IRIS 2026 Research Summit: NITI Aayog Member, IIM Ahmedabad Director Among Speakers
IRIS 2026: The India Research & Impact Summit will be held in New Delhi on October 1, bringing together researchers, university leaders, faculty members and education-sector professionals.
The summit will feature NITI Aayog member Abhay Karandikar, IIM Ahmedabad director Bharat Bhasker and BITS Pilani Group Vice-Chancellor V. Ramgopal Rao among its speakers.
IRIS 2026: Highlights
Confirmed Speakers
- Abhay Karandikar, Member, NITI Aayog
- Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIM Ahmedabad
- V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani
- Pramath Raj Sinha, Founder, Ashoka University
- C. Raj Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University
- Atul Chauhan, Chancellor, Amity University
- Ananya Mukherjee, Vice-Chancellor, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence
- Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University
- Rudra Pratap, Vice-Chancellor, Plaksha University
- Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO, Paytm
Issues the Summit Will Discuss
- Research quality versus publication quantity
- Industry sponsorship of academic research
- Artificial intelligence in research
- Brain drain
- Research ethics
- Institutional research capacity
- Commercialization and practical impact
Researcher Awards
The summit plans to honor researchers across 27 domains. Each selected researcher will receive an award and a cash prize of ₹50,000.
Institutions demonstrating research excellence will also be recognized across 12 subject domains.
Why IRIS 2026 Matters
India's research ecosystem is expanding, but concerns remain about funding, research quality, international competitiveness, ethical standards and the conversion of academic work into measurable social or commercial impact.
The summit creates a platform for discussing how universities can:
- Improve research quality
- Build industry partnerships
- Support young researchers
- Retain academic talent
- Use AI responsibly
- Convert research into practical solutions
FAQs
When is IRIS 2026?
The summit is scheduled for October 1, 2026.
Where will it be held?
New Delhi.
Who are the major speakers?
They include Abhay Karandikar, Bharat Bhasker and V. Ramgopal Rao.
How many research domains are covered?
Researchers will be recognized across 27 domains.
Conclusion
IRIS 2026 will combine research awards with discussions about funding, AI, ethics, industry collaboration and brain drain. A detailed session-wise agenda is expected closer to the event.
