SKOCH Summit
Agenda
0900 - 1700
Indices for Viksit Bharat
Indices for Viksit Bharat
Mr Sameer Kochhar, Chairman, SKOCH Group
Summary: The speaker argued that culture, context, and human judgment cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence, using everyday traditions like making pickle to illustrate this point. He critiqued global economic, governance, and development indices for being rooted in Global North assumptions that fail to reflect India’s social, federal, and cultural realities. He highlighted how ESG, CSR, human rights, and development narratives often repackage Indian values but impose external benchmarks. He questioned the reliability of large surveys and macroeconomic statistics, stressing that truth lies between data models and field realities. He proposed a threefold strategy: reform flawed global indices, create new global benchmarks where India has strengths, and develop Indian indices to counter distorted narratives. He concluded that correcting these narratives is essential to reduce economic costs, improve global perception, and assert India’s development model.*
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Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR)
Mr Sreeji Gopinathan, Founder & CEO, SKG Advisory
Summary: The speaker highlighted the rapid acceleration of digitalization and digital transformation, especially after the pandemic, across both public and private sectors. He emphasized that Corporate Digital Responsibility is essential as digitization now spans industrial systems, AI, data centers, and large-scale data generation. He warned that unmanaged digital growth can create serious risks for sustainability, society, and the economy. He presented a comprehensive 12-pillar Corporate Digital Responsibility framework covering data security, privacy, social impact, sustainability, ethics, risk management, governance, and mental health. He stressed that organizations must address responsibilities across the entire value chain, not in isolation. He concluded that adopting this framework now will help organizations stay ahead of future regulatory mandates and global expectations.*
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Harmonisation of CDR, SDGs, ESG, CSR, Human Rights and AI
Dr Gursharan Dhanjal, Vice Chairman, SKOCH Group
Summary: The speaker argued that Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) should function as an overarching framework that integrates ESG, SDGs, CSR, human rights, and artificial intelligence. He emphasized that India has historically practiced philanthropy, social responsibility, and ethical governance, and therefore is well positioned to define global standards rather than follow Western benchmarks. He demonstrated how CDR indicators naturally map across security, governance, sustainability, social inclusion, and economic responsibility. He highlighted emerging priorities such as digital wellness, mental health, multilingual inclusion, and data protection. He stressed that AI must enhance human dignity rather than control lives. He concluded by presenting the India Involved Index, which expands measurement to over 500 indicators and uses CDR to strengthen India’s development narrative and global rankings.*
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Narrative for Viksit Bharat
Dr Shamika Ravi, Member, Economic Advisory Council-PM
Summary: The speaker emphasized that credible narratives about India’s development must be rooted in objective, rigorously analyzed data rather than anecdotes or subjective opinions. She argued that India today has abundant and frequent data, and the real challenge lies in improving data quality, representativeness, and methodology. She highlighted how outdated assumptions—such as India being only 35% urban—misguide policy, noting that India is now predominantly urban. She showcased India’s digital public infrastructure as a transformative force for efficient welfare delivery and private-sector innovation. She stressed the need to use new data sources like satellite imagery alongside surveys. She concluded that strengthening data governance and evidence-based policymaking is essential for building a credible Viksit Bharat narrative.*
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Indian Indices for Global Use
Prof Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)
Summary: The speaker argued that India must rethink development beyond GDP and define growth parameters that are inclusive, environmentally responsible, and responsive to grassroots realities. He emphasized India’s responsibility to shape global statistical frameworks through its role in the UN Statistical Commission. He highlighted serious gaps in statistical capacity at district and state levels, which weaken localized policymaking. He explained how SDGs shifted focus from quantity to quality, especially in areas like nutrition, health, and sanitation. He stressed that technology and innovation are inseparable from economic growth and must be measured accordingly. He concluded that community participation, environmental protection, and well-being indicators are essential for achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047.*
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The Responsibility of Gaming
Mr Sumanta Dey, Head-Public Policy, Head Digital Works
Summary: The speaker highlighted the scale and importance of online gaming in India, noting its large user base, employment generation, and social impact. He argued that responsible digital gaming is essential because the sector affects users socially, psychologically, and financially. Using platform data, he demonstrated that safeguards such as KYC checks, spending limits, and self-exclusion mechanisms are largely effective and well accepted by users. He emphasized that education and sensitization lead to responsible player behavior. He described the development of a Corporate Digital Responsibility framework for gaming covering integrity, risk management, mental health, and inclusion. He concluded that CDR is a vital governance tool for sustainable growth of digital gaming businesses in India.*
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Digital Mental Health
Dr Yatan Pal Singh Balhara, Professor-Psychiatry, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS
Summary: The speaker explained how mental well-being and digital wellness are closely linked to the way individuals engage with digital platforms. He highlighted that user expectations, platform design, and two-way interaction with technology significantly influence psychological outcomes. He described how excessive digital use can impact mental health directly and indirectly through physical, financial, and academic problems. He shared clinical and community-based experiences showing rising behavioral addictions, especially among youth. He stressed that digital engagement can be beneficial, so the goal is balance rather than avoidance. He concluded by emphasizing the need for a structured digital mental health framework focused on safety, prevention, child protection, and ethics.*
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Responsibility Framework for Data & AI
Mr Sanjay Agrawal, CTO and Head - TechSales, Hitachi Vantara, India and SAARC-Region
Summary: The speaker emphasized that AI success depends entirely on the quality, governance, and management of underlying data. He explained that biased, incomplete, or poorly governed data leads to unreliable AI outcomes, including hallucinations and incorrect predictions. He outlined a responsible data framework covering the full data lifecycle, from onboarding and management to governance and monetization. He highlighted sustainability concerns, noting that inefficient data infrastructure and AI usage increase emissions. He stressed the need for strong data governance, security, and a data-driven culture led by top leadership. He concluded that responsible AI must prioritize fairness, transparency, explainability, accountability, and environmental responsibility.*
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Discussion and Q&A Moderated by
Mr Sameer Kochhar, Chairman, SKOCH Group
Summary: The discussion emphasized that AI success depends entirely on the quality, governance, and management of underlying data. Discussions took place that explained biased, incomplete, or poorly governed data leads to unreliable AI outcomes, including hallucinations and incorrect predictions. Outlined a responsible data framework covering the full data lifecycle, from onboarding and management to governance and monetization. The speaker highlighted sustainability concerns, noting that inefficient data infrastructure and AI usage increase emissions. He stressed the need for strong data governance, security, and a data-driven culture led by top leadership. He concluded that responsible AI must prioritize fairness, transparency, explainability, accountability, and environmental responsibility.*
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* This summary content is AI generated. It is suggested to read the full transcript for any furthur clarity.
