Past Event

Ideas For India 2026

Date:

May 29, 2026

Location:

  • Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY, UK

Speakers

Mitesh Sheth MBE
Mitesh Sheth MBE

Interim CEO, Dharma Endowment Fund

Raageshwari Loomba
Raageshwari Loomba
Varun Bhanot
Varun Bhanot

Co- Founder & CEO, MAGIC AI

Sonia Singh
Sonia Singh

Former Editorial Director and Anchor, NDTV Networks

Anish Gawande
Anish Gawande

National Spokesperson, NCP - Sharadchandra Pawar

Dr. John Hemmings
Dr. John Hemmings

Director , National Security Centre, Henry Jackson Society

Tim Willasey-Wilsey
Tim Willasey-Wilsey

Visiting Professor, King's College London

Nileeka Bose
Nileeka Bose

Creative Director, Dance Entrepreneur & Presenter

Vince Cable
Vince Cable

former Leader, Liberal Democrats

Shabnam Nasimi
Shabnam Nasimi
Sangeeta Waldron
Sangeeta Waldron

Founder, Serendipity PR & Media

Rishni Weeraratne
Rishni Weeraratne

Editor, The Sun (Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka)

Azad Singh Rathore
Azad Singh Rathore
Stewart Langdon
Stewart Langdon

Partner and Co-Head of South Asian Investments, Leapfrog Investments

Prachi Dhabal Deb
Prachi Dhabal Deb

Artist and Founder, Cake Decor India

Dr Amrit Chandan
Dr Amrit Chandan

Co-founder, Lorefully

Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar
Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar

77th custodian, the House of Mewar

Prof Selva Pankaj
Prof Selva Pankaj

Group Chairman, Regent Group

Vee Bharkhada
Vee Bharkhada

Founder and Director, Navigate Business Recovery

Raja Ganapathy
Raja Ganapathy

Founding Partner, Spring Marketing Capital

Pratik Dattani
Pratik Dattani

Founder, Bridge India

Rahul Roy-Chaudhury
Rahul Roy-Chaudhury

Senior Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence, IISS

Lord Karan Bilimoria
Lord Karan Bilimoria

Founder, Cobra Beer

Mitesh Sheth MBE
Mitesh Sheth MBE Interim CEO (Dharma Endowment Fund)

Bio

Mitesh is the founder of OrgAlpha, to help leaders unlock ‘organisational alpha’ – the performance advantage that comes from aligning strategy, culture, technology and execution. He is also the interim CEO of the Dharma Endowment Fund and comes from a life-long involvement in various dharmic causes.

He was earlier the CEO of Redington and CIO of Newton Multi-Asset. At Redington, he built and coached a management team to scale firm from founder-led startup to PE-backed scale-up, supporting the launch of new business lines (including Wealth Solutions and Software-as-a-Service) and global expansion (including China). At Newton, he had oversight of $45bn in Assts under Management across systematic and discretionary multi-asset, fixed income, and absolute return strategies run across London, Boston, and San Francisco.


Sessions

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

Founder Stories: Indians making it big

A conversation between leading Indian founders who are scaling their businesses beyond borders, including significant growth into the UK market. The discussion will explore their unique journeys across business and family life, the motivations that drive them, and the pivotal role their roots continue to play in shaping their decisions and leadership.

Through personal insights and strategic reflections, the panel will highlight the opportunities and challenges of building global businesses with a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Raageshwari Loomba
Raageshwari Loomba Actor and Singer ()

Bio

Raageshwari is an actor, singer, former MTV VJ, author, and mindfulness speaker, widely recognised as one of India’s top 50 mental health influencers.

Her journey into mindfulness began following her recovery from facial paralysis at the peak of her career in 2000, a turning point that shaped her personal and professional path.

Her work spans the globe—from performing at the Nobel Peace Center to collaborating with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and supporting children in Pakistan rescued from extremist training environments.

Raageshwari has collaborated with renowned figures such as Jack Canfield and the late Louise Hay, with whom she released India’s first affirmation CD. Her widely appreciated work includes meditation videos, teachings on the Ancient Tibetan Rites, and her series Mindful Mondays with India Today.

She is also a sought-after keynote speaker, having worked with leading organisations including Tata Group, Infosys, Fiserv, Pfizer, FICCI, UBS, HSBC, and Novartis.


Sessions

12:15 am - 12:45 pm

Communicating India's soft power

In partnership with Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF)

India has historically underplayed its soft power. For example, more tourists visit Dubai each year than the whole of India. Cultural diplomacy is perhaps the best-understood tool of soft power. Countries hope that promoting their cultural heritage, values, and arts will have an enduring positive impact on their target publics, leading to more tourism, more positive attitudes to its people, and foreign policy dividends. The people-to-people relations cultural diplomacy offers, shape a state’s soft power.

Over time, the Indian government been actively leveraging the potential of the 30m-strong Indian diaspora as one of the most effective ways of promoting India abroad. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee started the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, a diaspora outreach programme, in 2003.

But the use of soft power and its more central role in global messaging for the government, is a more recent phenomenon. India has started to propogate its cultural, civilisational and historical values as tools of foreign policy discourse in a more structured manner since 2014. India aims to create a narrative about India’s civilisational ethos that distinguishes India from other rising powers.

