The Memories we‘ve made in Ashwamedha 2025
“ All great things must come to end, and we are grateful for the experiences: Presenting a sneak peak to what Ashwamedha unfolded .”
The Regional College of Management (RCM), Bhubaneswar, witnessed an intellectually invigorating event—Ashwamedha 2025: The Management Conclave—on February 2nd. This prestigious event, exclusively powered by SOUL (The School of Upbeat Leadership), was a melting pot of ideas, innovation, and leadership, drawing professionals from corporate and academic circles. The conclave aimed to bring together thought leaders, industry stalwarts, and young minds to engage in discussions that shape the future of management and technology.
Grand Inauguration and Keynote Address in Ashwamedha 2025
Ashwamedha commenced with a traditional ceremonial lamp lighting by all the conclave guests, organizing hosts, accompanied by the melodious and divine chanting of holy mantras by students, setting a spiritual timbre. An engaging and interactive icebreaking spell was created thereafter by the program Convener, Dr. Monalisa Mishra and Prof. Ankita Mishra who thoughtfully connected the conclave guests from corporates and academia through an intro and expectation readings. Following this Dr. Shradha Padhi, Deputy Director and the Event Lead cheerfully delivered the context-setting address, marking the official commencement of the conclave.
Keynote Speaker
Mr. Amit Das
Director, HR & CHRO, Times of India
Mr. Amit Das addressed on how businesses must evolve with technological advancements to stay competitive. He highlighted the importance of ethical AI integration, ensuring that while automation enhances productivity, human ingenuity remains a core element of decision-making. He also emphasized the necessity of continuous learning and upskilling, advocating that employees and students must develop an adaptive mindset to keep up with rapid technological shifts.
The keynote Highlights at Ashwamedha 2025:
- Technological Transformation: The evolving impact of technology on daily life and work.
- Adaptability & Innovation: The growing need for workforce agility in a rapidly changing world.
- Indian Economy & AI: How advancements like 4G, 5G, and AI integration contribute to economic expansion.
- Human-AI Synergy: Ethical AI implementation, automation’s role in business, and ensuring human creativity remains central to progress.
Panel Discussion 1: AI & The Future of Work
Moderator:
Mrs. Bobby Pattnaik
HR Business Leader Infosys
Mrs. Bobby Pattnaik brought up the “wow” and “oh no” elements of day to day AI integration and other technological assistance to human workforce. She connected the audience to the panelists with her flamboyant queries. With her extensive experience in hosting high-profile events and moderating panel discussions, she was the perfect choice to lead the conversation on the topic of the conclave. Her questions were thoughtful and incisive, encouraging the panelists to share their insights and experiences in a way that was both informative and engaging. With her quick wit and sharp intellect, she navigated the discussion with ease, expertly guiding the conversation and keeping the audience fully engaged.
Panelists:
Manoj Panigrahi
Director at Ernst & Young
Addressed the potential powers and risks of Generative AI, balancing efficiency with ethical concerns. He also shared concerns about privacy and data misuse. Discussing extensively on Generational adaptability he highlighted industry specific solutions and Gen Z’s need for continuous skill development to adapt to rapid technological advancements.
Sudattta Kar
Head of Software Engineering, Capgemini India
Spoke on Moore’s Law, advancements in NVIDIA, and the creative intelligence of Gen Z with tools like Gemini. She commended Deepseek’s progress over the past two years and discussed Moore’s Law dealing with doubling of transistors every two years—and its impact on advancements like NVIDIA and data dependency.
Satish Mohapatra
EVP & Head of Business and Corporate HR at Maruti Suzuki
Highlighted AI’s integration in Maruti’s listening culture and raised concerns about trust and privacy issues with Open AI tools. Highlighting how technology, such as AI, has advanced agriculture and other economic sectors, he emphasized how farmers can now check the status of their land and can go AI enabled. He also predicted that AI will have components embedded in websites and government platforms.
The panel discussion left the audience with key takeaways:
- The importance of upskilling to remain relevant in an AI-driven economy.
- How businesses must adopt AI responsibly and ethically to maximize benefits without compromising human creativity.
