Boston—The prestigious 23rd India Conference at Harvard is bringing together India's biggest names this February. Olympic badminton champion P.V. Sindhu, parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, and renowned fashion designer Manish Malhotra will headline the two-day event.
Key Facts
• Event runs February 14-15, 2026 at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School in Boston
• Over 70 distinguished speakers including Priyanka Chopra, with a policy hackathon and startup pitch competition offering $20,000+ in prizes
• Nearly 100 Harvard students organizing this major student-led international forum examining India's rise across business, policy, and culture
The 23rd edition of this landmark conference marks over two decades of student-driven engagement on India's evolving global role. The theme,
invites participants to reflect on how India is transforming across business, policy, culture, and innovation.
P. V. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist and world champion badminton player, will participate in a moderated panel exploring India's sports ecosystem. The session discusses how elite performance and professional management shape India's international sporting image.
Sindhu will be joined by Satyam Trivedi, CEO of GMR Sports, to discuss how athletes and sports leaders project India's cultural confidence globally. As one of India's most recognizable sporting figures, Sindhu represents the country's emerging excellence in international athletics.
Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament and chairman of India's Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, will deliver the keynote address. The former UN under-secretary-general will explore India's constitutional ideals, democratic traditions, and international engagement.
Manish Malhotra, one of India's most influential fashion designers, will speak on how fashion, film, and creative entrepreneurship shape India's global cultural identity. His session explores creativity's role in building a vision of India that remains rooted in indigenous traditions while engaging globally.
The conference features more than 70 speakers across two days, including a fireside chat with actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Beyond keynotes, the event includes panels on democracy, governance, economic growth, climate sustainability, technology, and gender equity.
The Policy Hackathon, organized with the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and GDi Partners, challenges students to design climate risk and sustainability solutions. The Startup Pitch Competition spotlights Indian entrepreneurs building innovative solutions, offering over $20,000 in prizes and investor exposure.
The conference reflects Harvard's deepening engagement with India, mirroring the nation's emergence as a global thought leader. Leadership from figures like Srikant Datar (dean of Harvard Business School) and others have shaped this relationship.
The India Conference was founded in 2003 as a nonpartisan forum for rigorous dialogue on India's political, economic, social, and cultural transformation. It has evolved into an international convening space for India-focused discussion and debate on global affairs.
Tickets for the 2026 India Conference at Harvard are now available. This rare opportunity allows engagement with the ideas and people imagining India's future trajectory across business, policy, culture, and innovation.
Do You Know?
The India Conference at Harvard is among the largest and most influential student-led India-focused conferences in the United States, entirely organized by nearly 100 students from across Harvard University bringing together policymakers, entrepreneurs, cultural figures, and thought leaders annually.
Key Terms
• Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs: A committee of India's parliament overseeing foreign policy and diplomatic matters
• Student-Led Conference: An academic forum organized entirely by students rather than faculty or administration
• Badminton World Championships: The premier international badminton tournament where P.V. Sindhu won gold
• Policy Hackathon: A competitive problem-solving session where teams design solutions to policy challenges, usually climate and sustainability
• Creative Entrepreneurship: Starting and running businesses in creative industries like fashion, film, and design
Image from Wikimedia Commons