This panel brings together diverse voices to analyse how this has evolved over time and how it is helping India rise on the global stage. One of our panelists’ home is instantly recognisable to global audiences, after the 1982 James Bon film Octopussy was filmed there.

Varun Bhanot
Varun Bhanot Co- Founder & CEO (MAGIC AI)

Bio

Varun Bhanot is the Co-Founder and CEO of MAGIC AI, a pioneering fitness technology company transforming personal training through artificial intelligence. An entrepreneur with a background in investment banking and technology startups, Varun founded MAGIC AI to make high-quality, personalized fitness coaching more accessible through AI-powered training experiences. Under his leadership, the company has emerged as one of the UK’s fastest-growing fitness-tech startups, earning industry recognition for innovation in health and wellness technology.


Sessions

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

Founder Stories: Indians making it big

A conversation between leading Indian founders who are scaling their businesses beyond borders, including significant growth into the UK market. The discussion will explore their unique journeys across business and family life, the motivations that drive them, and the pivotal role their roots continue to play in shaping their decisions and leadership.

Through personal insights and strategic reflections, the panel will highlight the opportunities and challenges of building global businesses with a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Sonia Singh
Sonia Singh Former Editorial Director and Anchor (NDTV Networks)

Bio

Sonia Singh is the Founder & CEO of SSA-India and one of India’s most respected media professionals, with over three decades of leadership in broadcast journalism, strategic communications, and public discourse. She previously served as Editorial Director and President of the Ethics Committee at NDTV, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the network’s editorial vision and coverage of some of India’s most significant national and global events.

A distinguished television anchor and interviewer, Sonia has conducted conversations with world leaders, Nobel laureates, policymakers, and influential changemakers, including Hillary Clinton, the Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai, and Kailash Satyarthi. Her work is recognized for its depth, credibility, and commitment to ethical journalism.

Sonia joined NDTV in 1992 and rose through the ranks to become one of the network’s most influential editorial leaders. She is a Chevening Scholar, holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College, and has received numerous industry honors, including the ENBA Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contribution to journalism.

Today, through SSA-India, she brings her extensive experience in media, leadership, communication, and public affairs to help organizations and leaders navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving landscape.


Sessions

11:15 am - 12:15 am

Has India lost its neighbourhood?

A recent article in Foreign Affairs challenged the assumption that India’s regional leadership has been a stabilising force and asked whether New Delhi’s choices have instead helped create openings for China across South Asia. A discussion for Carnegie explored how the “India Out” phenomenon in countries from Nepal to the Maldives is enabling China to jostle into a more advantageous geopolitical position.

South Asia has recently witnessed a wave of mass protests toppling governments and upending long-standing political arrangements including in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Most notably, the ousting of Sheikh Hasina and the introduction of Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus’ government led to a plunge in a bilateral ties with India. Tarique Rahman’s landslide victory in the recent Bangladeshi elections may compel both sides to conduct a more careful foreign policy in the region.

At the same time, India has increased its engagement with the Taliban regime, as evidenced by Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s recent visit, which included – eventually – meeting with female journalists and a session at chamber of commerce FICCI. This is a pragmatic move but will escalate tensions with Pakistan. Relations with Pakistan continue to be poor after the Pahalgam attack last year.

Our India Week Dinner speaker this evening is Sir Vince Cable, who argues in his new book that India is the second big global ‘superstate’ after China and the US, which will shape global commerce, international law and the fight against climate change. But can India first repair relationships in its neighbourhood? Indeed, does it want to?

Anish Gawande
Anish Gawande National Spokesperson (NCP - Sharadchandra Pawar)

Bio

Anish Gawande is a writer, translator, and politician currently serving as the National Spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). A Rhodes Scholar, he holds degrees in comparative literature from Columbia University and in intellectual history and public policy from the University of Oxford. Anish is also founder of Pink List India, the country’s first archive of politicians supporting LGBTQ+ rights


Sessions

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm

Where does India’s next decade of growth come from?

In partnership with Regent Group

India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, but in the wake of the recent conflict in the Middle East, there are real risks emerging. Reuters said in April this year that Reliance Industries’ latest financials offered the clearest signal yet on how the Iran war, was rippling through the real economy. Mukesh Ambani, CEO of India’s biggest company by market value, flagged an “unprecedented dislocation in global ​supply chains”.

At the same time, India faced US tariff and trade deal belligerence, AI is impacting jobs in India, manufacturing as a proportion of GDP has stay flat for the last decade and private sector investment remains lacklustre.

India’s economy faces significant challenges to carry on its impressive growth in the coming decade. But the nature and distribution of that growth may look very different from the last decade. This panel brings together job creators, investors and government facilitators of trade to discuss this crucial topic for India’s development.

Dr. John Hemmings
Dr. John Hemmings Director (National Security Centre, Henry Jackson Society)

Bio

Dr John Hemmings is the inaugural Director for the National Security Centre at the Henry Jackson Society. Dr Hemmings as more than 18 years in think tanks in the UK and US, focusing on national security, defence, and security issues that connect the Euro-Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific. He previously worked at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI-APCSS), a US Department of War regional centre based in Hawaii where he focused on security in the Indo-Pacific and defence industrial multilateralism.

