Who’s who of politics, films, tech to converge at India Today’s Mumbai Conclave

The flagship event of the India Today Group, the Indian Today Conclave, is set to kick off today with a dazzling array of politicians, thought leaders, businessmen, film stars, and civil society pioneers set to give their insights on the hottest topics of the current discourse. In its 22nd year now, the India Today Conclave has gone on to become a leading forum for the exchange of ideas for the world’s leading political, entrepreneurial, and intellectual elite.
This year’s Mumbai Conclave edition will not be any different and promises to be a riveting affair, coming on the heels of the high-voltage Lok Sabha elections and weeks ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls. From September 25-26, the Taj Lands End in Mumbai will be a hotbed of discussions ranging from politics to entertainment, and sport to business.
Day 1 will kick off with an inaugural address by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, setting the narrative on further discussions on the powerplay in the state’s political corridors, which has seen a massive churn since the last Assembly elections. Shinde, who became the Chief Minister after staging a rebellion and splitting the Shiv Sena, will share his ideas on a vision for a “New Maharashtra”.
INDIA TODAY CONCLAVE FULL COVERAGE
The Congress has received a shot in the arm after its impressive showing in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, winning 13 of the 30 seats secured by the INDIA bloc. Can Congress claw its way back into the state? Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan will give his views on this aspect.
With two factions of the Shiv Sena now jostling to woo the ‘Marathi Manoos’, Aaditya Thackeray will share his thoughts on a session titled ‘Reinventing the Thackeray legacy’.
The siblings of the Pawar family, Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule, will also be in attendance in back-to-back sessions. Ajit Pawar, who has made no secret of his ambition of becoming the Chief Minister, will speak on the blueprint for Maharashtra’s growth while Sule will delve into the intricacies of the state’s politics.
The world of arts and cinema will have ‘Animal’ star Triptii Dimri speaking about her struggles and the untold story of her Bollywood breakthrough.
Strong women characters have been the driving force of contemporary films, be it Laapataa Ladies’s Phool Kumari or Richa Chadha’s critically acclaimed film Masaan. The session of how women are redefining Indian cinema, featuring Richa Chadha, Guneet Monga, and Kiran Rao, is thus not to be missed.
Day 2 promises to be just as energetic and captivating. The morning will see former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram sharing his thoughts on the party’s idea of a “New India”, followed by a discussion on the market’s impressive bull run between HDFC Asset Management Company CEO Navneet Munot, Edelweiss’s Radhika Gupta and Manish Chokhani of Enam Securities.
A significant session to look forward to in the afternoon will be a discussion on a “developed” Maharashtra by 2047 with deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
With the BJP government dependent on NDA allies to remain in power, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will share his views on navigating the tightrope of managing allies and “taming” the Opposition.
The afternoon will wrap up with insights from the tech industry on the penetration of artificial intelligence in India. In attendance will be the Indian heads of Qualcomm, Microsoft and Accenture.
In the evening, the spotlight will be on Union Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who will share his insights on green fuel, and Paris Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker. Jaspal Rana, Asian Games Gold medallist and pistol coach, will share the dais with Bhaker. Actor Saif Ali Khan will cap off the two-day event with a session on “mainstream to maverick”.