CII EDU-TECH EXPO & AI CONNECT, an exhibition and conference on “Powering Education with Technology,” was held at the Chennai Trade Centre. The inaugural session featured

• Mr RaviChandran Purushothaman Chairman, CII Southern Region & President, Danfoss India 

• Dr Nandini Rangaswamy Chairperson – CII Edu-Tech Expo & Founder Trustee, GRG Education LLC

• Dr. G. V. Selvam, Co-Chair – CII Edu-Tech Expo and Chairman – CII SR Taskforce on Industry Aligned Education and Skills Pipeline

• Mr. P. Viswanathan, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Tamil Nadu, 

among other dignitaries.

As part of the conference, Mr. Srikanth Talluri, Founder, 6D.Works and 6D.Varsity, moderated Session IV – “Future-Ready Skills: Closing the Campus-to-Industry Gap.” The session brought together industry and education leaders to discuss how students can graduate with capabilities that translate effectively into the workplace.

Panel Members

• Mr Srikanth V Chief Executive Officer, ICT Academy

• Mr Anshul Gupta Head – College Connect Sales & Academic Partnerships, L&T EduTech

• Mr Om Prakash Director – Operations, Deloitte

• Mr Srikanth Talluri Founder, 6D.Works & 6D.Varsity – Session Moderator

Key Discussion Areas

• Human Intelligence vs. AI (2026–2030): Navigating the future of work as AI evolves from basic automation to active thinking.

• Redefining "Skills": Why skill is more than knowledge—moving towards practical, workflow-driven competencies.

• Fast-Tracking Industry Readiness: Scaling effective 3-to-6-month skill development models for rural and urban institutions.

• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in Education: Creating interoperable platforms (similar to UPI) to connect universities, skill providers, and enterprises.

• Cultivating an Adaptive Mindset: The role of educators in instilling purpose, storytelling, and lifelong learning during degree programs.

• Hands-on Problem Solving: Enhancing student cognitive abilities through real-world, household-level innovation and practical projects.

The discussion emphasised the need to move beyond academic qualifications towards capability, practical exposure and workplace readiness, helping students prepare for the changing opportunities of the future.

#CIIEduTechExpo2026 #FutureReadySkills #Employability #IndustryAcademia #FutureOfWork #SkillsDevelopment #HigherEducation #CII

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