He has also worked at the Pacific Forum and at the Royal United Services Institute, in programme, research, and management positions. He has been a witness to two Parliamentary Inquiries, and provided advice to the Cabinet Office, BEIS, and the Department of Business and Trade on economic statecraft and investment security. He has also provided briefings to various components of the US Department of War and the State Department. Dr Hemmings’ analysis and commentary regularly features in the Telegraph, the FT, the BBC, CNN and Fox News, and he has been published in various academic and security-related peer-reviewed journals. Dr Hemmings is also an Adjunct Professor at the DKI-APCSS and a senior adviser at the Pacific Forum.

 

Sessions

10:30 am - 11:15 am

India's place in an age of interest-driven and plurilateral coalitions

With political headwinds from the Trump presidency, a trade war between the US and China, ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East, the liberal western global order is coming under stress from multiple avenues. This has accelerated a move towards a multipolar world, with India hoping to be one of those more influential global players. The UK has a unique position on the global stage, with the historic Free Trade Agreement signed with India, and a reset of the relationship with Europe anticipated this year. India counts both the US and Russia as its friends, which is unusual among major powers, and has seen its statute grow globally over the last few years under Dr Jaishankar’s leadership in the Foreign Ministry.

Where does India fit in world where countries are being asked to choose between the US and China? Will it realise its goal of being a Vishwaguru (“world power”)? What role does the UK have to play, given the significant number of Indian-origin Cabinet Ministers over the last 14 years of the Conservatives?

Tim Willasey-Wilsey
Tim Willasey-Wilsey Visiting Professor (King's College London)

Bio

Tim has been Visiting Professor at King’s College London since May 2020. He was previously Visting Senior Research Fellow from 2012.

After a year teaching in Ethiopia and a spell with an international packaging company Tim served for 27 years with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, latterly as a Director. He served in 4 overseas posts; Angola (1983-86), Central America (1986-89), Pakistan (1993-96) and at the UK Mission to the United Nations in Geneva (1999-2002).

His early career was devoted principally to Southern Africa and Central America and included work on Cuban troop withdrawal from Angola, majority rule in Namibia and South Africa, the resolution of the civil wars in Angola and Mozambique, and the peace processes in Central America and the Middle East. From 1993 until he retired from the FCO in 2008 Tim’s main focus was on Asia. Apart from serving in Pakistan, he worked closely on India and Afghanistan and was a frequent visitor to the region. He also provided policy advice on China, Japan and the Koreas.

Since 2008 Tim has been assisting UK companies on international affairs and overseas government relations. Tim holds an MA (First Class) in Modern History from the University of St Andrews. He attended the Cabinet Office Top Management Programme in 2003. He was elected to the Council of Chatham House in 2016 and re-elected in 2019. He was awarded the CMG in the Queens 2007 New Year Honours.

Apart from lecturing at King’s College, London, Tim also teaches at Indiana University, the Norwegian Defence College in Oslo, RUSI, MoD and FCO in London and the Policy Centre for the New South in Rabat, Morocco.


Sessions

11:15 am - 12:15 am

Has India lost its neighbourhood?

A recent article in Foreign Affairs challenged the assumption that India’s regional leadership has been a stabilising force and asked whether New Delhi’s choices have instead helped create openings for China across South Asia. A discussion for Carnegie explored how the “India Out” phenomenon in countries from Nepal to the Maldives is enabling China to jostle into a more advantageous geopolitical position.

South Asia has recently witnessed a wave of mass protests toppling governments and upending long-standing political arrangements including in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Most notably, the ousting of Sheikh Hasina and the introduction of Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus’ government led to a plunge in a bilateral ties with India. Tarique Rahman’s landslide victory in the recent Bangladeshi elections may compel both sides to conduct a more careful foreign policy in the region.

At the same time, India has increased its engagement with the Taliban regime, as evidenced by Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s recent visit, which included – eventually – meeting with female journalists and a session at chamber of commerce FICCI. This is a pragmatic move but will escalate tensions with Pakistan. Relations with Pakistan continue to be poor after the Pahalgam attack last year.

Our India Week Dinner speaker this evening is Sir Vince Cable, who argues in his new book that India is the second big global ‘superstate’ after China and the US, which will shape global commerce, international law and the fight against climate change. But can India first repair relationships in its neighbourhood? Indeed, does it want to?

Nileeka Bose
Nileeka Bose Creative Director (Dance Entrepreneur & Presenter)

Bio

Nileeka has been a prominent figure in the dance and entertainment industry for over a decade. Her film credits include Eternals, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2, Picture This , and Polite Society .

In addition to her work as a choreographer, she has established a successful dance company based at the world-renowned Pineapple Dance Studios. Leading a team of over 20 professional dancers, the company has performed internationally on campaigns and activations for global brands and artists, while proudly representing South Asian dance forms.

Over the past three years, Nileeka has also worked as a presenter and host for BBC Asian Network, covering Bollywood programming. She further expanded her portfolio by launching Motivation, the network’s very first business and entrepreneurial music show.


