Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: The Indian Institute of Management Jammu concluded the second day and valedictory ceremony of HR Conclave 9.0, its flagship annual Human Resources conclave, on 25th July 2026. Centered on the theme, “The People Advantage: Navigating the Intersection of AI, Innovation & Workplace Culture,"the conclave brought together eminent industry leaders, HR professionals, academicians, alumni, and future managers to deliberate on emerging trends shaping the future of work across diverse sectors of the economy.
The second day witnessed engaging discussions on Consumer Products & Agri-Business, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), and Manufacturing & Logistics, reaffirming the Institute's commitment to fostering meaningful industry-academia collaboration and experiential learning.
The valedictory ceremony was presided over by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu. The valedictory ceremony was graced by Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean, Faculty & Research; Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean Academics and Dr. Mahesh Gadekar, Chairperson Placements, IIM Jammu. Dr. Baljeet Singh Sani, Co-Chairperson Placements, IIM Jammu, attended the valedictory ceremony.’
Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, lauded the efforts of the faculty, staff, officers, student volunteers, and organizing team for the successful conduct of HR Conclave 9.0. Emphasizing that students are the lifeline of the Institute, he underscored IIM Jammu's commitment to experiential, practice-driven learning and highlighted the importance of sustained industry-academia collaboration in shaping future-ready leaders. Inviting industry leaders to engage more closely with the Institute through mentorship, campus interactions, and future initiatives such as the CEO and GCC Conclaves, he encouraged organizations to create greater opportunities for students.
Acknowledging the support extended by Vardhman Textiles, he expressed hope for stronger industry partnerships while reiterating IIM Jammu's aspiration to emerge as one of the finest business schools in India and globally through continuous innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean, Faculty & Research, IIM Jammu, emphasized the importance of strengthening industry-academia collaboration through knowledge exchange, collaborative research, internships, live projects, and practitioner-led learning. Highlighting IIM Jammu's focus on practice-oriented education, he encouraged participants to actively engage, ask questions, and absorb key insights that would create a lasting impact on their professional growth while enhancing innovation, employability, and leadership readiness.
Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, highlighted that initiatives such as HR Conclave provide an invaluable platform for bridging classroom learning with contemporary industry practices. Reaffirming the Institute's commitment to experiential and interdisciplinary education, he encouraged students to make the most of every learning opportunity by asking insightful questions, embracing diverse perspectives, and recognizing that informed choices and continuous learning are the foundation of effective leadership and future-ready managerial competencies.
Dr. Mahesh Gadekar, Chairperson, Placement, IIM Jammu, presented the comprehensive report of HR Conclave 9.0, highlighting the key deliberations, industry participation, and significant outcomes of the two-day conclave. He also highlighted the new additions introduced this year. He also expressed gratitude to the 33 industry leaders for their valuable time and support.
The ceremony concluded with the *Vote of Thanks* proposed by Dr. Atanu Dutta, Placement Officer, who expressed gratitude to the distinguished industry leaders, IIM Jammu leadership, esteemed guests, faculty members, alumni, student volunteers, organizing committee, and participants for their invaluable contributions in making HR Conclave 9.0 a grand success. He observed that the conclave had created a vibrant platform for meaningful dialogue, collaborative learning, and stronger industry-academia partnerships that will continue to benefit students and the management profession.
The first panel discussion on the second day of HR Conclave 9.0, the Indian Institute of Management Jammu hosted the fourth panel discussion on "From Farm to Shelf: Restructuring Supply Chain Agility for the Omni-Channel Consumer Market."Moderated by Mr. Naveen Manjunath, India Lead – Campus Hiring & University Relations, Tata Elxsi, the panel featured Mr. Sachin Mathur, Human Resources Director, Idea Forge Technology; Ms. Himani Chaudhari, Human Resource Operations Manager, SygniaBrandworks; Dr. Manoj K. Prasad, Vice President, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL); and Mr. Pradeep Chavda, CHRO, Vadal.ai.
The discussion highlighted how AI, digital transformation, and changing consumer expectations are driving agile, technology-enabled, and resilient supply chains. The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, providing students with valuable industry insights. The session concluded with an engaging interaction where students sought valuable insights on emerging career opportunities and future talent requirements in the consumer products and agribusiness sectors.
The fifth panel discussion, "The GCC Paradigm Shift: Elevating Indian Capability Centers to Global Strategic Drivers," was moderated by Ms. Meenakshi Chhillar, India HR Country Leader & Vice President, ModMed, and featured Ms. Sunaina Kaul, Director, Global Employee Relations, Qualcomm; Dr. Swarnpreet Singh, AVP HR & Campus Lead, ICICI Lombard; Mr. Abhisek Nag, CHRO, Fornax; and Ms. Shweta Jain, Director HR, Inner City Fund. The panel deliberated on the evolving role of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) as strategic hubs for innovation, enterprise transformation, and global leadership.
The discussion emphasized leadership development, digital transformation, talent management, cross-cultural collaboration, and India's growing role in shaping global business strategies. The session concluded with an engaging interaction, offering students valuable insights into the future of GCCs and emerging global career opportunities.
The sixth panel discussion on "Industry 4.0 and Resilient Supply Chains: Human-Machine Integration in Core Economic Pillars" was moderated by Mr. Balasubramanian Sethuraman, Head HR, and featured Mr. Rengarajan Alagar, Regional HR Integration Manager – IMEA, A.P. Moller – Maersk; Mr. Ravijot Singh, Assistant Vice President – HR, Vardhman Textiles; Mr. Santosh Iyer, CHRO, KLT Group; and Mr. Vikramsinh Patil, TA COE Leader, Aequs Limited.
The panel deliberated on the transformative impact of Industry 4.0, highlighting how AI, automation, digital transformation, and human-centric innovation are reshaping manufacturing and logistics. The discussion underscored the importance of building agile, resilient, and future-ready supply chains by striking the right balance between technological advancement and human capability to drive sustainable growth and operational excellence.The discussion concluded with an engaging question-and-answer session, where students interacted extensively with the industry experts on leadership, technology adoption, and workforce transformation.
Throughout the second day, the panel discussions witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, who actively engaged with the distinguished speakers through interactive discussions and networking opportunities. The sessions provided valuable insights into evolving industry expectations, leadership competencies, emerging talent strategies, and the future of human resource management in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
The valedictory ceremony culminated with the *National Song and the National Anthem*, followed by high tea and informal networking among industry leaders, faculty members, and students, providing an opportunity to further strengthen professional relationships beyond the formal sessions.
With insightful discussions, distinguished industry participation, meaningful networking, and enrichingstudent interactions over two days, *HR Conclave 9.0* successfully reaffirmed IIM Jammu's commitment to nurturing future-ready leaders through innovation, experiential learning, industry collaboration, and academic excellence. The conclave once again reinforced the Institute's position as a leading platform for thought leadership, knowledge exchange, and collaborative engagement in shaping the future of work.