HYDERABAD: The Indian School of Business (ISB) recently hosted its flagship annual leadership conclave, the ISB Leadership Summit (ILS) 2026, at its Hyderabad Campus. Organised jointly by the Post Graduate Programme (PGP), PGP YL and PGP MAX classes of 2027, the summit brought together an array of global corporate leaders, industry pioneers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers who shared invaluable insights with ISB students, preparing them to lead and define the next chapter of India’s growth.
Aligning with the Summit theme, ‘India Unbound: Defining Tomorrow’s Leadership,’ keynote speaker Raamdeo Agrawal, Chairman & Co-founder of Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, shared his perspectives on India’s emergence as a multi-trillion-dollar economy and the unprecedented wealth creation opportunity it presents. Drawing on over four decades of investing experience, he underlined that India is entering a new era of financialisation, where expanding capital markets, rising household participation in equities, and entrepreneurial growth will redefine the country’s economic landscape.
He also emphasised that the next generation of leaders will benefit not merely from India’s GDP growth, but from its accelerating creation of financial wealth. He urged students to cultivate curiosity, disciplined learning, and long-term thinking, encouraging them to view the capital markets as one of the most powerful platforms for creating value and shaping India’s growth story.
At the 23rd edition of the ISB Leadership Summit, Professor Madan Pillutla, Dean, ISB, emphasised the unprecedented scale of opportunity ahead for the nation and the vital role of adaptive leadership.
Reflecting on ISB’s 25-year journey, Dean Pillutla said the school’s story began with an ambitious idea: to create a world-class management institution in India. Twenty-five years later, he noted, that vision has become a reality. He added that ISB’s founders recognised that resources and technology alone cannot drive progress and what matters is the leadership to put them to work effectively and create lasting impact. This idea remains relevant today as India works to address challenges such as climate change and inclusive growth.
He further noted that technology is only part of the equation. Referencing Nobel Laureate Daron Acemoglu, he pointed out that technology’s impact depends on how people and leaders choose to use it and how its benefits reach society.
Other sessions explored pressing business and societal challenges, including agility in evolving markets, entrepreneurial resilience, institutional innovation, technology, finance, space, law, and the changing consumer landscape. Speakers included Dr. Vasudevan Gnana Gandhi, Padma Shri Awardee and Senior Vice President – Propulsion, Skyroot Aerospace; Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant, Padma Shri Awardee, renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer; Lt. Gen. Anil Puri, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, SM, Former Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs and Administrative Member, Armed Forces Tribunal; Vikas Divyakirti, Founder, Drishti IAS; Gaurav Gupta, Founder, Gabit, Vivek Gambhir, Venture Partner, Lightspeed India, Former CEO, Godrej Consumer Products & boAt Lifestyle, Nigar Shaji, ISRO scientist and Project Director, Aditya-L1; Tapan Mishra, former Director, Space Applications Centre, ISRO; and Raju Ramachandran, former Additional Solicitor General of India and Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, among other distinguished leaders, entrepreneurs, experts and ISB alumni.
The Summit also featured a Women in Leadership panel, ‘Her Own Way: Ambition, Identity & Building on Your Own Terms,’ featuring Anuja Chauhan, Author; Shubhika Sharma, Founder, Papa Don’t Preach; Varija Bajaj, Entrepreneur and Founder, Varija Lifestyles and Priyanshi Sharma, Co-Founder of Peek TV. The Sports Panel, ‘Winning Beyond the Scoreboard: Leadership, Teams & the New Indian Sporting Ecosystem,’ featured Ambati Rayudu, Former Indian Cricketer; and Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO, Prime Volleyball League and former Team Director, Kolkata Knight Riders.
Through a series of keynotes, panel discussions, fireside chats, and interactive sessions, the ISB Leadership Summit 2026 provided a platform for meaningful dialogue between established trailblazers and aspiring professionals. Participants concluded the day equipped with the foresight, adaptability, and resilience needed to lead effectively in an increasingly complex and unbound world, ready to shape the country’s next chapter of growth and global influence.
About the Indian School of Business (ISB)
The Indian School of Business (ISB) is India’s highest-ranked business school and features in the top league of several global business school rankings. A vibrant pool of research-oriented resident faculty, robust academic partnerships, a thriving alumni network, the backing of an influential board, and the guidance of the industry’s thought leadership have enabled ISB to fast emerge and consolidate itself as a premier global business school that grooms future leaders for India and the world.