Sessions

7:15 pm - 10:00 pm

Black-tie Celebration Dinner, in partnership with Operation Eyesight

Featuring an award-winning three-course meal from Madhus, complimentary drinks throughout, a keynote from Lord Karan Bilimoria, Rishini Weeraratne (Editor, The Sun [Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka]) in conversation with Sir Vince Cable (Former Leader, Liberal Democrats) and a charity auction for Operation Eyesight hosted by renowned auctioneer Addison Gepley

Vince Cable
Vince Cable former Leader (Liberal Democrats)

Bio

Formerly Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade in the Coalition government (2010-15). Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party (2017-19) and MP for Twickenham (elected 1997; retired 2019). Before joining the Lib Dems in 1981 was a Glasgow (Labour) City Councillor and Special Adviser to Rt Hon John Smith.

Currently Visiting Professor in Practice at the LSE and Visiting Professor at Nottingham and Shenzhen universities. Also, Distinguished Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI Global). Honorary Fellow Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

Chair of Element 2, the Hydrogen infrastructure company and of the eFreight 2030 consortium.

Before becoming MP was Chief Economist at Shell; Head of International Economics, Chatham House; Special Adviser to the Commonwealth Secretary General; seconded to the Diplomatic Service working on Latin America; Head of Research at ODI; Finance Officer; Kenya Treasury.

He is a graduate of Cambridge University (where he was also President of the Union) and Glasgow University (PhD). And has an honorary doctorate at Kingston University

He has several books including Eclipsing the West: China, India and forging the new international order (2025); The Chinese Conundrum (2022); How to be a Politician (2022); Partnership and Politics in a Divided Decade (2021); Money and Power (2021); Open Arms (2017); After the Storm (2015); The Storm (2009); Free Radical (2009); Globalisation and Global Governance (1999); Commerce of Culture (1985); Protectionism and In


Sessions

7:15 pm - 10:00 pm

Black-tie Celebration Dinner, in partnership with Operation Eyesight

Featuring an award-winning three-course meal from Madhus, complimentary drinks throughout, a keynote from Lord Karan Bilimoria, Rishini Weeraratne (Editor, The Sun [Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka]) in conversation with Sir Vince Cable (Former Leader, Liberal Democrats) and a charity auction for Operation Eyesight hosted by renowned auctioneer Addison Gepley

Shabnam Nasimi
Shabnam Nasimi Former Senior Policy Advisor ()

Bio

Shabnam Nasimi is a British political commentator, policy specialist, and human rights advocate. She has worked across government, think tanks, and advocacy organisations, building expertise in public policy, international affairs, and community engagement.

Shabnam is the founder of Conservative Friends of Afghanistan and has played an active role in strengthening dialogue between policymakers, civil society, and diaspora communities. Her professional background includes roles connected to the UK Parliament and leading policy institutes, where she has contributed to research and strategic initiatives on global affairs and social cohesion.


Sessions

11:15 am - 12:15 am

Has India lost its neighbourhood?

A recent article in Foreign Affairs challenged the assumption that India’s regional leadership has been a stabilising force and asked whether New Delhi’s choices have instead helped create openings for China across South Asia. A discussion for Carnegie explored how the “India Out” phenomenon in countries from Nepal to the Maldives is enabling China to jostle into a more advantageous geopolitical position.

South Asia has recently witnessed a wave of mass protests toppling governments and upending long-standing political arrangements including in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Most notably, the ousting of Sheikh Hasina and the introduction of Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus’ government led to a plunge in a bilateral ties with India. Tarique Rahman’s landslide victory in the recent Bangladeshi elections may compel both sides to conduct a more careful foreign policy in the region.

At the same time, India has increased its engagement with the Taliban regime, as evidenced by Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s recent visit, which included – eventually – meeting with female journalists and a session at chamber of commerce FICCI. This is a pragmatic move but will escalate tensions with Pakistan. Relations with Pakistan continue to be poor after the Pahalgam attack last year.

Our India Week Dinner speaker this evening is Sir Vince Cable, who argues in his new book that India is the second big global ‘superstate’ after China and the US, which will shape global commerce, international law and the fight against climate change. But can India first repair relationships in its neighbourhood? Indeed, does it want to?

Sangeeta Waldron
Sangeeta Waldron Founder (Serendipity PR & Media)

Bio

Sangeeta Waldron is a multi-award-winning public relations professional, ranked number 25 in the PR Influencer Index top 100. She founded Serendipity PR & Media in 2009. Early in her career, she wrote speeches for a former UK Prime Minister and government ministers, before going on to work at a senior level with leading global organisations and brands, including The Economist Group, the Cabinet Office, WHO, the UN, The Times, the Mayor of London, Red magazine, Cass Business School, Breast Cancer Campaign, the Pink Ribbon Ball, and the Women’s Institute.

She is the author of three books: The PR Knowledge Book (2019), Corporate Social Responsibility Is Not Public Relations (2021), which was shortlisted for the 2022 UK Business Book Awards, and What Will Your Legacy Be? (2025).

Sangeeta is a strong advocate for the role of serendipity in business. She writes for international media on sustainable business and serves on several boards, including the think tank Bridge India.


Sessions

12:15 am - 12:45 pm

Communicating India's soft power

In partnership with Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF)

India has historically underplayed its soft power. For example, more tourists visit Dubai each year than the whole of India. Cultural diplomacy is perhaps the best-understood tool of soft power. Countries hope that promoting their cultural heritage, values, and arts will have an enduring positive impact on their target publics, leading to more tourism, more positive attitudes to its people, and foreign policy dividends. The people-to-people relations cultural diplomacy offers, shape a state’s soft power.

