THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, OCTOBER 10, 2026

Industry must take the lead in skill development, research and innovation to accelerate economic growth and create employment opportunities for young people, Odisha Skill Development and Technical Education Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia said on Saturday.

Addressing the valedictory session of the two-day O-LEAD 2026 conclave, organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) here, Poonia stressed the need to strengthen industry-led skill development, promote research commercialisation and build closer partnerships between industry, academia and startups to position Odisha as a global growth hub.

The conclave, themed “Odisha: The Global Growth Hub”, concluded with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven education, future-ready skills, collaborative research and responsible technology adoption to expand economic and social opportunities.

Speaking at the session held at Hotel Swosti Premium, Poonia said students must acquire relevant skills at an early stage to prepare for emerging employment opportunities and build productive careers without being forced to migrate to metropolitan cities for low-paying jobs.

 “Industry must take the lead in skill development and institutional management. Research and development should move beyond academic laboratories, with industry playing a central role in innovation and commercialisation,” he said, citing the semiconductor sector as an example of the need to integrate research with industrial applications.

He called for a shift from limited industry-institution partnerships towards a model in which industry assumes greater ownership of implementation, research outcomes and innovation-led economic growth.

Dr Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner for East and North East India, highlighted the opportunities for India-UK collaboration under the India-UK Shared Vision 2035, particularly in education, skills development and artificial intelligence.

On his 20th visit to Bhubaneswar, Fleming said India's vast talent pool and scale could complement the UK's strengths in higher education, research and AI development.

Emphasising the importance of international cooperation, he said no single country could independently address all the challenges and opportunities arising from AI. Partnerships should therefore focus on co-creating solutions rather than merely exchanging knowledge, he said.

Joint AI research, curriculum development, teacher training and collaborative governance could connect educational institutions and learners in Odisha with global knowledge networks while ensuring that technological advancements address local needs, Fleming added.

Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar said artificial intelligence could significantly expand access to education and improve learning outcomes, provided its adoption was supported by appropriate policies, infrastructure and capacity building.

Referring to the India AI Impact Summit and the New Delhi Declaration, he underscored the importance of responsible AI, trust-based governance and strengthening the country's technological capabilities.

With a substantial proportion of India's population comprising young people, AI could play a transformative role in educating children and youth, he said, adding that the India AI Mission could help promote innovation across sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture and disaster management.

Lok Sabha MP Rabinarayan Behera highlighted the implications of AI for employment and called for greater attention to India's linguistic diversity while developing and deploying emerging technologies.

He said AI should be inclusive and accessible to all sections of society, including senior citizens, women, children and persons with disabilities. Integrating AI into student curricula was also essential to prepare the next generation for a rapidly evolving technological environment, he added.

In her vote of thanks, ASSOCHAM Senior Director and Head of States and UTs Parminder Jeet Kaur stressed the need to translate the conclave's deliberations into tangible outcomes through product innovation, stronger industry ownership and closer collaboration among industry, academic institutions and startups.

She advocated building a dense and interconnected innovation ecosystem in which industry identifies real-world challenges and invites academic institutions and startups to develop solutions through a process of “reverse pitching”.

Under this approach, startups would be treated as innovation partners rather than merely vendors, enabling businesses and institutions to address skill gaps and develop solutions responsive to community and industry requirements, she said.

The discussions at O-LEAD 2026 reinforced the need to align education with Industry 4.0, scale industries and startups, promote industry-academia collaboration and accelerate the transition of research from laboratories to commercially viable products and services.

The two-day conclave brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology experts, entrepreneurs, universities and research institutions to explore strategies for strengthening Odisha's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Among those present were ASSOCHAM Odisha State Development Council Chairman and MGM Group CMD Pankaj Lochan Mohanty; Odisha State Education Council Chairman and Kalinga Group of Institutions Chairman Alexzandar Das; ASSOCHAM Odisha State Development Council Co-Chair and SNM Group Managing Director Prabodh Mohanty; former Odisha chief secretary and adviser to the ASSOCHAM Odisha State Development Council Asit Tripathy; and Odisha State Startup Council Chairman and ZTOP IoT Solutions founder Abanis Nayak.

The conclave concluded with a shared emphasis on equipping young people with future-ready skills, encouraging responsible AI adoption, strengthening international cooperation and ensuring that innovation translates into sustainable economic growth and wider social benefits for Odisha.