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the*spark forum’s charcha 2025 charts pathways for resilient livelihoods and collaborative action towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047

~ 2000 stakeholders including 200 speakers across samaaj, sarkar and bazaar convene in New Delhi to shape India’s inclusive growth agenda
~ Co-hosted in partnership with 29 co-hosts including Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), LinkedIn, Meta, DBS Foundation, Meesho, Mphasis and other sector leaders

NEW DELHI, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The sixth edition of charcha 2025 by the*spark forum concluded on Nov 14 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, after three days of dialogue, ideas and partnerships at the intersection of technology, inclusion and livelihoods. India’s largest collaborative convening on livelihoods, charcha brought together 2000 leaders and practitioners across government, markets, and civil society across three days to align on how India can build resilient livelihoods and inclusive prosperity for every citizen on the road to Viksit Bharat @ 2047.

Expanding on the roadmap to a ‘Viksit & Inclusive’ India @2047′, India’s G20 Sherpa and FormerCEO NITI Aayog, Government of India, Shri Amitabh Kant (IAS), stated, “If we want to create an employable population, it is very critical to focus on improving health outcomes and nutrition standards as well. Additionally, if we want to grow at the rate required to transform India into a 30 trillion economy, we need to fire on all cylinders – you need to do services but you also need to do smart urbanisation, which will be a key driver of job creation in India.” 

Adding to this, Dr. Shamika Ravi, Member, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, added,

There is a big gap between degree and skill. We have a lot of educated people, degree holders, but the market actually values skill. Most of the industry surveys are telling me that today, the biggest constraint to our growth is not finance, we can raise capital, but the biggest constraint to the growth of existing firms, creation of new jobs, etc. is skilled manpower.”

Over three days and 50+ hours of live programming, the event featured 200 speakers and 29 co-hosts including Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment – Government of India, Meta, LinkedIn, Atal Innovation Mission – NITI Aayog, The Gates Foundation, DBS Foundation, British Asian Trust, Mphasis, Meesho, NuSocia, Magic Bus, The Bridgespan Group Magic Bus, Lend a Hand India, The/Nudge Institute and others to explore seven cross-cutting themes: Tech, Data & Impact; Agri & Rural Livelihoods; Policy & Capacity; Skills & Livelihoods; Inclusion, Empowerment & Sustainability; Capital & Philanthropy; and Social Entrepreneurship & SMEs.
Highlighting his vision for charcha 2025, Jerold Pereira, Managing Director, the*spark forum, commented, “India’s growth is at a stage where scale will come not from silos, but from alignment. At charcha, we are building the connective tissue between government, markets and civil society – an infrastructure of collaboration that can outlast projects and personalities. The most powerful infrastructure we can build today is the one that connects institutions: linking the intent of sarkar, the innovation of bazaar and the insight of samaaj. And charcha serves as this collaborative platform where key stakeholders across India’s livelihood development ecosystem come together to share, learn, celebrate and discover scalable pathways to drive meaningful change, aligned with the government’s Viksit Bharat by 2047 agenda.”
Talking on social justice and equitable growth, Mr. Amit Yadav (IAS), Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, added, “The measure of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. India’s constitutional vision of justice, equality, liberty and fraternity, continues to guide our mission to build a just, inclusive and equitable society where every individual has equal access to opportunity and a life of dignity.”
Adding a market perspective, Kumaresh Pattabiraman, Country Manager and Product Head, LinkedIn India, reflected that India’s growth will be defined by how well its tier-two and tier-three cities convert energy into opportunity. The promise of Viksit Bharat @ 2047, he noted, depends on building ecosystems that make skills and jobs accessible to every professional, no matter their pin code.

