Narula Institute of Technology Hosts AI UTKARSH 2026, a Global Summit on Responsible AI
Kolkata, April 07, 2026: Narula Institute of Technology, a JIS Group educational initiative, hosted “AI UTKARSH 2026”, a two-day International AI Summit themed “Responsible AI – Innovation with Integrity,” as part of its celebrations to mark 25 years of academic excellence. The summit brought together eminent industry leaders, global researchers, policymakers, and innovators on a common platform to deliberate on the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence, while critically examining its ethical, societal, and regulatory dimensions.
The inaugural session was graced by distinguished dignitaries including Dr. Dipan Sahu, Assistant Innovation Director, Ministry of Education, Innovation Cell-AICTE; Mr. Manojit Sengupta, Delivery Centre Head – Eastern Region, Tata Consultancy Services; Mr. P.K. Das, Director, MSME, DFO, Kolkata; Dr. Swagatam Das, Professor-in-Charge, Computer & Communication Sciences Division and Professor, Electronics & Communication Sciences Unit at Indian Statistical Institute; Dr. Tapas Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Professor-in-Charge, IPR and IR at Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur ; Sardar Taranjit Singh, Managing Director, JIS Group; Sardar Simarpreet Singh, Director, JIS Group; Prof. (Dr.) Subhram Das, Principal, Narula Institute of Technology; Dr. Nidhi Singh, Chairperson, AI UTKARSH 2026 and other technocrats.
The summit has attracted participation from across India as well as leading global innovation ecosystems, including Singapore, Thailand (Bangkok), Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, fostering cross-border collaboration and meaningful knowledge exchange.
The two-day programme has an engaging lineup of keynote sessions, panel discussions, a startup and innovation expo, and a 24-hour AI Hackathon. The hackathon is designed to address industry-driven problem statements, with a strong emphasis on developing responsible, scalable, and impactful AI solutions.
The technical sessions witnessed engaging and insightful deliberations on the future of Artificial Intelligence and its wide-ranging industrial applications. Dr. Swagatam Das, Professor-in-Charge, Computer & Communication Sciences Division and Professor, Electronics & Communication Sciences Unit at Indian Statistical Institute, delivered a compelling keynote address on “Future of AI & Industry Transformation.”
The panel discussion on “Industrializing AI: From Research Innovation to Scalable and Responsible Deployment,” moderated by Dr. Tanushyam Chattopadhyay of Beekshan Technologies and former Practice Head of Computer Vision at Adani AI Labs. The panel featured eminent experts including Dr. Debayan Ganguly, OSD and Ex-Officio Deputy Director, Directorate of Technical Education, Government of West Bengal; Prof. Debashis De, Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering at Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology; Mr. Rohit Sarkar, Co-Founder, Distronix; and Mr. Arijit Das, Co-Founder, Aeonix Research & Innovation (Alumni Batch 2020).
The keynote addresses were delivered by Dr. Tapas Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Professor-in-Charge, IPR and IR at Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, and Dr. Rishi Jain, AI Expert and Program Director, Global Innovation Internship Program, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology (FAST) at Asian Institute of Technology. Their sessions focused on critical aspects of intellectual property, innovation ecosystems, and fostering global collaboration in the AI domain.
The two-day summit will have a series of keynote sessions, panel discussions, collaborative engagements, and the AI innovation showcase, along with networking opportunities for academia, industry, and policymakers. The concluding day will also feature collaborative announcements and the valedictory session, reinforcing partnerships in responsible AI research and innovation.
Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Taranjit Singh, Managing Director, JIS Group, said, “AI UTKARSH 2026 reflects JIS Group’s steadfast commitment to fostering innovation-driven education and strengthening global collaboration. As Narula Institute of Technology celebrates 25 years of excellence, this summit provides a vital platform for academia, industry, and policymakers to come together and co-create responsible AI solutions that drive national growth and contribute meaningfully to societal advancement.”
