The Department of Economic Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) hosted Arthashashtra-2023, its annual conference on economics, business, and finance. The event brought together eminent speakers from the industry to discuss a range of pressing topics, including globalization, technological innovation, the future of work, financial volatility, leadership, banking stability, and India's economic resilience amid global uncertainty.

The conference commenced with a keynote address by Dr. Ajay Kumar (Former Defence Secretary, Government of India), Professor Sanjay Singh (IIM Lucknow), Professor Shalabh, Dean of Academic Affairs, IIT Kanpur, and Mr. Dhiraj Relli (CEO, HDFC Securities). In their insightful address, the speakers highlighted the transformative impact of globalization on the global economy, India's economic resilience and the emergence of new economic powers. They emphasized the need for India to adapt to these changes and seize the opportunities that globalization presents.

Speaking about the conference, Prof. S. Ganesh, Director IIT Kanpur said, “IIT Kanpur has always emphasized fostering meaningful interactions between academia and industry, facilitating collaborative initiatives, research partnerships, and knowledge exchange to bridge the gap between theoretical insights and practical applications. Arthashashtra-2023 has proved to be a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and discussion on critical economic, business, and financial issues. The insights shared by industry experts will undoubtedly contribute to a better understanding of these complex topics.”

The conference featured a number of sessions and panel discussions by industry experts on a variety of topics. Mr. Rajan Sethuraman, CEO, Letentview Analytics spoke about AI and tech-innovation–driven economy in a session facilitated by Mr. Brahma Konda Reddy, from the eMasters program, IIT Kanpur. Mr. Nilesh Shah, Managing Director, Kotak Asset Management Co. Ltd., spoke on the challenges of deglobalization and the opportunities for Indian markets.

Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, KENT chair for entrepreneurship & innovation IITK and Mr. Vikas Manwatkar, Director, Global Sourcing Solutions, Cargill led a discussion on technological innovation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution where they spoke about the disruptive potential of emerging technologies and how they are shaping the future of work and industries. The discussion was facilitated by Mr. Saurabh Kumar of eMasters program, IIT Kanpur.

Ms. Shobha Pandey, Senior General Manager, Human Resources, John Deere; Dr. Ananta Raghuvanshi, President, NAREDCO, Mahi; and Mr. Tushar Desai, Global Director, Human Resource Services, FIS Global, explored the challenges and opportunities arising from automation, artificial intelligence, and other technological advancements in the workplace in a panel discussion on the future of work and labour economics. The discussion was facilitated by Mr. Vaibhav Shivhare of eMasters program IIT Kanpur.

Mr. Himanish Chaudhuri, Partner, Deloitte; Mr. Mudit Mehrotra, Director, Standard Chartered Bank; Professor Wasim Ahmad, Department of Economics, IIT Kanpur analyzed the current economic landscape, India's ability to withstand global economic shocks and discussed the potential for a global recession in a panel discussion on Financial Volatility and the Risk of a Global Recession. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Md Baktiyar Rahman of eMasters program at IIT Kanpur.

Mr. Kanishk, Director, Legal, India and South Asia, Uber; Mr. Pavit Singh Katoch from Inshorts; Ms. Swati Aggarwal, from SAM discussed the possibilities of moving towards technology-enabled innovation through key policies and regulations during a session facilitated by Mr. Shashank Mishra of eMasters program, IIT Kanpur.

Mr. Dhiraj Relli, CEO, HDFC Securities and Mr. Sombit Bhattacharya, Senior Vice President, Sud Life discussed “Globalization and the rise of new economic powers” in a session facilitated by Mr. Saurabh Kumar of eMasters program, IIT Kanpur.

The conference concluded with a closing address by Professor Viral Acharya, New York University, Stern and Former Deputy Governor RBI on global banking stability post the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Prof. Acharya emphasized the importance of collaboration between academia and industry to address the complex economic challenges facing the world today.

Arthashashtra-2023 was supported by Sud Life, Immerse, and Talent Sprint, who align with the Department of Economic Sciences’ commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in economic education and research.