Over time, the Indian government been actively leveraging the potential of the 30m-strong Indian diaspora as one of the most effective ways of promoting India abroad. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee started the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, a diaspora outreach programme, in 2003.

But the use of soft power and its more central role in global messaging for the government, is a more recent phenomenon. India has started to propogate its cultural, civilisational and historical values as tools of foreign policy discourse in a more structured manner since 2014. India aims to create a narrative about India’s civilisational ethos that distinguishes India from other rising powers.

This panel brings together diverse voices to analyse how this has evolved over time and how it is helping India rise on the global stage. One of our panelists’ home is instantly recognisable to global audiences, after the 1982 James Bon film Octopussy was filmed there.

Rishni Weeraratne
Rishni Weeraratne Editor (The Sun (Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka))

Bio

Rishini Weeraratne is the Editor of The Sun (Daily Mirror), Editor of HI!! Online, and Head of Social Media at Wijeya Newspapers Ltd., where she leads digital strategy and content across major platforms including Daily Mirror Online, Lankadeepa Online, Tamil Mirror Online, and Daily FT Online. With extensive experience in journalism, digital storytelling, and corporate communications, she is known for effectively bridging traditional media with innovative social media engagement.

In addition to her editorial leadership, Rishini serves as the Sri Lanka Ambassador for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), where she advocates for professional standards, supports local practitioners, and promotes continuous professional development and accreditation. She is also an Ambassador for the HALO Trust in Sri Lanka, contributing to humanitarian landmine clearance efforts and raising awareness around mine action.


Sessions

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm

Where does India’s next decade of growth come from?

In partnership with Regent Group

India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, but in the wake of the recent conflict in the Middle East, there are real risks emerging. Reuters said in April this year that Reliance Industries’ latest financials offered the clearest signal yet on how the Iran war, was rippling through the real economy. Mukesh Ambani, CEO of India’s biggest company by market value, flagged an “unprecedented dislocation in global ​supply chains”.

At the same time, India faced US tariff and trade deal belligerence, AI is impacting jobs in India, manufacturing as a proportion of GDP has stay flat for the last decade and private sector investment remains lacklustre.

India’s economy faces significant challenges to carry on its impressive growth in the coming decade. But the nature and distribution of that growth may look very different from the last decade. This panel brings together job creators, investors and government facilitators of trade to discuss this crucial topic for India’s development.

7:15 pm - 10:00 pm

Black-tie Celebration Dinner, in partnership with Operation Eyesight

Featuring an award-winning three-course meal from Madhus, complimentary drinks throughout, a keynote from Lord Karan Bilimoria, Rishini Weeraratne (Editor, The Sun [Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka]) in conversation with Sir Vince Cable (Former Leader, Liberal Democrats) and a charity auction for Operation Eyesight hosted by renowned auctioneer Addison Gepley

Azad Singh Rathore
Azad Singh Rathore Political Activist, Author & Writer ()

Bio

A writer and a politician, is actively working for the Indian National Congress. A voracious reader with a keen interest in Indian foreign policies and defence strategies, he is the author of two books. His first book Kargil: The Heights of Bravery, published in 2017, is about the Indo-Pak war fought at the high altitudes of Kargil in 1999. His second accolade in writing is Balochistan: The Heights of Oppression, published in 2021. This book describes the history, culture, and the Baloch people’s suffering from the last seven decades. The pain, atrocities, and the oppressions that Pakistan has borne upon them to suppress their voice comes out openly in this book.

He is a regular columnist and analyst for various daily newspapers on defence strategy and foreign policy related issues. A sportsman with a keen interest in cricket, he has also been a representative of the Rajasthan Cricket Association. He resides in Barmer, the western part of Rajasthan in India.


Sessions

10:30 am - 11:15 am

India's place in an age of interest-driven and plurilateral coalitions

With political headwinds from the Trump presidency, a trade war between the US and China, ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East, the liberal western global order is coming under stress from multiple avenues. This has accelerated a move towards a multipolar world, with India hoping to be one of those more influential global players. The UK has a unique position on the global stage, with the historic Free Trade Agreement signed with India, and a reset of the relationship with Europe anticipated this year. India counts both the US and Russia as its friends, which is unusual among major powers, and has seen its statute grow globally over the last few years under Dr Jaishankar’s leadership in the Foreign Ministry.

Where does India fit in world where countries are being asked to choose between the US and China? Will it realise its goal of being a Vishwaguru (“world power”)? What role does the UK have to play, given the significant number of Indian-origin Cabinet Ministers over the last 14 years of the Conservatives?

Stewart Langdon
Stewart Langdon Partner and Co-Head of South Asian Investments (Leapfrog Investments)

Bio

Stewart Langdon is a LeapFrog Investments’ partner and has been part of the firm’s leadership team for 15 years. He co-leads the firm’s financial services business in Asia and has led a number of landmark investments across insurance, lending and fintech. He specialises in investments in India and in Digital Financial Services globally. He serves on the Investment Committee of the firm’s flagship fund and chairs the Investment Committee of the climate strategy.

Prior to LeapFrog, Stewart worked for Rothschild for many years, specialising in M&A, capital markets and restructuring in the Financial Services and TMT sectors across Asia. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a law degree from the University of Aberdeen. An experienced board veteran, Stewart is currently a Visiting Fellow at University of Cambridge and serves on the board of Enlighten, Scotland’s leading policy think tank.


