Bhopal, August 19, 2026: With an enthusiastic education community and a strong gathering of leaders from government, academia, industry and research, Bhopal became a vibrant forum for conversations on the future of education, skills and technology atThe Economic Times’ EDNXT Bhopal 2026.
Held at Taj Lakefront, Bhopal, and themed “The Heart of India Powering Education, Skills & Tech,” EDNXT Bhopal 2026 brought together an engaged audience and leading voices to explore how AI, emerging technologies, future skills, research, innovation and industry collaboration can strengthen Madhya Pradesh’s education ecosystem, unlock opportunities for its young population and help the state play a larger role in India’s emerging knowledge and talent economy.
The Inaugural Session, “The Heart of India Rising: Powering India’s Next Education, Skills & Talent Revolution,” set the tone for the day with perspectives from Vishvas Kailash Sarang, Hon’ble Minister, Cooperatives and Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Madhya Pradesh; Dr Anil Kothari, Director General, Madhya Pradesh Council of Science & Technology (MPCST); Abhishek Mohan Gupta, Pro Chancellor, Jagran Lake City University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh; and Dr Sanjeev Agrawal, Chancellor, Sage University Bhopal & Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Vishvas Kailash Sarang: ‘You are not just giving education, you are creating the citizens of this country’
Addressing the gathering, Vishvas Kailash Sarang, Hon’ble Minister, Cooperatives and Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Madhya Pradesh, emphasised that the responsibility of educational institutions extends beyond imparting academic knowledge or preparing students for careers. At its core, education must help shape capable citizens and contribute to nation-building.“If you are running an institute, if you are connected to education, then you are not just giving education, you are not just teaching AI or technology. You are doing the biggest work for this country, because you are creating the citizens of this country.”
Vishvas Kailash Sarang also highlighted the role of research and technology in India’s development, stressing that educational progress must keep pace with scientific and technological advancement.
“Until we work on research and bring technology, no society or country can move forward.”
From AI to Ethical AI
A key focus of Vishvas Kailash Sarang’s address was the need to place ethics alongside technological advancement, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in education and everyday life.“I believe AI is definitely very important for us. But we also have to connect it with ethics. As we teach machines through machine learning, we must also think about how we teach ethics to our students.”
He called upon educational institutions to ensure that technology education is accompanied by a strong understanding of responsibility and values.
“We should teach AI and technology, but we should also develop modules that teach ethics to our students.”
Vishvas Kailash Sarang also urged education leaders to ensure that students develop not only professional capabilities but also a sense of responsibility towards society and the country.
“We should give our children good knowledge, and at the same time give them good values, and you will have to take responsibility for this.”
Education in Madhya Pradesh must create wider impact
Bringing the conversation back to Madhya Pradesh, Vishvas Kailash Sarang urged stakeholders to look beyond the expansion of educational infrastructure and consider how institutions and their students can contribute to the development of the state, society and country.
“How can we improve the education of Madhya Pradesh? Talk about that. But along with that, we should also talk about what good the children studying in these institutions in Madhya Pradesh can do for the country and society. If you talk about this too, then I think today’s day will be fruitful.”
The message added a broader dimension to the discussions at EDNXT Bhopal: strengthening education must go hand in hand with creating meaningful opportunities and impact for young people.
Dr Anil Kothari: ‘How can we bring the youth forward?’
Taking the conversation forward, Dr Anil Kothari, Director General, Madhya Pradesh Council of Science & Technology (MPCST), focused on building stronger connections between education, skills, science, technology and youth.
Dr Anil Kothari said the purpose of a platform such as EDNXT was to bring different stakeholders together around a common objective for the state and the country.
“The idea behind this conference is how we can work collectively for a common objective. How we can work for our state and nation by connecting technology and skill with education and youth.”
Dr Anil Kothari highlighted the emergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, 5G, drones, semiconductors, hydrogen technology and blockchain, and the opportunities they can create for education and employment.
A significant part of Dr Anil Kothari’s remarks centred on space technology and the emerging space economy. He pointed to its growing applications across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education and defence, and highlighted the opportunities this emerging sector can create for students, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs.
He also stressed the need to expose students to emerging areas of science and technology through curricula, training, research and innovation initiatives.
