Government of Karnataka Announces Second Edition of Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026

BENGALURU, 07 October 2026. The Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL), Government of Karnataka, today officially announced the second edition of the Bengaluru Skill Summit during a press briefing and curtain-raiser ceremony at Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru. Building on the foundation of its inaugural event, the summit is scheduled to take place from 3 to 5 November 2026 at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru.

The summit returns under the overarching theme “Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy,” reflecting Karnataka’s strategic intention to construct a future-ready talent ecosystem. The vision focuses on expanding skill initiatives seamlessly across industrial sectors and geographies, instituting robust public and private implementation frameworks, and capitalizing on multi-stakeholder collaboration across government, industry, academia, and global networks.

Leadership and Organization

The curtain-raiser featured key institutional leaders, diplomats, and state dignitaries. The event was led by Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka.

Other key leadership and state officials in attendance included:

• Sri Subodh Yadav, I.A.S., Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Livelihood
• Smt. Shivakantamma (Kanta) Naik, Chairperson, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation
• Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS (Retd.), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA)
• Mr. Hiroshi Nawata, Consul General, Consulate General of Japan in Bengaluru
• Dr. Ravi M. Tirlapur, K.A.S., Managing Director, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC)
• Rev. Fr. Dr. Victor Lobo SJ, Vice-Chancellor, St. Joseph’s University

Organized under the patronage of Hon’ble Minister Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 is spearheaded by SDEL, hosted by the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), and held in collaboration with the Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA). The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) serves as the event’s Knowledge Partner, with global event management firm Trescon managing the execution.

Following its inaugural edition in November 2025, which drew over 6,500 participants across three days, the 2026 summit has been restructured into an execution-driven platform. Rather than limiting discussions to policy frameworks, the 2026 gathering focuses on operationalizing scalable skilling models, strengthening institutional mechanisms, and delivering measurable employment outcomes.

Expected Scale and Structure

The three-day gathering is slated to host:

• 6,500+ Attendees and Delegates
• 150+ Plenary and Track Speakers
• 50+ Exhibitors and Solution Providers
• 100+ Partner Organizations
• Multiple National and International Delegations

The core agenda is divided into four main thematic tracks designed to cover the full spectrum of modern labor force development:

1. Emerging Skills: Focuses on high-growth industries, addressing skill requirements for Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, green technology, and the broader digital economy.
2. Skills for All: Centers on inclusive economic growth, creating pathways for women, youth, gig workers, and informal labor segments.
3. Innovation: Showcases cutting-edge tools, state-level pilots, and international best practices in training methodologies.
4. Global Skills: Aligns Karnataka’s workforce standards with international requirements to promote global mobility and overseas employability.

Opening Ceremony and Main Stage Sessions

The official inauguration ceremony of the 2nd Bengaluru Skill Summit will take place on 3 November 2026 at 5:00 PM. The summit will be formally inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri D. K. Shivakumar, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, Minister Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, alongside prominent delegates and diplomats.

The Plenary Stage will serve as the hub for executive dialogues, policy evaluations, and keynote presentations. Grounded in lifelong learning, policy reform, AI integration, and systemic employability, the Plenary agenda will showcase three distinct marquee sessions:

• Karnataka Cabinet Panel Discussion: Titled “Workforce 2030: Karnataka’s Roadmap from Policy to Execution,” this session brings together ministers handling key portfolios—including Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development; IT & BT; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Livelihood; and Higher Education—to align inter-departmental goals and streamline execution.
• State Skill Development Secretaries Panel: Titled “Learning from India’s Leading Skills Ecosystems,” this cross-state delegation of Skill Development Secretaries from across India will analyze operational successes, systemic bottlenecks, and strategies for multi-state policy coordination.
• WorldSkills Champions Spotlight: Highlighting young winners from Karnataka who represented India at WorldSkills 2026 in Shanghai, this panel will showcase their achievements, demonstrating how vocational excellence creates international career paths.

Featured Speakers and Thought Leaders

The event will bring together more than 150 visionaries from corporate leadership, social enterprise, space research, and public administration.

Speaker Category Featured Speakers & Role / Organization

• Subroto Bagchi, Founder, Mindtree & Chairman, Vision Group for Skill Development, Govt. of Karnataka
• Dr. Gururaj ‘Desh’ Deshpande, Founder, Cascade Communications, Sycamore Networks, & Tejas Networks
• Dr. R. Balasubramaniayam, Member, NITI Aayog

Special Addresses

• Alina Alam, Founder & CEO, MITTI Café
• Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (Kirti Chakra), Astronaut, ISRO

Plenary Speakers

• N.S. Parthasarathy, Managing Partner, Mela Ventures
  • Meena Ganesh, Co-founder & Chairperson, Portea Medical
• Uma Mahadevan, Development Commissioner, Govt. of Karnataka
• Kaushik Mudda, Co-founder & CEO, Ethereal Machines
• Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, CEO, World Skill Center & Odisha Skill Development Project II
• Mekin Maheshwari, Founder & CEO, Udhyam Learning Foundation
• Mohan Lakhamraju, Founder & CEO, Great Learning
• Rajiv Kumar Sharma, Founder & MD, Empower Pragati
• Gopal Devanahalli, President, Skills Development Network
• Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, SVP, Global CSR, HCL Tech & Director, HCL Foundation
• Vinay Kumar Swamy, Country Head, Pearson India