Sessions

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm

Where does India’s next decade of growth come from?

In partnership with Regent Group

India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, but in the wake of the recent conflict in the Middle East, there are real risks emerging. Reuters said in April this year that Reliance Industries’ latest financials offered the clearest signal yet on how the Iran war, was rippling through the real economy. Mukesh Ambani, CEO of India’s biggest company by market value, flagged an “unprecedented dislocation in global ​supply chains”.

At the same time, India faced US tariff and trade deal belligerence, AI is impacting jobs in India, manufacturing as a proportion of GDP has stay flat for the last decade and private sector investment remains lacklustre.

India’s economy faces significant challenges to carry on its impressive growth in the coming decade. But the nature and distribution of that growth may look very different from the last decade. This panel brings together job creators, investors and government facilitators of trade to discuss this crucial topic for India’s development.

Prachi Dhabal Deb
Prachi Dhabal Deb Artist and Founder (Cake Decor India)

Bio

Prachi Dhabal Deb is an internationally acclaimed Indian cake artist and royal icing specialist renowned for transforming cake decoration into intricate edible art. A multiple record holder with the World Book of Records, she is recognised for creating large-scale vegan royal icing structures inspired by architecture, heritage and cultural storytelling. Prachi has received numerous national and international honours and represents India as a judge and ambassador at global cake and sugar art events.


Sessions

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

Founder Stories: Indians making it big

A conversation between leading Indian founders who are scaling their businesses beyond borders, including significant growth into the UK market. The discussion will explore their unique journeys across business and family life, the motivations that drive them, and the pivotal role their roots continue to play in shaping their decisions and leadership.

Through personal insights and strategic reflections, the panel will highlight the opportunities and challenges of building global businesses with a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Dr Amrit Chandan
Dr Amrit Chandan Co-founder (Lorefully)

Bio

Amrit Chandan is a UK-based entrepreneur who previously founded Aceleron, a circular energy storage company that was successfully acquired in 2024. He led the business from early-stage development through to commercial scale, building battery technology designed to extend product life and reduce waste.

He has since founded Lorefully, an AI platform that helps organisations turn live conversations and events into structured insight, usable content and revenue opportunities. Lorefully is only a year old, but in 2026 they are on track to provide their AI services to 100+ events across the UK.

His work spans clean technology, artificial intelligence and venture building, with a focus on creating commercially viable businesses around emerging technologies.

Amrit was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and shortlisted for the Rolex Awards. He speaks regularly on entrepreneurship, innovation and building companies that balance impact with commercial performance.


Sessions

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

Founder Stories: Indians making it big

A conversation between leading Indian founders who are scaling their businesses beyond borders, including significant growth into the UK market. The discussion will explore their unique journeys across business and family life, the motivations that drive them, and the pivotal role their roots continue to play in shaping their decisions and leadership.

Through personal insights and strategic reflections, the panel will highlight the opportunities and challenges of building global businesses with a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar
Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar 77th custodian (the House of Mewar)

Bio

Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar was born to Sriji Maharaj Arvind Singh Mewar and his wife Rank Vijayraj Kumari Mewar. He is an agnatic grandson of Colonel Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar. His mother is the granddaughter of Maharao Vijayarajaji, the Maharao of Kutch.

He works as the executive director of HRH Group of Hotels. He also looks after the day-to-day affairs of Maharana Mewar Public School and Maharana Mewar Vidya Mandir.

Following the death of his father, Arvind Singh Mewar, on 16 March 2025, the City Palace, Udaipur, announced that his Gaddi Utsav (coronation ceremony) as the 77th Maharana of the now-defunct Kingdom of Mewar, along with the Rang ka Dastur (ceremony of changing the turban to a colored one), would be held on 2 April 2025.

The Maharana is the head of the Sisodia clan of Rajputs and holds the highest rank among all Rajput princes. The Maharana is also regarded as the Diwan or hereditary high priest of Shree Eklingji, the tutelary deity of the House of Mewar.


Sessions

12:15 am - 12:45 pm

Communicating India's soft power

In partnership with Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF)

India has historically underplayed its soft power. For example, more tourists visit Dubai each year than the whole of India. Cultural diplomacy is perhaps the best-understood tool of soft power. Countries hope that promoting their cultural heritage, values, and arts will have an enduring positive impact on their target publics, leading to more tourism, more positive attitudes to its people, and foreign policy dividends. The people-to-people relations cultural diplomacy offers, shape a state’s soft power.

Over time, the Indian government been actively leveraging the potential of the 30m-strong Indian diaspora as one of the most effective ways of promoting India abroad. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee started the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, a diaspora outreach programme, in 2003.

But the use of soft power and its more central role in global messaging for the government, is a more recent phenomenon. India has started to propogate its cultural, civilisational and historical values as tools of foreign policy discourse in a more structured manner since 2014. India aims to create a narrative about India’s civilisational ethos that distinguishes India from other rising powers.

This panel brings together diverse voices to analyse how this has evolved over time and how it is helping India rise on the global stage. One of our panelists’ home is instantly recognisable to global audiences, after the 1982 James Bon film Octopussy was filmed there.

