a Sunflower Breeder at Pioneer/DuPont, a Data Manager at Monsanto/Bayer, and an Integrated Breeding Manager at East-West Seeds Limited. Currently, I serve as the India Representative for Phenome-Networks, providing both pre- and post-sale support. In addition to this role, I work as a consultant helping organizations adopt the Phenome platform to build comprehensive databases by successfully integrating all breeding workflows. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience and the Phenome platform can support for digitising High Throughput Data.
Santosh Hegde
General Manager – Data Management Platform Products at Reliance Jio,
A results driven geospatial and data products leader with deep expertise in GIS, data integration and advanced analytics. Currently serving as General Manager – Data Management Platform Products at Reliance Jio, where I lead the development of data driven platforms that power large scale digital products. I work closely with business, data science, analytics and engineering teams to deliver high-impact product capabilities that translate complex data ecosystems into actionable intelligence.
Dr. Prakash Pawar
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering, IIIT Dharwad.
Dr. Prakash Pawar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at IIIT Dharwad, where he previously served as the Head of Department. With over five years of experience in teaching and research, he specializes in Embedded Systems, IoT, and Machine Learning applications for Smart Grids and Precision Agriculture. He earned his Ph.D. from NITK Surathkal in 2020, focusing on advanced smart energy management frameworks, and holds an M.Tech in VLSI Design from RVCE Bangalore. His technical expertise spans across Embedded C, Python, and Verilog, and he is a professional member of the IEEE.
Dr. Sunil C K
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, IIIT Dharwad
I am an Assistant Professor at IIIT Dharwad with a passion for teaching and research in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. I hold a Ph.D. from NIT Karnataka, where my research focused on deep learning-based plant disease detection and classification. My work has been published in reputed journals, contributing to advancements in computer vision and AI-driven agriculture.
Dr. Abhishek V. Hukkerikar
AI Researcher and Educator
Dr. Abhishek V. Hukkerikar is an AI researcher, and educator. His holds a PhD on developing optimization algorithms for Machining aerospace alloys, Spain. His Master’s was in Metallurgical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University, Germany. With over 10 years of international experience across Europe and India, he bridges cutting-edge technology with real-world business and industry impact.
He has led AI projects across Telecom, Agriculture, Music, Chemical, Pulp & Paper, and Manufacturing sectors. He has mentored 150+ students in Python, ML, and Deep Learning, and Generative AI.
One of the keynote speakers invited by Google India to speak on ‘Unlocking AI: Possibilities & Potential of Integrating AI into Conventional Industries’, Dr. Hukkerikar is a nationally recognized thought leader in practical AI adoption. His peer-reviewed research has been published in the CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology (2023), and he holds a Data-Driven Decision Making certification from MIT Boston.
Dr. Sanjay Chaudhary
Professor and Associate Dean, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Ahmedabad University.
Dr. Sanjay Chaudhary is a Professor and Associate Dean of School of Engineering and Applied Science of Ahmedabad University. During 2020 to 2022, he was a Dean of Students at Ahmedabad University and Interim Dean of School of Engineering and Applied Science of Ahmedabad University. Earlier, he was a professor as well as Dean (Academic Programs) at Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), Gandhinagar, India.
He is a founding member of Indian AI Research Organisation. His research areas are Cloud Computing, Blockchain Technology, Big Data Analytics, and AI in Agriculture. He has authored eleven books and has published more than one hundred and fiftyresearch papers. He has received research grants from leading organizations including IBM, Microsoft and Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India.On the creative writing front, he writes short stories and travelogue. Gujarat Sahitya Academy has awarded second prize to his book on ગિરનાર(‘Girnar’) under ‘Essays and Travelogue’ category for the year 2009.
Ramesh M.R.
Director, Kanara Cage Fish Farmer Producer Company Limited, Kumta
Ramesh M.R. is an aquaculture professional with over three decades of extensive experience in shrimp farming, seafood processing, and international aquaculture development. He graduated from the College of Fisheries Mangalore (UAS Bangalore) in 1992 and completed his Master’s degree in Fish Production and Management from the same institution in 1994.