Washington, Jan 20 (NationPress) The 23rd India Conference at Harvard, a significant student-led global platform that explores India’s rise in business, policy, and culture, is set to convene prominent figures from sports, politics, and creative sectors in Boston next month. Among the featured speakers are Olympic champion P.V. Sindhu, parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, and renowned designer Manish Malhotra.

The conference, scheduled for February 14 and 15, 2026, will take place at both Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, continuing a tradition of over two decades of student-led dialogues on India's evolving role on the global stage, as per a media release.

World-renowned badminton player P.V. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist and the first Indian to achieve gold at the Badminton World Championships, will be part of a moderated panel that delves into the development of India's sports ecosystem and its connection to elite performance, leadership, and national identity.

This session will resonate with the conference theme, “The India We Imagine,” which aims to underscore how excellence in sports and effective management shape India's international sporting reputation.

Additionally, Sindhu will join Satyam Trivedi, CEO of GMR Sports, in a discussion on how athletes and sports leaders collectively project India's cultural confidence and ambitions on the world stage.

The conference will also feature a keynote address from Shashi Tharoor, a Member of Parliament and chairman of India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs.

Having served as a former United Nations under-secretary-general and a prominent public intellectual, Tharoor will frame the conference theme through the perspectives of India’s constitutional principles, democratic values, and international relations.

Organizers highlighted that Tharoor’s involvement signifies the conference's commitment to fostering serious civic and intellectual discussions, reflecting on how notions of India are articulated, challenged, and advanced by both institutions and citizens. His address is anticipated to draw upon his extensive experience in diplomacy, politics, and literature regarding India’s global positioning.

Adding an artistic flair, celebrated fashion designer Manish Malhotra will discuss the influence of fashion, film, and creative entrepreneurship on India's cultural identity worldwide.

His session will be moderated by Simi Shah, founder and CEO of South Asian Trailblazers, and will delve into how creativity and cultural self-assurance contribute to a vision of India that is engaged globally while honoring indigenous traditions.

Now in its 23rd year, the India Conference at Harvard ranks among the largest and most impactful student-led conferences focused on India in the United States. Organized by approximately 100 students from various Harvard University faculties, it gathers policymakers, entrepreneurs, cultural leaders, and thinkers for meaningful discourse on India's role in global matters.

This year's program will showcase over 70 speakers across two days, featuring a fireside chat with actor Priyanka Chopra, a policy hackathon in collaboration with the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and GDi Partners on climate risk and sustainability, and a startup pitch competition with over $20,000 in prizes.

Throughout the years, the India Conference has provided a platform for connecting India's emerging leaders with global influencers, reflecting the nation's expanding presence in international business, governance, and culture, while enabling students to shape discussions on India's future through dialogue and debate.