Prof Selva Pankaj
Prof Selva Pankaj Group Chairman (Regent Group)

Bio

Prof Selva Pankaj is an educator, educational leader, and researcher focused on bridging the “knowing vs. doing” gap in education and leadership. He is the Group Chairman of Regent Global.

He began his professional career at Prudential Financial, Inc., where he worked for a decade while qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant and completing his MBA. He later held roles in the real estate investment management sector with firms including Schroder, Grosvenor, and Fortress Investment Group.

Since 2009, he has led Regent Global, overseeing the development and expansion of its education initiatives. His work focuses on institutional transformation, lifelong learning, and building education systems that develop character, capability, and a growth mindset.

A former student of the late Professor Clayton Christensen at Harvard Business School, Prof Pankaj’s work explores the application of natural laws and systems thinking in education and organisational leadership.


Sessions

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm

Where does India’s next decade of growth come from?

In partnership with Regent Group

India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, but in the wake of the recent conflict in the Middle East, there are real risks emerging. Reuters said in April this year that Reliance Industries’ latest financials offered the clearest signal yet on how the Iran war, was rippling through the real economy. Mukesh Ambani, CEO of India’s biggest company by market value, flagged an “unprecedented dislocation in global ​supply chains”.

At the same time, India faced US tariff and trade deal belligerence, AI is impacting jobs in India, manufacturing as a proportion of GDP has stay flat for the last decade and private sector investment remains lacklustre.

India’s economy faces significant challenges to carry on its impressive growth in the coming decade. But the nature and distribution of that growth may look very different from the last decade. This panel brings together job creators, investors and government facilitators of trade to discuss this crucial topic for India’s development.

Vee Bharkhada
Vee Bharkhada Founder and Director (Navigate Business Recovery)

Bio

Vee Bharkhada is the founder and managing director of Navigate Business Recovery Limited (NBR). With over 36 years of experience with top 10 national firms, Vee specialises in insolvency related disputes and helps directors with advice and practical guidance on Company and Bankruptcy legislation across the whole insolvency spectrum focusing specifically on getting directors and business owners out of tricky financial situations.


Sessions

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

Founder Stories: Indians making it big

A conversation between leading Indian founders who are scaling their businesses beyond borders, including significant growth into the UK market. The discussion will explore their unique journeys across business and family life, the motivations that drive them, and the pivotal role their roots continue to play in shaping their decisions and leadership.

Through personal insights and strategic reflections, the panel will highlight the opportunities and challenges of building global businesses with a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Raja Ganapathy
Raja Ganapathy Founding Partner (Spring Marketing Capital)

Bio

Raja has worked with founders for most of his working life of 24+ years. His defining stint was with Sequoia India, where as CMO, Raja worked with founders from different stages – Byju Raveendran (Byju’s Learning App), Vikram Chopra (CARS24), Amrish and Jitendra (Citrus Pay), Virendra Gupta (Daily Hunt), Jaydeep Burman (Faaso’s), Kunal Shah (Freecharge), Sameer Maheshwari (Healthkart), Amit Kumat (Prataap Snacks), Alan and Nami (Truecaller). The founders he worked with at Sequoia brought a variety of diverse opportunities and challenges to the table and helped Raja decide what he wanted to do with the rest of his life – work closely with founders and founding teams. His raison d’être is to look at business challenges through the lens of marketing with a skin-in-the-game, long term approach to help build the brands of tomorrow. And that’s exactly what he seeks to do at Spring Marketing Capital, a skin-in-the-game marketing value added investment firm that looks to partner founders to build the brands of tomorrow. Raja is an eternal optimist and believes strongly that creativity and entrepreneurship can change the world.


Sessions

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm

Where does India’s next decade of growth come from?

In partnership with Regent Group

India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, but in the wake of the recent conflict in the Middle East, there are real risks emerging. Reuters said in April this year that Reliance Industries’ latest financials offered the clearest signal yet on how the Iran war, was rippling through the real economy. Mukesh Ambani, CEO of India’s biggest company by market value, flagged an “unprecedented dislocation in global ​supply chains”.

At the same time, India faced US tariff and trade deal belligerence, AI is impacting jobs in India, manufacturing as a proportion of GDP has stay flat for the last decade and private sector investment remains lacklustre.

India’s economy faces significant challenges to carry on its impressive growth in the coming decade. But the nature and distribution of that growth may look very different from the last decade. This panel brings together job creators, investors and government facilitators of trade to discuss this crucial topic for India’s development.

Pratik Dattani
Pratik Dattani Founder (Bridge India)

Bio

Pratik Dattani is Advisor to Bridge India and the Managing Director for boutique economic consulting firm EPG, specialising in economic analysis, strategic communications and market entry assistance with India, with offices in London, Bangalore and East Africa.

He was additionally, until August 2017, UK Director for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the premier and largest industry body in India. He is also the co-founder of a tech start-up in the CSR space. Previously he worked in Economic Consulting at FTI Consulting and Deloitte in London and Abu Dhabi, with a focus on public policy and arbitration. He was Chairman for a not-for-profit membership organisation with several thousand members for three years.

He studied Economics at Warwick University, where he was awarded the Prize for Excellence, and LMU University of Munich. His dissertation won a prize at an international economics conference at Georgetown University, Washington DC. He has published academic research on behavioural economics and social impact and is a regular commentator on public policy and India across print, TV and online media, featured on BBC News, CBC, CNBC, CNN, NDTV, South China Morning Post and Huffington Post.


