Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 10: The two day O-LEAD 2026 summit ended here on Saturday. Themed ‘Odisha: The Global Growth Hub’, it was held at Hotel Swosti Premium. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) organised the event.
Policymakers, industry leaders, technology experts and academics attended the conclave. They explored ways to speed up Odisha’s economic growth. Key themes included industry led skilling, responsible AI and collaborative research. Turning innovation into commercial value was another major focus.
Several dignitaries graced the occasion. Among them was Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, CMD of MGM Group. He chairs the ASSOCHAM Odisha State Development Council. Dr Prabodh Mohanty, MD of SNM Group and the council’s Co Chairman, also attended.
British Deputy High Commissioner Dr Andrew Fleming outlined opportunities under the India UK Joint Vision 2035. Fleming, who covers East and North East India, was on his 20th visit to Bhubaneswar. He identified education, skills and AI as key areas of partnership. He said UK research strength and AI frameworks complement India’s large talent pool. Fleming called for global co-creation in AI research, curriculum design and faculty training. Such ties, he said, would connect Odisha’s institutions with global knowledge networks.
Lok Sabha MP Dr Rabinarayan Behera spoke on AI’s impact on jobs. He also stressed the need to protect linguistic diversity in the AI era. Behera pitched for inclusive AI access across all sections of society. He urged that AI be built into academic curricula. This, he said, would ready students for changing technological demands.
Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar highlighted AI’s role in widening access to education. He said it could also improve learning outcomes. Kumar referred to the India AI Impact Summit and the New Delhi Declaration. He underlined responsible AI, capacity building and trust-based governance. These, he noted, need backing from government policy and the India AI Mission. The mission spans education, healthcare, agriculture and disaster management.
Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Secretary of Odisha’s Skill Development and Technical Education Department, addressed delegates. He urged industry to lead skill development and institutional management. Research, he said, must move beyond academic labs into real-world use. Industry, he added, should drive the commercialisation of such research. Poonia stressed early skill integration for Odisha’s youth. This would help them land high-value jobs within the state. They would no longer need to migrate to metros for low-paying work.
Parminder Jeet Kaur proposed the vote of thanks. She is Senior Director and Head of ASSOCHAM’s State and UT Department. She called for turning dialogue into concrete business outcomes. Kaur also pushed for stronger product innovation. She proposed a ‘reverse pitching’ model. Under it, industry would define real operational challenges. Startups and academic institutions would then work out solutions.
