Poster of the event / India Conference at Harvard via Instagram

The India Conference at Harvard, one of the world’s longest-running student-led forums on India, will return to Harvard University on Feb. 14 and 15, 2026, convening global leaders, thinkers, and creators for two days of dialogue under the theme “The India We Imagine.”

Organized by students across Harvard University, the Conference brings together policymakers, business leaders, artists, academics, and students from around the world to examine India’s evolving role in global leadership across business, policy, culture, and innovation. The 2026 Conference will feature 70+ distinguished speakers from across public life, industry, academia, sports, and the arts, reflecting the breadth and complexity of contemporary India.

Highlights include a fireside chat with actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who will reflect on culture, creativity, and India’s place in the world, and an address by Dr Shashi Tharoor on India’s democratic vision and global engagement.

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Other confirmed speakers include PV Sindhu, Olympic medalist and world champion badminton player; Manish Malhotra, one of India’s most influential fashion designers; Sid Sriram, celebrated playback singer and composer; and Vipul Roongta, Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited.

Conversations and Launchpads for Action

Across two days, the Conference will host panels, keynotes, and interactive sessions spanning democracy and governance, economic growth and finance, climate and sustainability, technology and space, gender and social equity, and culture and creative industries.

Beyond discussion, the India Conference at Harvard continues to serve as a launchpad for ideas and collaboration. The Policy Hackathon, organized in collaboration with the Governments of Jammu & Kashmir and GDi Partners, will challenge student teams to design solutions addressing climate risk and sustainability, with $10,000 in prize money awarded to winning teams.

The Startup Pitch Competition will spotlight Indian and Indian-origin entrepreneurs building innovative solutions to India’s most pressing challenges, offering over $20,000 in prizes and exposure to investors, policymakers, and industry leaders.

Cultural programming, including performances, art showcases, and workshops, will complement policy and business discussions, reinforcing the Conference’s belief that understanding India requires engaging both institutions and imagination.

A Legacy Rooted in Harvard and India’s Global Rise

Harvard’s engagement with India has grown steadily over the decades, mirroring India’s emergence as a global thought leader across business, policy, and academia. This deepening relationship is reflected in the leadership of figures such as Srikant Datar (current dean of HBS), Nitin Nohria (former HBS dean), and Rakesh Khurana (former dean of Harvard College), who have played pivotal roles in shaping Harvard’s academic culture and global outlook.

The India Conference at Harvard was founded in 2003 as a student-led, nonpartisan forum for rigorous, interdisciplinary dialogue on India’s political, economic, social, and cultural transformation. Its early vision was significantly shaped by Tarun Khanna, whose guidance helped position the Conference as a serious platform for ideas on India’s development and global role.

Over the past two decades, the Conference has evolved alongside India itself, expanding in scale, scope, and ambition. From hosting senior ministers and business leaders to artists, philanthropists, and global thinkers, ICH has grown into an international convening space for India-focused dialogue. 

“Over the past two decades, the India Conference at Harvard has evolved alongside India’s own global journey. It has grown into a space that recognizes India’s complexity across culture, innovation, and lived experience,” said Arundhati Prasad, Co-Chair of the 2026 Conference. “Today, ICH is about imagining India’s future as much as it is about understanding its present.”

The India We Imagine

At the heart of the 2026 Conference lies a collective act of re-imagining. The India We Imagine asks participants to reflect on how personal memory, lived experience, and aspiration shape our understanding of India today.

For some, India is remembered through everyday rituals: walks with friends, shared meals, family care, and familiar neighborhoods. For others, it is a sensory and emotional force, defined by vibrant culture, layered histories, and warmth within communities. Still others recall moments of quiet transcendence, such as standing on the ghats of Varanasi at sunset, listening to the aarti as the Ganga reflects the fading light.

Yet the theme is not anchored in nostalgia alone. It gestures firmly toward the future. Students and speakers alike envision an India that advances in technology, education, and infrastructure while preserving cultural richness, and one that plays a consequential role in shaping global growth, innovation, and governance.

This invitation unfolds through three interwoven sub-themes: Who We Are, exploring culture, identity, and belonging; What We Navigate, examining complexity, contradiction, and transition; and How We Build, centering systems, spaces, and change-makers. Together, they frame India not as a fixed idea, but as a dynamic, unfinished project shaped by both memory and possibility.

Now in its 23rd year, the India Conference at Harvard remains entirely student-led, with five Co-Chairs and a team of nearly 100 students from across Harvard University curating a Conference that is intellectually rigorous, inclusive, and future-oriented.

As India continues to shape and be shaped by the world, the India Conference at Harvard 2026 offers a rare opportunity to engage with the ideas and people imagining what comes next.Tickets for the 2026 India Conference at Harvard are now available.