Sessions

10:15 am - 10:30 am

Welcome | Opening Remarks

10:30 am - 11:15 am

India's place in an age of interest-driven and plurilateral coalitions

With political headwinds from the Trump presidency, a trade war between the US and China, ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East, the liberal western global order is coming under stress from multiple avenues. This has accelerated a move towards a multipolar world, with India hoping to be one of those more influential global players. The UK has a unique position on the global stage, with the historic Free Trade Agreement signed with India, and a reset of the relationship with Europe anticipated this year. India counts both the US and Russia as its friends, which is unusual among major powers, and has seen its statute grow globally over the last few years under Dr Jaishankar’s leadership in the Foreign Ministry.

Where does India fit in world where countries are being asked to choose between the US and China? Will it realise its goal of being a Vishwaguru (“world power”)? What role does the UK have to play, given the significant number of Indian-origin Cabinet Ministers over the last 14 years of the Conservatives?

7:15 pm - 10:00 pm

Black-tie Celebration Dinner, in partnership with Operation Eyesight

Featuring an award-winning three-course meal from Madhus, complimentary drinks throughout, a keynote from Lord Karan Bilimoria, Rishini Weeraratne (Editor, The Sun [Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka]) in conversation with Sir Vince Cable (Former Leader, Liberal Democrats) and a charity auction for Operation Eyesight hosted by renowned auctioneer Addison Gepley

Rahul Roy-Chaudhury
Rahul Roy-Chaudhury Senior Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence (IISS)

Bio

Rahul leads the Institute’s South Asia research programme. He researches and publishes on India’s neighbourhood foreign and security policies; Pakistan, Afghanistan and regional security; counter-extremism and terrorism; regional nuclear matters; and the Indian navy and the Indian Ocean. Rahul gives select policy-relevant talks and briefings, and organises several ‘track 1.5’ meetings. These involve top South Asian government and intelligence officials, and focus on regional stability, nuclear doctrines and India’s foreign policy, and take place annually in Muscat, Bahrain, New Delhi, Islamabad and London. He is also author of Sea Power and Indian Security (Potomoc, 1995) and India’s Maritime Security (Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis, 2000).


Sessions

11:15 am - 12:15 am

Has India lost its neighbourhood?

A recent article in Foreign Affairs challenged the assumption that India’s regional leadership has been a stabilising force and asked whether New Delhi’s choices have instead helped create openings for China across South Asia. A discussion for Carnegie explored how the “India Out” phenomenon in countries from Nepal to the Maldives is enabling China to jostle into a more advantageous geopolitical position.

South Asia has recently witnessed a wave of mass protests toppling governments and upending long-standing political arrangements including in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Most notably, the ousting of Sheikh Hasina and the introduction of Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus’ government led to a plunge in a bilateral ties with India. Tarique Rahman’s landslide victory in the recent Bangladeshi elections may compel both sides to conduct a more careful foreign policy in the region.

At the same time, India has increased its engagement with the Taliban regime, as evidenced by Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s recent visit, which included – eventually – meeting with female journalists and a session at chamber of commerce FICCI. This is a pragmatic move but will escalate tensions with Pakistan. Relations with Pakistan continue to be poor after the Pahalgam attack last year.

Our India Week Dinner speaker this evening is Sir Vince Cable, who argues in his new book that India is the second big global ‘superstate’ after China and the US, which will shape global commerce, international law and the fight against climate change. But can India first repair relationships in its neighbourhood? Indeed, does it want to?

Lord Karan Bilimoria
Lord Karan Bilimoria Founder (Cobra Beer)

Bio

Lord Bilimoria is Founder of Cobra Beer, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce UK, Former of the President Confederation of British Industry and former Chancellor of Birmingham University.

He is an entrepreneur, cross-bench peer in the House of Lords, and passionate advocate for business, education, and international cooperation.

He founded Cobra Beer in his twenties with no brewing experience, £20,000 in student debt, and a simple idea: there had to be a beer that was less gassy, smoother to drink, and perfect with food. That idea became one of the UK’s most iconic beer brands- now served in thousands of restaurants and awarded over 150 Gold medals by Monde Selection since 2001.

For 15 years, he led the Cobra Beer Partnership with Molson Coors. But his journey has always been bigger than one company.

From serving as President of the CBI and Founding Chairman of the UK India Business Council, to becoming the first Zoroastrian Parsi in the House of Lords, he’s spent the last three decades building bridges between countries, communities, and generations of entrepreneurs.

Education has been at the heart of his work. He was Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, and is Honorary Fellow at Cambridge, Visiting Fellow at Oxford, and deeply committed to supporting future leaders.

Today, he continues to champion entrepreneurship, resilience, and values-based leadership in business, policy, and public life.


Sessions

7:15 pm - 10:00 pm

Black-tie Celebration Dinner, in partnership with Operation Eyesight

Featuring an award-winning three-course meal from Madhus, complimentary drinks throughout, a keynote from Lord Karan Bilimoria, Rishini Weeraratne (Editor, The Sun [Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka]) in conversation with Sir Vince Cable (Former Leader, Liberal Democrats) and a charity auction for Operation Eyesight hosted by renowned auctioneer Addison Gepley

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

– Mahatma Gandhi