IIT Kanpur hosts Arthashashtra 2023, annual conference on economics, business, finance

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur's (IITK) department of economic sciences hosted Arthashashtra-2023, its annual conference on economics, business, and finance.

The event brought together notable industry speakers to discuss a variety of important topics including globalisation, technological innovation, the future of work, financial volatility, leadership, banking stability, and India's economic resilience in the face of global uncertainty.

Speaking about the conference, 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.”

Discussion on challenges of deglobalization

The conference included workshops and panel discussions led by industry leaders on a variety of themes. Rajan Sethuraman, CEO of Latentview Analytics, spoke on AI and the tech-innovation-driven economy in a session moderated by Brahma Konda Reddy of IIT Kanpur's eMasters programme. Nilesh Shah, managing director of Kotak asset management, discussed the problems of deglobalization as well as the prospects for Indian markets.

Discussion on industrial revolution

Vikas Manwatkar, director, Global Sourcing Solutions, Cargill, and Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, KENT chair for entrepreneurship and innovation IITK, led a discussion on technological innovation and the fourth industrial revolution, discussing the disruptive potential of emerging technologies and how they are shaping the future of work and industries. Saurabh Kumar of IIT Kanpur's eMasters programme facilitated the conversation.

Discussion on artificial intelligence

Shobha Pandey, senior general manager, human resources, John Deere; Ananta Raghuvanshi, president, NAREDCO, Mahi; and 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. Vaibhav Shivhare of IIT Kanpur's eMasters programme facilitated the conversation.

The conference ended with a concluding address on global financial stability following the collapse of silicon valley bank by Viral Acharya of New York University, Stern, and former deputy governor of RBI. Acharya emphasised on the need for collaboration between academics and industry to address the world's complex economic challenges.