Human Resources Conclave 2026 held at KIIT
The Human Resources Conclave 2026, organised by the KIIT School of Rural Management (KSRM), was held at KIIT on 12th September, 2026 with a focus on human resource strategies, agribusiness and the changing world of work. The conclave was organised around the theme, “People Strategies for Sustainable Future in Agribusiness and Development Sector – Cultivating Talent, Harvesting Impact.”
Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, was the keynote speaker at the conclave, while Kamlesh Shah, Chairman and Managing Director, Listenlights, attended as the guest of honour. The inaugural session also featured addresses by Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar, KIIT University.
Addressing the gathering, Sachin Jadhav emphasised the need for students to continuously upgrade their skills to meet the emerging challenges in agriculture and agribusiness. He cautioned that rapid technological advancement and automation could replace human intervention in several areas unless professionals continuously acquire new skills and competencies.
Kamlesh Shah said building sustainable leadership in the agribusiness and development sectors was among the major challenges facing organisations today. The real strength of an organisation, he said, lies in its human resources.
The conclave featured a panel discussion on “People Strategies for Sustainable Future in Agribusiness and Development Sector – Cultivating Talent, Harvesting Impact.” The session was moderated by Asis Patnaik, Senior Vice-President and Head HR – Grocery, Reliance Retail.
The panel included Tressa George, Vice-President, People & Culture, Rang De; Dr Amit Raual, Group Chief People Officer, Listenlights; Namita Pandey, Chief Human Resource Officer, SRIJAN; Dr Ranganath I V S, Head HR, Tropolite Foods; and Raman Chidambarasubramanian, Head HR, IKF Finance. The session also included an interaction and question-and-answer segment.
The discussions centred on talent management, human resource practices, leadership development and the future of the workplace, with particular emphasis on the requirements of the agribusiness and development sectors.
The programme concluded with a student interaction session in which members of the panel and HR leaders interacted with students of Rural Management and Agribusiness Management at KSRM. Prof. Sarbeswar Mohanty, Director, KSRM, delivered the welcome address, while Prof. Sukumar Dash, Dean, KSRM, proposed the vote of thanks.