Rukmini Banerji, CEO, Pratham Education Foundation, speaking on empowerment, said, “Desh ko badalna bahut badi baat hai, but apne gaon ko badalna is possible (Transforming the nation is a massive goal, but changing our villages is possible). We’ll need mechanisms like School management committees, and mothers groups which, if activated, will lead to ownership.”
Throughout the convening, a powerful narrative emerged around the role of technology in inclusion. Sessions on AI and digital infrastructure examined how these tools can strengthen livelihoods rather than replace them. Leaders from Meta, NASSCOM Foundation and Atal Innovation Mission shared examples of AI-enabled social innovation, digital skilling for rural youth and emerging models of micro- and nano-entrepreneurship that combine technology and human agency. Focusing on gender inclusion and tech, Dr. Kalika Bali, Senior Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research Labs India, stated, “There is going to be disruption because of AI, I agree. But we need to ask which sectors women in India are most employed in, mostly in lower-skill jobs. These are the jobs that will be most affected by AI and high tech. One sector where women cannot be replaced is the care economy, like ASHA workers.”
Conversations on agriculture and rural livelihoods spotlighted regenerative farming, climate resilience and inclusive value chains as the foundations of a prosperous rural economy. Whether the focus was on gender, technology or sustainability, the message remained consistent: India’s path to inclusion will depend on the ability of governments to enable, markets to innovate and civil society to bridge last-mile inequities.
Since its inception in 2020, charcha has grown into one of India’s foremost platforms for development dialogue, engaging more than a thousand leaders, fifteen thousand stakeholders and reaching over one and a half million people. The 2025 edition deepened this legacy by focusing on livelihoods resilience, technology for inclusion and partnerships that can translate India’s demographic potential into equitable economic growth.

About the*spark forum

the*spark forum is India’s leading platform for dialogue and collaboration on livelihoods, curating cross-sector convenings that inspire ideas, partnerships and action toward a poverty-free India.

Media Contact
Preyashi Roypreyashi.roy@thenudge.org +91-9167368602
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HOP Events, helmed by Kalpesh Kinariwala, bridges Indian talent and global prestige at the Shows of India 2026 Conclave

The anchor sponsorship of the Shows of India 2026 Conclave marks HOP Events’ official pathway into the Indian subcontinent; the UAE-based premium live entertainment company aims to source and showcase extraordinary Indian talent in the markets it operates in.This move will bridge the gap between iconic Indian artists — rooted in Indian and South Asian culture — and world-class international venues and global audiences.In addition to headlining the conclave as its anchor sponsor, HOP Events also made its presence felt in crucial conversations and networking hubs, with Founder and Chairman Kalpesh Kinariwala gracing the conclave as a speaker.NEW DELHI, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HOP Events, a UAE-based premium live entertainment company, made landfall on Indian shores through the eagerly awaited Shows of India 2026 Conclave. The sixth edition of the event, which drew to a close on May 2, brought together high-profile industry veterans, change-makers, and disruptors who are shaping the future of India’s live entertainment economy.

