AVATAR Talent to Shape Next Tech Wave, say Experts at MIT-WPU

29 Jan 2026 CW Team

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Satyam Priyadarshi, CEO, Reignite Future, USA, introduced the concept of “AVATAR talent”—individuals who are Always, Versatile, Adaptable, Transformative, Agile, and Resilient. He said future-ready professionals must be able to integrate structured and unstructured knowledge, collaborate across domains, and apply exponential technologies responsibly. “Institutions must move beyond textbook-driven learning and prepare students for real-world complexity and sustainable technological ecosystems,” Satyam Priyadarshi, CEO, Reignite Future, USA, said.

Hosted by the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, the Vision Meet featured keynote addresses by industry and academic leaders including Apoorwa Kapse, Senior Industry Leader, Marvell Technology, Pune; Dr Arvind Shaligram, Professor Emeritus, Electronic Science and CEO, SPPU Research Park Foundation; Dr Sunil Kulkarni, Director, ANSK; and Dr Satishchandra Ogale, Director, Research Institute for Sustainable Energy (RISE), TCG-CREST, Kolkata and Emeritus Professor, IISER Pune.

Opening the event, Dr Prasad Khandekar, Chief Academic Officer, MITWPU, said India is witnessing a critical shift where talent and ecosystem development are finally converging. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to investing in infrastructure, curriculum and partnerships to position the campus as a hub for semiconductor education and research.

Speaking on industry expectations, Apoorwa Kapse, Senior Industry Leader, Marvell Technology, Pune, advised students to focus on strong fundamentals in digital electronics and system-level understanding, noting that applied skills follow naturally. Highlighting long-term opportunities, Dr Arvind Shaligram said India’s semiconductor ecosystem will require nearly 1.5 million skilled professionals over the coming decades.

The event concluded with Dr Parul Jadhav, Program Director, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, reiterating MIT-WPU’s focus on industry-aligned curricula, research-led learning and sustained collaboration to nurture future-ready talent.

The next phase of technological leadership will be driven not by narrow specialists but by professionals capable of thinking and operating across disciplines, experts said at the Semiconductor & Renewable Energy Vision Meet held recently at MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU). The event highlighted the urgent need for a new talent paradigm to address complex, fast-evolving global challenges.Delivering the keynote address, Dr Satyam Priyadarshi, CEO, Reignite Future, USA, introduced the concept of “AVATAR talent”—individuals who are Always, Versatile, Adaptable, Transformative, Agile, and Resilient. He said future-ready professionals must be able to integrate structured and unstructured knowledge, collaborate across domains, and apply exponential technologies responsibly. “Institutions must move beyond textbook-driven learning and prepare students for real-world complexity and sustainable technological ecosystems,” Satyam Priyadarshi, CEO, Reignite Future, USA, said.Hosted by the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, the Vision Meet featured keynote addresses by industry and academic leaders including Apoorwa Kapse, Senior Industry Leader, Marvell Technology, Pune; Dr Arvind Shaligram, Professor Emeritus, Electronic Science and CEO, SPPU Research Park Foundation; Dr Sunil Kulkarni, Director, ANSK; and Dr Satishchandra Ogale, Director, Research Institute for Sustainable Energy (RISE), TCG-CREST, Kolkata and Emeritus Professor, IISER Pune.Opening the event, Dr Prasad Khandekar, Chief Academic Officer, MITWPU, said India is witnessing a critical shift where talent and ecosystem development are finally converging. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to investing in infrastructure, curriculum and partnerships to position the campus as a hub for semiconductor education and research.Speaking on industry expectations, Apoorwa Kapse, Senior Industry Leader, Marvell Technology, Pune, advised students to focus on strong fundamentals in digital electronics and system-level understanding, noting that applied skills follow naturally. Highlighting long-term opportunities, Dr Arvind Shaligram said India’s semiconductor ecosystem will require nearly 1.5 million skilled professionals over the coming decades.The event concluded with Dr Parul Jadhav, Program Director, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, reiterating MIT-WPU’s focus on industry-aligned curricula, research-led learning and sustained collaboration to nurture future-ready talent.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..