As India progresses towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, education leaders, industry experts, policymakers and young changemakers came together recently at The Forum 2026 to deliberate on the question: How do we prepare Young India for the India we are building?

The day-long forum also marked the official launch of WeThink Bharat, a new platform established to foster sustained collaboration between education, industry and society in preparing future-ready citizens.

The Forum 2026 was organised under the theme “Industry & Academia in Dialogue: Preparing Young India for the India We Are Building.” The inaugural edition brought together distinguished leaders from education, business, government and academia to exchange perspectives on workforce readiness, evolving educational priorities and the skills and values required to build a developed India by 2047.

The programme commenced with a vision address by Dr. Neha Raghav, founder-director, WeThink Bharat, introducing the purpose of The Forum and outlining the vision behind WeThink Bharat. The opening session also featured a welcome address by Lt. Gen. Surendra Kulkarni (Retd.), former Director of Mayo College, Ajmer, followed by keynote addresses from Dr. Biswajit Saha, director, training & skill education, CBSE, and Dr. S.P. Sharma, chief economist, ASSOCHAM.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. Neha Raghav, founder-director, WeThink Bharat, said “The vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 calls for more than economic growth, it calls for a generation of young Indians equipped with the knowledge, skills, values and confidence to shape the nation’s future. WeThink Bharat has been created as a collaborative platform where educators, industry leaders, policymakers and young people can come together to reimagine readiness for the decades ahead. The Forum 2026 marks the beginning of that collective journey.”

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Biswajit Saha, director, training & skill education, CBSE, said “The journey towards Viksit Bharat begins in our classrooms. When parents, teachers and schools come together to foster ethical learning, critical thinking and responsible use of technology, we prepare students not just for examinations, but for life. The future of our nation depends on the values and mindset we cultivate in every learner today.”

The forum commenced with an industry dialogue titled “The India Inc. View: What the Economy Is Asking of Its Young Talent,” where leaders from NatWest Group, Mindler, Canva and Max India Ltd. discussed how rapidly evolving business environments are reshaping expectations from the future workforce. The discussion underscored the importance of adaptability, digital fluency, innovation and lifelong learning as essential competencies for Young India.

The event also witnessed the formal launch of WeThink Bharat in the presence of its founding council members. Conceived as a collaborative platform, WeThink Bharat aims to facilitate sustained dialogue, research and partnerships among educators, industry leaders, policymakers and young people on issues relating to education, employability, innovation and nation building.

The afternoon sessions shifted the spotlight to young people through “From Discourse to Declaration” and “Young Bharat Speaks,” where students and young leaders articulated their aspirations and expectations for India’s future. These sessions reinforced the importance of placing youth voices at the centre of conversations on education, innovation and nation building.

The forum concluded with the recognition of founding academic and industry voices, followed by networking among participants representing schools, universities, corporations, civil society organisations and partner institutions.

The Forum 2026 was hosted with the support of founding council members and in partnership with Google for Education, Canva, Ignisia, Scholastic, Dreamtime Learning, Wadhwani Foundation and INextResearcher, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration between education and industry in support of India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047.

As India works towards becoming a developed nation by 2047, participants agreed that preparing future-ready citizens will require sustained collaboration across sectors. Through dialogue, partnerships and continued engagement, WeThink Bharat seeks to contribute to this shared national vision by strengthening the bridge between education, industry and society.

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