Bengaluru, February 14, 2026:
PES University successfully hosted Symposium 2.0 – AI for Manufacturing Industry, an insightful gathering that brought together industry pioneers, academic leaders, researchers, and students to explore the rapidly evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in manufacturing.
Organized by the Centre for Cognitive Computing and Computational Intelligence (C3I) in collaboration with the Departments of CSE and CSE (AI & ML), the symposium served as a platform to discuss innovation, real‑world applications, and the future of AI‑driven industrial transformation.
Setting the Stage for AI‑Driven Manufacturing
The event opened with an address by Dr. Pooja Agarwal, Convenor and Professor, Department of CSE, who emphasized the urgent need to equip students with industry‑ready AI skills. She highlighted India’s vision for self‑reliance and the nation’s progress toward Industry 4.0.
Dr. Nagarjuna Sadineni, Pro Vice-Chancellor, reaffirmed the university's commitment to strengthening academia–industry partnerships, underscoring the importance of collaborative research in emerging technologies.
Insights from Eminent Industry Leaders
The symposium featured a distinguished lineup of chief guests and keynote speakers who shared their experience and perspectives on AI’s transformative impact.
Dr. Pramod Varma
Co-founder & Chief Architect of NFH and FIDE, Co-creator of BECKN and FINTERNET, and former Chief Architect of IndiaStack, Dr. Varma discussed India’s digital transformation journey. He outlined ambitious nationwide missions, including AI‑ready villages, large-scale AI literacy, and entrepreneurial empowerment in rural India.
Mr. F. R. Singhvi
Joint Managing Director, Sansera Engineering Pvt. Ltd., highlighted that AI is no longer futuristic — it is actively shaping manufacturing today. He spoke about AI-powered quality control, predictive maintenance, and the importance of preparing the workforce for this technological shift.
Mr. Madan Padaki
Founder & CEO of 1BRIDGE, Mr. Padaki shared real-world examples of how rural communities are being trained to use AI in agriculture, digital selling, and small-scale entrepreneurship.
KeynotSessionse : The Future of AI in Industry
The keynote speakers offered diverse viewpoints on the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into manufacturing:
- Mr. Narayana Prasad, CTO and Head of Data & Analytics at Zensar Technologies, stressed the need for inclusive AI ecosystems to prevent widening the digital divide.
- Dr. Ravi Kumar, Vice President and Head of Advanced Engineering at Infosys, explained how AI in manufacturing is shifting from deterministic programming to cutting-edge areas such as Generative AI and Agentic AI.
- Dr. Nitin Sachdeva, Principal Data Scientist at TVS Motor Company, framed AI as a force multiplier that handles routine tasks, enabling human teams to focus on innovation. He presented several real-world manufacturing scenarios and ROI-driven applications.
- Mr. Nagaraja Gundappa, Program Director, AI Command Centre at Tirumala, shared how AI command centres are reshaping operations through intelligent automation.
Panel Discussion: Transforming Manufacturing with AI
A high-impact panel discussion on “Transformation of Manufacturing Industry with AI” was moderated by Mr. Madhusudan Murthy (EY).
Panelists from HCL Technologies, SAP Industries, Schneider Electric, TVS Motor Company, and Wipro examined topics such as:
- Scaling AI solutions across industries
- Workforce preparedness for AI adoption
- Ethical and sustainable implementation
- Long-term competitiveness in global manufacturing
An interactive quiz followed, engaging students and reinforcing key insights from the event.
Closing Remarks
The symposium concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Arti Arya, Chairperson of the Department of CSE (AI & ML). She emphasized that the future of manufacturing will be shaped not only by machines, but by intelligent systems guided by human wisdom.
A Step Toward a Smarter Manufacturing Future
Symposium 2.0 underscored PES University’s dedication to advancing AI education, fostering industry collaboration, and contributing to the next era of intelligent manufacturing. The event served as a milestone in strengthening the bridge between cutting-edge research and real-world industrial innovation.