- The growing role of AI in various industries, including agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Panel Discussion 2: The Industry-Ready Workforce
Moderator:
Avinash Samal
Head HR (T&D), TCS Bhubaneswar
With an energetic flair, magnetically connecting with the audience and resonating a vibrant atmosphere of thoughtful information on AI automation and human behavioral skills Mr. Avinash Samal navigated the conclave panel discussion with ease, expertly guiding the discussion and steering the panelists to share their unique perspectives and expertise. As the conclave progressed, it became clear that Mr. Samal was not only a skilled moderator but also a masterful facilitator, able to balance the diverse views and opinions of the panelists and distill the key takeaways into actionable insights. His ability to think on his feet and adapt to the evolving conversation made him an outstanding moderator, and the audience was thoroughly impressed by his performance to create a safe and inclusive space for meaningful dialogue and debate.
Panelists:
Mohar Mishra
CTO & Co-Founder, Inovaare Corporation
Referring to Darwin’s theory of stress adaptability and alignment of EI, IQ, EQ, and AQ. Mr. Mohar Mishra emphasized the need for students and professionals to develop not only technical skills but also emotional intelligence and adaptability. He argued that while AI and automation are changing job requirements, human decision-making, creativity, and soft skills remain irreplaceable.
Manash Mandhata
HR Head, Maithan Ispat Ltd.
Discussed technological evolution, referring Edison’s innovations and the rise of cloud computing. Mr. Manash Mandhata brought a historical perspective, citing how past technological advancements, from the industrial revolution to the digital age, have shaped modern industries. He stated that cloud computing has removed data storage limitations, but organizations must balance technological adoption with workforce security.
Lopamudra Priyadarshini
Assistant Vice President, Hindalco Industries Ltd.
Differentiated between being “industry-ready” and “industry-deployable,” stressing the importance of balancing technical expertise and behavioral skills, Ms. Lopamudra Priyadarshini highlighted successful case studies from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where specifically adapted educational curriculums have enabled advancements in semiconductor technology. She reinforced that while technical knowledge is crucial, behavioral skills and leadership qualities determine success in corporate settings. She also pointed out the growing significance of tools like Chat GPT in professional environments and how students must learn to interact with AI effectively.
Key Takeaways:
- Rigidity of university frameworks for students should accommodated rapid evolution of fields like IT, Skill development and motivation.
- Thoughtful decision logical thinking and extra curricular learning should be the academic and industry-ready goals.
- Time Management, positivity and purpose are the key components for combating future challenges.
- A collaborative approach involving students, faculty and industry leaders can bridge gaps and pave way towards a fast changing world.
Fireside Chat with Jisu K. Mohanty
The conclave concluded with an engaging Fireside Chat featuring Mr. Jisu K. Mohanty, where he shared invaluable leadership insights and left the audience with thought-provoking quotes:
- “If you get on the wrong train, make sure to get off at the nearest station, because the more time you take to get off, the more it will cost you to fall back to the right one.”
- “Leadership is all about common sense.”
This riveting session provided an enriching closure to a conclave filled with dynamic discussions, groundbreaking ideas, and transformative insights. Mr. Mohanty elaborated on the importance of self-awareness and strategic decision-making, urging students to constantly evaluate their career paths and adjust accordingly. He provided real-world anecdotes from his career, illustrating how adaptability and informed risk-taking are key to success.
Dr. Shardha Padhi, the gravitas of SOUL with her witty and insightful conversation brought up many interesting and poignant issues related to the corporate world. Her quick-witted rapid-fire questions kept the audiences glued with attention throughout the chat. Responding to such splendour of questions, Mr. Jisu Mohanty answered them with engaging, entertaining and informative facts. Overall, they relaxed, and informal fireside chat was a cozy way to end the day of the conclave.
Conclusion
Ashwamedha 2025 was more than just a conclave; it was a convergence of minds, a platform fostering innovation, leadership, and industry-oriented learning. With thought-provoking discussions and invaluable takeaways, RCM once again proved its commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders ready to embrace the ever-evolving corporate landscape.
The conclave not only strengthened the bridge between academia and industry but also reinforced RCM’s role as a pioneering institution in business and management education. With a mix of technical expertise, leadership insights, and futuristic discussions, Ashwamedha 2025 has set the tone for the future of business leadership and workforce readiness.
Ashwamedha Field Visuals
