Unlocking India’s AI-Ready Youth: W-AHEAD Hosts Grand World Youth Skills Day 2026 Seminar in New Delhi

TEN NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi News (15 July 2026): Marking World Youth Skills Day 2026, the World Academy of Higher Education and Development (W-AHEAD) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment (IIEE) organised a day-long seminar at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, on the theme “Unlocking the Potential of Young India in the Age of AI for Viksit Bharat@2047.”

The event brought together policymakers, academicians, scientists, industry leaders, innovators and students to deliberate on the future of AI-driven skilling, innovation, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning. The programme featured keynote addresses, award ceremonies, expert panel discussions and the presentation of the New Delhi Declaration on Youth Skilling.

The inaugural session was graced by Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary, who addressed the gathering and highlighted the importance of equipping India’s youth with future-ready skills to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

A major highlight of the event was the presentation of Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Excellence Awards and W-AHEAD Fellowships, recognising outstanding contributions from leading institutions, innovators and entrepreneurs. Renowned educationist Prof. (Dr.) E. Balagurusamy was also felicitated with the W-AHEAD Lifetime Achievement Award.

The seminar featured distinguished speakers including Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Former Member, NITI Aayog; Prof. K.K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee; Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra; Dr. Mahavir Singh; and Prof. Mahesh Verma, Vice Chancellor, GGSIPU, among others.

Two thematic panel discussions explored critical issues such as AI-enabled upskilling, lifelong learning, innovation, entrepreneurship, startup ecosystems and industry-academia collaboration. Experts stressed the need to bridge the skill gap through technology-driven education and practical learning opportunities.

The valedictory session featured former Union HRD Minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi as the Chief Guest. Awards and certificates were distributed to participants from educational institutions, followed by the release of the New Delhi Declaration on Youth Skilling, reaffirming the commitment to empowering India’s youth for the digital era.

The seminar concluded with a networking session, reinforcing collaboration among academia, government and industry to accelerate India’s journey towards becoming a global knowledge and innovation hub.

The event witnessed the presence of several eminent personalities from academia, government, research and industry, including Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary, former Union HRD Minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Dr. V.K. Saraswat (Former Member, NITI Aayog), Prof. P.B. Sharma (President, W-AHEAD & Vice Chancellor, AUH), Dr. P.R. Trivedi (Executive Chairman, W-AHEAD), Prof. (Dr.) E. Balagurusamy, Prof. K.K. Pant (Director, IIT Roorkee), Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra, Prof. Mahesh Verma (Vice Chancellor, GGSIPU), Dr. R.K. Khandel, Er. V.K. Yadav, Er. Pradeep Chaturvedi, Prof. Sanjna Vij, Dr. Mahavir Singh, Dr. A.K. Tandon, Dr. Dinesh Kumar (Vice Chancellor, Vishwakarma Skill University), Dr. Prateek Sharma (Vice Chancellor, DTU), Dr. M.N. Hooda, Mr. Arubind Sharma, Dr. S.C. Sharma, Prof. S. Indu, Mr. Vivek Dhawan, Mr. Yash Chaudhary, Dr. V. Suresh, Er. R.N. Rajpoot, Dr. Avinash Chiranjeev, Dr. H.R.P. Yadav and Vietnamese research scholar Dr. Dao Khai Minh. Students, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and representatives from leading educational institutions also attended the programme.