The South Asia Business Association (SABA) at Columbia Business School (CBS) hosted their 13th Annual India Business Conference on April 8. The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Route to Resurgence: Shaping India’s New Destiny’. The SABA organizing team, led by co-presidents Rahul Bengani and Gaurav Dayal, has managed to secure a forum of speakers comprising renowned and diverse personalities including civil servants, C-suite executives, entrepreneurs and academicians.
Speakers included Suresh Narayanan, chairman & managing director, Nestle India; Neeraj Singhal former head of Expansion, South Asia, Uber; Dr. S. Y. Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner, India; Prof. Jagdish Bhagwati of Columbia University; Umang Dua, co-founder, Handy.com; and Vinodh Bhat, co-founder, Saavn, among others.
According to Udit Agarwal, assistant vice president of the South Asia Business Association, “This is a great opportunity for CBS students to hone their leadership skills whilst watching the end product of their labor being appreciated by the conference attendees.”
The goal of the conference was to bring together decision makers and opinion shapers from across the business, political, social and cultural spheres of India life, and encourage dialogue and discourse on topics crucial to the country’s present and future. This year’s conference will have an exchange of ideas with various speakers presenting their views on the country’s current state of affairs and its likely destiny that would have implications not just for India but also for those who wish to do business in the country. The topics for panel discussions include: ‘Rethinking Business Models for an Emerging India’, ‘The Transformation of Indian Entertainment Industry’ and ‘The Rise & Rise of Investments in India.’
Amrinder Singh Chawla, assistant vice president of the South Asia Business Association said, “This year’s conference is both exciting and crucial, considering the recent major changes in the political and economic landscape of India owing to 2017 assembly elections and demonetization.” CBS is expecting over two hundred attendees and extensive media coverage for the event. For more details on the conference please refer to the official website – http://ibccolumbia.org/