Dr Anil Kothari highlighted the work being undertaken by MPCST through research projects, training programmes, seminars and initiatives focused on emerging technologies. He called for stronger connections between educational institutions, government, researchers, industry and students to build a robust science, technology and innovation ecosystem across Madhya Pradesh.
Dr Sanjeev Agrawal: Beyond the degree-and-placement pathway
Dr Sanjeev Agrawal, Chancellor, Sage University Bhopal & Indore, brought the discussion towards the changing nature of higher education and the capabilities students will need in a rapidly transforming economy.
Dr Sanjeev Agrawal emphasised that institutions must move beyond a traditional model centred primarily on degrees and placements.
“We don’t have to be confined till degree and placement. We will be able to change the world with skill, technology, communication, problem solving, creativity and entrepreneurship.”
Dr Sanjeev Agrawal stressed the importance of multidisciplinary learning, skill development, innovation and stronger industry linkages in preparing students for a changing world of work.
With AI and other emerging technologies transforming industries, Dr Sanjeev Agrawal said institutions will need to rethink what students learn and how they learn. Academic qualifications must increasingly be complemented by practical capabilities, communication, problem-solving and entrepreneurial thinking.
Dr Sanjeev Agrawal also highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between universities, government and industry to create relevant learning opportunities and better prepare students for employment and entrepreneurship.
Abhishek Mohan Gupta: ‘Bhopal is already an education hub’
Bringing the conversation closer to the host city, Abhishek Mohan Gupta, Pro Chancellor, Jagran Lake City University, Bhopal, made a strong case for Bhopal’s growing position as an education and talent destination.
Abhishek Mohan Gupta argued that the question is no longer whether Bhopal can become an education hub, but how the city can build upon the ecosystem it already has.
“I think it’s time we stop asking whether Bhopal can become an education hub. I firmly believe Bhopal is already an education hub, and everyone is looking towards it.”
He pointed to Bhopal’s geographical location, connectivity, affordability, quality of life, institutional diversity and talent availability as important advantages that can help the city attract students and strengthen its education ecosystem.
Abhishek Mohan Gupta said Bhopal’s next phase of growth will depend on stronger connections between institutions and the wider ecosystem around them.
“We need to ensure that we not only build institutions at the individual level, but we bring in an ecosystem where universities, government and industry all work together.”
Such collaboration, he said, can create benefits beyond campuses. Students coming to Bhopal contribute to the city’s economy, talent pool and employment ecosystem, while a stronger education base can make the city more attractive to industry and investment.
As Abhishek Mohan Gupta noted, the larger aspiration should be to build a Bhopal where students from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru look towards the city and say: “This is the city I want to be part of.”
From the Heart of India, a conversation about India’s future
The inaugural session at EDNXT Bhopal 2026 set the tone for a day of discussions around the forces reshaping education, including technology, emerging skills, scientific research, industry expectations and human values.
Vishvas Kailash Sarang brought the focus to the fundamental purpose of education, ethical AI and the need for Madhya Pradesh’s education ecosystem to create wider impact. Dr Anil Kothari highlighted science, emerging technologies, research and youth, while Dr Sanjeev Agrawal emphasised skills, communication, problem-solving, creativity, entrepreneurship and industry relevance. Abhishek Mohan Gupta positioned Bhopal as an education hub with the potential to grow through collaboration between universities, government and industry.
Bhopal’s energy in the room was equally significant. The enthusiasm of Bhopal’s education community, the participation of policymakers, academicians and industry leaders, and an engaged audience made the discussions at EDNXT Bhopal 2026 feel both timely and forward-looking.
Together, the perspectives reflected a shared ambition: to build an education ecosystem that does more than respond to change, but actively prepares young people to lead it.
For a summit held in the Heart of India, the conversation was fittingly expansive. It was about Madhya Pradesh, but also about the larger transformation taking place across India’s education landscape.
EDNXT Bhopal 2026 brought together voices that approached the future from different directions, but converged on one central idea: India’s future will depend on how effectively it connects education with skills, technology with values, research with opportunity, and institutions with the wider ecosystem.
The opportunity now is to ensure that Madhya Pradesh and its young people are not merely ready for that future, but are among those who build it.
