GUWAHATI, Sept 2: Leaders from academia, industry, and startups across
India converged at The Assam Royal Global University (RGU) here today for the two-day
Leadership Conclave 2025, beginning today under the theme “Ethics and the Evolving
Workplace.”
The conclave brought together eminent leaders to deliberate on some of the
most urgent questions shaping the future of work.
Speaking at the inaugural panel discussion on “Minimal Input, Maximum Outcome: Has the
Hustle Culture Rebranded Laziness?” Prof. Alaka Sarma, Academician and Co-Founder of
the Akshar Foundation, emphasized the need to nurture children as contributors rather than dependents, according to a Press release.
“When we engage with a child from a marginalized background, our role is to provide an environment where the child learns to help others. By helping others, one
automatically becomes a giver of help, not a seeker of it,” she said.
Prof. Sarma further highlighted that children deprived of adequate parental attention often experience alienation, which technology tends to worsen—manifesting as laziness, destructiveness, or even suicidal tendencies.
She noted the importance of conclaves like these in rethinking strategies to
minimize such negative influences while embracing technology as an inevitable tool of
progress.
The session also featured insights from Sailaja M, HR Head, Sephora, Mumbai; Abbhay
Kapoor, SVP, UIL Group, Delhi; and Sanjay Aditya Singh, Group MD & CEO, Jettwings
Airways, Guwahati.
It was moderated by Bristy Srivastava, Head of the Royal Centre for
Corporate Relations, RGU.
The second panel, “5% of Leadership, 50% of the Workforce: What’s Broken in the Climb for Women?” was addressed by Sumit Agarwal, DEI Champion, Kolkata; Varsha Agarwal, Vice President (Karnataka State), WICCI – Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bengaluru; Dr. Simanta Mohanty, Director, Janaagraha, Odisha; and Vijay Kumar Jamwal, VP HR, Biz2Credit, Bengaluru.
The third discussion, “Beyond the Algorithm: Reclaiming the Human in Human Resources,”
included speakers Sujeet Sinha, Executive Vice President, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Mumbai;
Nitin Jagdale, Head of Talent Acquisition, NTT DATA India, Pune; Govindprasad Gaonkar,
Head of Human Resources, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company, Mumbai; and
Sasmita Birabar, Deputy General Manager, IFFCO, Guwahati.
The fourth panel on “Funding Over Fundamentals: Has Startup Culture Outgrown
Accountability?” featured Rajdeep Ghosh, Tech Talent Acquisition Leader, Amazon,
Bengaluru; David Pratim Gogoi, Co-Founder & Director, Zerund Bricks, Guwahati; and
Nitin Bajpai, Circle CEO, Jio.
Throughout the conclave, participants engaged in critical discussions on rethinking hustle
culture, holding startups accountable, advancing women’s representation in CXO roles,
redefining HR in the age of algorithms, and preparing Gen Z for the ethical complexities of
professional life.