Led by industry trailblazer Kalpesh Kinariwala, HOP Events not only participated as the anchor sponsor for the conclave but also broke new ground by offering Indian talent and agencies unprecedented inroads into global markets and prestigious productions.Held at Delhi’s upscale The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, the two-day Shows of India 2026 Conclave is India’s most anticipated flagship gathering focused on the live entertainment, events, and experiential segments. It brings together key players from across the industry’s value chain, including event professionals, artist managers, promoters, brands, and creators, and facilitates industry-shaping conversations and collaborations.HOP Events’ rationale for backing the Shows of India 2026 Conclave was simple but powerful – as a hub for some of the greatest artistic talent in the world, India stands to benefit immensely from HOP Events’ proven expertise in the premium live entertainment industry. With the conclave sitting at the intersection of India’s creative excellence and its commercial ambition, it is the perfect avenue for HOP Events to seek the artists, managers, collaborators, and cultural voices they want to elevate and present to the world. This anchor sponsorship is thus a declaration of HOP Events’ intent to champion Indian talent and carry it far beyond India’s borders.Elaborating further on the sponsorship, Kalpesh Kinariwala, Founder and Chairman of HOP Events, who also spoke at the conclave, shared:”India is producing some of the most streamed, most loved, and most culturally significant artists on the planet. Arijit Singh ranks ninth among Spotify’s top artists globally. A.R. Rahman has 75 million followers and ranks ahead of global superstars. Rishab Sharma is the number one followed sitar player in the world. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Aditya Gadhvi, Anuv Jain — these are artists with massive, passionate global fanbases.Yet their presence on international stages, particularly in the Gulf and beyond, remains far below what their stature deserves. That is the opportunity HOP Events is seizing. The UAE is home to a millions-strong South Asian diaspora — professionals, families, and communities who are hungry for these artists and have both the means and the desire to attend premium live experiences. The Shows of India 2026 Conclave gives us the needed platform to engage with this talent ecosystem at exactly the moment when appetite for Indian talent on the global stage has never been higher.”The conclave’s growing eminence as a premium, high-production-value platform was further underscored by its association with HOP Events, an industry leader in creating large-scale experiential events. Through the years, the Shows of India Conclave has differentiated itself through its trailblazing properties and a star-studded artist line-up. By essaying the role of anchor sponsor for India’s premier business and entertainment conclave, HOP Events is throwing the doors open for partnerships with Indian artist managers, talent agencies, record labels, and creative professionals.As the force behind the sold-out Etihad Arena concert with Arijit Singh, A.R. Rahman, and Rishab Sharma, HOP Events knows what it takes to market Indian artists to global audiences, fill premium venues, and create experiences that do justice to the cultural magnitude these artists carry.In the mid-to-long term, HOP Events aims to become the defining bridge between Indian artistic talent and the global stage. The company is actively scaling across the GCC and extending further into South Asian diaspora hubs globally, with the goal of bringing world-class talent backed by high-end productions and marketing sophistication to deep, passionate, and underserved audiences for Indian and South Asian cultural experiences.About HOP EventsFounded by industry veteran Kalpesh Kinariwala, HOP Events is one of the UAE’s most prestigious names in premium live entertainment. It is hailed for curating global live experiences across the UAE and beyond. The company brings together eminent international artists, creativity, and immaculate organization on one stage, delivering world-class live concerts and entertainment experiences that make a lasting impression on the cultural fabric of the region. HOP Events’ expertise spans from close-up intimate performances to sold-out iconic arenas and includes notable names such as Arijit Singh, A.R. Rahman, and Rishab Sharma. The company differentiates itself through the three pillars of innovation, excellence, and a strong community focus. In doing so, it creates experiences that anchor communities, build connection, and foster a stronger sense of belonging, while delighting audiences with seamless execution, elevated experiences, and disruptive thinking.https://hopevents.ae/Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2972758/Kalpesh_Kinariwala.jpg 

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Every Colgate Smile Has A Story: Celebrating Real People, Real Stories, and Real Impact

A tribute to the unwavering faith of Indian mothers, the series kicks off with the authentic story of a legendary 125-year-old sweet-making family from Dehradun.Watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQajpQ224EAMUMBAI, India, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For nearly 90 Years, the indispensable Colgate tube has occupied a sacred, quiet corner of Indian homes serving as a Suraksha Chakra. It isn’t just a product; for generations of mothers, Colgate has earned a place as a ‘trusted member’ of the family, providing a foundation of care for their loved ones. 