Mr Sameer Kochhar
Chairman, SKOCH Group
Reforms historian and author of best-seller ModiNomics, Sameer Kochhar is Chairman, SKOCH Group. He is a passionate advocate of social, digital and financial inclusion and is a foremost expert on governance and inclusive growth. His work has been acclaimed globally and endorsed by Mr Narendra Modi, Mr M Venkaiah Naidu, Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr P Chidambaram, Mr Yashwant Sinha, Dr C Rangarajan and Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia and so on. In his thinking and writings and activities, his profound admiration for India's economic reforms and in extension, those outstanding personalities who strive to make these reforms more meaningful and broad-based comes out clear and unambiguous.
View MoreDr Shamika Ravi
Member, EAC-PM
Dr. Shamika Ravi is currently a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, and Secretary to Government of India. Previously, Dr Ravi was Director of Research at Brookings India, Vice President of Economic Policy at Observer Research Foundation and Non-Resident Senior Fellow of the Governance Studies Program at Brookings Institution. Her research focuses on the economics of development including areas of Finance, Healthcare, Urbanization, Gender Equality, and Welfare and Poverty.
View MoreProf Sachin Chaturvedi
Chaturvedi, Director General, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)
Professor Sachin Chaturvedi is currently Director General at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), a New Delhi-based Think-Tank. He works on issues related to development economics, involving development finance, SDGs and South-South Cooperation, apart from trade, investment and innovation linkages with a special focus on WTO. Currently, Prof. Chaturvedi is also an Independent Director on the Board of the Reserve Bank of India.
View MoreDr Yatan Pal Singh Balhara
Professor-Psychiatry, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS
Dr Yatan Pal Singh Balhara is currently serving as a Professor of Psychiatry at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. At AIIMS, he runs the Dual Diagnosis Clinic and Behavioral Addictions Clinic. He is serving as Secretary of the World Association on Dual Disorders (WADD). Dr Balhara offers consultancy to the World Health Organization and UNODC. He is a Global Master Trainer on Drug Demand Reduction for The Colombo Plan and UNODC. He is a member of various national and international committees including the WHO expert group on addictive behaviors. He has published more than 300 research papers.
View MoreMr Sreeji Gopinathan
Founder & CEO, SKG Advisory
He is the founder of SKG Advisory and worked as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Lupin Limited. Prior to joining Lupin, he was with Reckitt Benckiser. He has also been associated with companies like Philips, Procter & Gamble, ISRO and Asea Brown Boveri.
View MoreDr Gursharan Dhanjal
Vice Chairman, SKOCH Group
Dr Gursharan Dhanjal, MA, M.Phil, PhD from Delhi University, an expert in development economics. He is Vice Chairman, SKOCH Group. He is also Editor of INCLUSION—a quarterly publication that focuses on inclusive growth related areas. He has led various research projects, impact assessments and field studies in MSMEs, women empowerment, entitlements, rights, sanitation, social inclusion, health, financial inclusion, e-governance and ICT for development that included traversing across the country, collecting citizen voices for over two decades now. A prolific writer, Dr Dhanjal has contributed over 200 columns in leading national dailies including The Hindustan Times, The Times of India, The Financial Express and The Pioneer. He has published research papers in several journals of repute in addition to authoring following widely acclaimed books: Tarapur: The Politics of Nuclear Age; and, Infrastructure and Governance. He was member of the Working Group on ICT in Higher Education constituted by Planning Commission for the 12th Five Year Plan.
View MoreMr Sanjay Agrawal
CTO and Head - TechSales, Hitachi Vantara, India and SAARC-Region
Sanjay Agrawal is the Technology Head for India & SAARC at Hitachi Vantara, India. Sanjay joined Hitachi Vantara in 2017 and brings with him over 30+ years of industry experience.
View MoreMr Sumanta Dey
Head-Public Policy, Head Digital Works
He is head of Corporate Affairs at HDW, a leading online gaming company in India. The mandate includes handling Public Policy, Advocacy, Strategic external engagements, Corporate Affairs, and Public Relations. At Unacademy, he set up and led Corporate Affairs with a mandate to steer stakeholder strategy, Govt. Relations, Public Policy, and Communications. The charter spans strategic engagement and advocacy with Govt. (Centre & States), Media, and Ecosystem partners, besides managing reputation risks. Prior to EdTech, he was a Corporate Affairs lead at Flipkart, where he helped build relationships with key stakeholder groups while heading market access programs for farmers, MSMEs, and Artisans.
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