PMI Bangalore India Chapter Showcases Purposeful Disruption and Leadership for a Changing World

Bengaluru, India| Dec 19: Prabhanjana – PMPC 2025, the flagship Project Management Practitioners Conference hosted by the PMI Bangalore India Chapter, concluded successfully as a powerful convergence of ideas, leadership, and action. Aligned to the theme “Innovating Project Management to Elevate the World,” the conference emerged as more than an industry gathering—it became a celebration of purposeful disruption, leadership maturity, and collective momentum.

The conference opened with an inspiring welcome by the Conference Chair & VP Special Program Sathya Prasad.

Presidential Address by Palash Gupta, President, PMI Bangalore India Chapter has set the tone of conference, drawing from nearly 18 years of volunteering and leadership experience, he anchored the day in the philosophy of “Leading with Purpose: From Initiative to Impact.” Speaking from Namma Bengaluru—an ecosystem where innovation, culture, and community intersect—he reflected on the Chapter’s 27-year legacy of shaping project professionals into transformational leaders.

Highlighting the remarkable growth of the Chapter—from 6,554 members to over 8,000—Palash Gupta emphasized its position as the largest PMI chapter in India and South Asia, and the third largest globally among 300+ chapters. This growth, he noted, stands as a testament to collective commitment, disciplined execution, and a shared vision.

His message was bold and energizing:

“We are hungry for impact. Greedy for leadership. And gutsy for outcomes that will outlive us.”

He framed Prabhanjana as a force of constructive destruction, positive disruption, and transformational momentum, rooted in the timeless pillars of Manthan (churning), Samvad (dialogue), and Prabandhan (management)—setting the tone for a deeply impactful day.

One of the most defining moments of PMPC 2025 was the keynote “From Bhumandal to Brahmand: Leading Beyond the Gravity” by Group Captain Angad Pratap Singh, Astronaut Designate. His extraordinary journey—from Earth to Space—offered profound leadership lessons for navigating high-stakes and uncertain environments. Through principles such as believing before becoming, choosing the hard path, sustaining consistent effort, embracing failure as a teacher, and focusing on preparation over destination, he reframed leadership as mission readiness—where success is determined long before lift-off.

Equally compelling was Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, PhD, whose session “From Science to Society: Innovation for Global Good” underscored the importance of strong innovation ecosystems and science-led infrastructure in translating research into real-world societal impact. His insights reinforced the idea that innovation achieves true meaning only when it serves humanity at scale.

The conference featured a diverse and powerful lineup of speakers offering perspectives on leadership, inclusion, technology, deeptech, and talent.

● Mr. Arup Kumar Mallick (HAL Management Academy) emphasized customer centricity and leadership development.

● Nikhilesh Garnepudy, in “The Future-Proof Project Manager in an AI-First World,” challenged participants to rethink skills, adaptability, and decision-making in an AI-augmented future.

● Alina Alam, Founder of Mitti Café, delivered a moving keynote on inclusion with purpose, demonstrating how empathy-driven leadership can build scalable and sustainable social enterprises.

● Shreya Sharma, Director, NASSCOM, showcased how deeptech can address global challenges and unlock new opportunities.

● Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, The CEO of the Karnataka Digital Economy Forum shared powerful insights on how Karnataka’s ecosystem-led digital growth is strengthening India’s global presence, while outlining a bold vision to build a world-class ecosystem and extend growth beyond Bengaluru—enabling a truly democratized digital economy.

● Abhishek Kotecha, Founder & CEO, Datavtar AI, illustrated how AI can rapidly build software solutions, reinforcing the message: “Deliver value before the coffee gets cold.”

● Abhishek Kateliya, Head of Strategy, Nexstem, highlighted real-world applications of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) innovations.

● Tharun Kumar, Founder & CEO, ECOSTP Technologies, spoke about reclaiming wastewater sustainably, sharing achievements including reclaiming over 7 billion liters of sewage across India.

● Dr. Swaroop Gopal, Group Director & Lead Neurosurgeon, Aster, spoke on “The Happy Brain.”

● Satyakam Mohanty, Co-Founder, Wyser, challenged project managers to evolve from execution to systems leadership in his session “From Projects to Possibilities: Self, Synergy, and Society.”

Thought-provoking panel discussions featuring Anwesha Mazumder (PMI South Asia), Dr. Srivardhini K. Jha (IIM Bangalore), and Kritika Murugesan (NASSCOM) explored talent, leadership, and the future of work—highlighting the need to integrate people, capability, and context rather than treating them as silos.

The conference concluded with a deeply reflective valedictory keynote by Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Capacity Building Commission of India. Drawing from the Bhagavad Gita, he reframed leadership as dialogic, inclusive, and ethical—emphasizing empathy, purpose, and collaboration as the foundation of enduring institutions.

PMPC 2025 also honored long-standing commitment to the profession by recognizing members with over 20 years of association with the PMI Bangalore India Chapter on stage, while members with more than 10 years of contribution were acknowledged through a special on-screen tribute—celebrating the chapter’s enduring volunteer legacy.

Continuing a cherished tradition, the Chapter inaugurated the PM Essence magazine, with the launch led by Prakhar Kumar, Vice President – Marcom and Technology, PMI Bangalore India Chapter, alongside the distinguished dignitaries present at the conference.

The program concluded on a soulful note with a musical performance featuring Flute, Sitar, and Tabla by Shri Niranjan, Subramanya, and Santhosh, offering a moment of reflection and harmony.

Prabhanjana – PMPC 2025 reinforced a critical insight: sustainable project success emerges when delivery performance, leadership capability, and contextual awareness are treated as one integrated whole. Beyond the sessions, rich peer interactions and community engagement reaffirmed the value of continuous learning and collective growth.

With Prabhanjana – PMPC 2025, the PMI Bangalore India Chapter once again delivered a well-curated, high-impact conference—seamlessly blending strategic insight with practical relevance, and setting a powerful benchmark for the future of project leadership.