Today, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited celebrates this enduring bond with the launch of the new platform, ‘Every Colgate Smile Has A Story’. This new series moves beyond traditional advertising to document the Real People, Real Stories, and Real Impact behind the brand’s 90-year legacy in India. The Heart of the Shield: A Mother’s Peace of MindAt the core of the campaign is the universal truth, a mother’s desire to protect her family, ensuring their health and well-being through every stage of life. This series explores what happens when this instinct meets a partner she can trust.To prove the strength of this shield, the series puts Colgate’s protection through the ultimate litmus test – a household with a 125-year-old legacy of making sweets.The first film, ‘Raised by Sweets,’ takes us to Dehradun into the home of Vertica Khandelwal, whose family has been crafting legendary sweets for over a century. Surrounded by a world of sugary temptations, Vertica balances her desire to let her children celebrate their heritage with the natural maternal anxiety regarding the impact such a sweet-rich environment could have on their teeth. Her peace of mind comes from a simple, powerful reassurance: ‘Colgate Sambhal Lega’ (Colgate will handle it). Science Rooted in LegacyWhile the stories are told through the lens of emotion, the foundation for Colgate is rigorous science. Colgate Strong Teeth reinforces this 90-year trust with its advanced Arginine + Calcium Boost Technology, providing 24-hour cavity protection. It is this quiet, scientific strength that gives mothers the confidence to let their children explore and grow, knowing the shield is always active.Gunjit Jain, Executive Vice President – Marketing, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, said: “For 90 years, mothers across India have trusted Colgate as their family’s ‘Suraksha Chakra.’ With ‘Every Colgate Smile Has A Story,’ we are stepping beyond traditional advertising to honour that profound trust. Vertica’s story in Dehradun perfectly captures what we stand for: allowing mothers to let their children fully experience life’s sweet moments, knowing our protection is always there.”The ‘Every Colgate Smile Has A Story’ series will be amplified nationwide across television, digital, and social media.About Colgate-Palmolive (India) LimitedColgate-Palmolive is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, and the planet. Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited is the market leader in Oral Care in the country, committed to delivering sustainable, profitable growth for its shareholders, while fostering an inclusive workplace for its people. With a primary focus on science-led innovations in Oral Care & Personal Care in the Indian market, the company is recognized for its leadership and innovative efforts in advancing sustainability and community well-being. Among its recent accomplishments, the company has made significant strides in reducing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, conserving water and energy at its manufacturing facilities, empowering women with financial and digital literacy and enhancing children’s oral health through its flagship, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program. For more information about Colgate’s global business and how it is building a future to smile about, visit: www.colgatepalmolive.co.inPhoto: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2972719/Colgate_Story.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2396024/Colgate_Palmolive_India_Logo.jpg 

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MSEED and SCOPE Global Skills University Sign Strategic Partnership to Shape the Future of Experiential Marketing Education

MUMBAI, India and BHOPAL, India, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Premium education institute MSEED (The Management School of Events and Experience Design) today partnered with SCOPE Global Skills University, Bhopal, to introduce a two-year MBA in Event Management and Experiential Marketing.

Besides boosting students academically, this association intends to equip them with the evolving demands of events and the experiential marketing ecosystem. Furthermore, the collaboration will be fueled by industry expertise and academic structure, helping students build a career in the fast-growing fields of events, entertainment, and experiential marketing.At a time when experiential marketing is ‘evolving from a tactical activation to a strategic growth engine for brands’, this collaboration serves right.Speaking on this exclusive partnership between MSEED and SCOPE, Joshua Newman, Vice-President – Marketing & Partnerships, MSEED, said, “Our focus has always been on outcomes, not just education. This partnership allows us to extend that vision by working with SCOPE Global Skills University to create a program that prepares students for real careers. From curriculum to classroom delivery and industry exposure, every aspect is designed to ensure that students graduate with confidence, clarity, and practical experience.”The MBA program is designed to:Provide a recognized postgraduate qualification with a specialized focusBuild practical skills through real-world projects and case studiesOffering industry interaction, mentorship, and exposureSupport students with internship and placement opportunitiesDr. Vijay Singh, Vice Chancellor of SGSU, hailed the launch as a landmark moment for the city. “This is a remarkable event not just for our university, but for the city of Bhopal. We are witnessing a paradigm shift in how specialized education is delivered in Madhya Pradesh. By launching this MBA in Event Management, we are providing our youth with a platform to master the art of execution, creativity, and management right here in their home state,” he said.The partnership was formally cemented through the signing of an agreement between the two institutions in the esteemed presence of Mangubhai C. Patel, the current and 19th Governor of Madhya Pradesh, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of industry-integrated education in India.For more information on events and experiential marketing, please visit our website.Media Contacts:For media inquiries, please contactTasneem Limbdiwalatasneem@mseededucation.com About MSEEDMSEED, a part of EVA Group, India’s one of the largest live event companies, and backed by 200 odd industry veterans, the institute brings with it deep-rooted industry expertise and real-world insights. It is a creative business institute designed for the next generation of storytellers, strategists, producers, and brand builders. The mission is not just to prepare students for jobs, but to lead industries. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2971835/MSEED_SCOPE_Agreement.jpg 

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