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India Rural Colloquy 2026

A Rural Renaissance Pathways to Flourishing Rural India

5 States
8 Days
100+ Speakers
1 – 8 AUGUST 2026 BHOPAL LUCKNOW RAIPUR RANCHI NEW DELHI
Rural changemaker
Rural changemaker
Rural changemaker
Rural changemaker
Rural changemaker
Innovation Rural Futures Social Impact Policy to Practice Grassroots Leadership New Delhi 2026 150+ Speakers August Kranti Week Innovation Rural Futures Social Impact Policy to Practice Grassroots Leadership New Delhi 2026 150+ Speakers August Kranti Week

Join the India Rural Colloquy

Rural women changemakers
900M+ rural citizens building India's future

As geopolitical tensions reshape economies, climate change disrupts livelihoods and artificial intelligence transforms the nature of work, the search is on for more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable pathways to prosperity. Well, rural India, home to over 900 million people, is emerging as one of the most important frontiers for economic growth, entrepreneurship, climate resilience, democratic participation, and social innovation.

For the first time in India's history, rural communities are organized, capital is flowing, markets are expanding, technology is accessible, and public systems have unprecedented reach. The opportunity is immense. The ingredients for transformation exist at scale. The challenge and the promise lie in turning them into pathways for a flourishing rural India.

The Colloquy brings together community leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, philanthropies, businesses, civil society organizations, and policymakers to explore how India can unlock the full potential of its districts, villages, forests, farms, and local economies.

From grassroots innovations to national policy conversations, the Colloquy is where samaj, sarkar and bazaar come together to shape the future of rural India.

900M+ Rural Citizens
14 Cr+ Families Mobilized Through SHGs
350M+ Rural Workforce
8 Days of Dialogue & Action
5 Cities Across India
1 Shared Vision: A Flourishing Rural India

Why be a part of India Rural Colloquy?

The biggest questions facing India will not be solved in boardrooms alone. At the India Rural Colloquy 2026 you can be a part of the rural renaissance. We will explore how emerging technologies can transform agriculture, how women can lead the next wave of development and how community-driven climate solutions can build a more resilient future for India.

Why be a part of India Rural Colloquy
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Government & Public Institutions

Discover innovative approaches, practical solutions, and partnerships.

A gathering of voices
you won't find anywhere else.

Be in the room where ideas meet lived experience. From policymakers and practitioners to grassroots leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers and changemakers, the India Rural Colloquy brings together diverse voices shaping the future of rural India. Speaker announcements coming soon.

V Anantha Nageswaran
V Anantha Nageswaran
Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Hon'ble Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Rashmi Shukla Sharma
Rashmi Shukla Sharma
Former IAS Officer and Chair, Transform Rural India
Arun Maira
Arun Maira
Former Member, Planning Commission, Government of India
Vijay Mahajan
Vijay Mahajan
Secretary & CEO (Rajiv Gandhi Foundation)
Dhruvi Shah
Dhruvi Shah
Executive Trustee and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Axis Bank Foundation
Amarjeet Sinha
Amarjeet Sinha
Former Advisor to the Prime Minister of India
Professor Patrick Whitney
Professor Patrick Whitney
Professor in Residence, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Neelima Khetan
Neelima Khetan
Partner, Nous Consultants
Jamshyd Godrej
Jamshyd Godrej
Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce
Vineet Rai
Vineet Rai
Founder/Vice Chairman, Aavishkaar Group
Suneeta Dhar
Suneeta Dhar
Co-Founder, South Asia Women's Foundation
N.N. Sinha
N.N. Sinha
Former Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India
Amitabh Behar
Amitabh Behar
Executive Director, Oxfam International
Nita Kejriwal
Nita Kejriwal
Former Civil Servant, Government of India
Hari Menon
Hari Menon
President, Global Growth & Opportunity, Gates Foundation
Apoorva Oza
Apoorva Oza
Global Lead, Aga Khan Foundation
Alka Upadhyay
Alka Upadhyay
Former Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India
Gagan Sethi
Gagan Sethi
Board Member, Oxfam India
Charanjit Singh
Charanjit Singh
Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development
Prataprao Jadhav
Prataprao Jadhav
Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India
Prahlad Singh Patel
Prahlad Singh Patel
Minister of Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Govt. of MP
Janak Palta McGilligan
Janak Palta McGilligan
Padma Shri Awardee
Nishant Gupta
Nishant Gupta
Head of Sustainability, Flipkart Group
Niharika Barik Singh
Niharika Barik Singh
Principal Secretary, Dept. of Panchayat & Rural Development, GoCG
Shraman Jha
Shraman Jha
CEO, Hindustan Unilever Foundation
T. K. Anil Kumar
T. K. Anil Kumar
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, GoI
Pankaj Pachauri
Pankaj Pachauri
Founder, GoNews
Anurag Sharma
Anurag Sharma
Hon'ble Member of Parliament
Sameer Shisodia
Sameer Shisodia
Head, Rainmatter Foundation
Alice Gugelev
Alice Gugelev
Managing Director, Global Development Incubator
Mekhala Krishnamurthy
Mekhala Krishnamurthy
Associate Professor, Ashoka University

Voices from the Colloquy

Replicability is successful only when it is driven by context.

Yamini Aiyar
Yamini Aiyar
Impact Leader

Climate change disproportionately affects women's health, making it essential to prioritize gender-sensitive healthcare solutions that build resilience and promote wellbeing in vulnerable communities.

Medha Gandhi
Medha Gandhi
Counterpoint Impact Advisory

People are the true capital. We need a mindset shift to recognize that those living in rural India are the real wealth of the nation.

Pankaj Pachauri
Pankaj Pachauri
GoNews

What India has achieved in livelihood creation is just the starting point for other regions around the world to follow.

Diva Dhar
Diva Dhar
Gates Foundation

Research, evidence, and policy are often treated in silos, creating barriers that hinder meaningful change.

Julia Lowe
Julia Lowe
Mesurado Cooperative

Our educational framework is actively striving to ensure that fundamental skills and knowledge are cultivated within the initial 15 years of learning.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Hon'ble Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Across government or corporate sectors, across rural and urban India, accountability has to be the building blocks for bringing forth a rural transformation.

V Anantha Nageswaran
V Anantha Nageswaran
Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India

Can a society truly thrive without its women? To progress globally, we must shift our focus from mere numbers to genuinely listening to the people.

Arun Maira
Arun Maira
Former Member, Planning Commission, Government of India

We need to think of processes that will result in a shift in the way women participate in the Indian labor force in order to achieve the goals of a young and prosperous India.

Bharti Gupta Ramola
Bharti Gupta Ramola
Former Senior Partner at PwC, Independent Director, HDFC Life, Tata Steel
5th Edition India Rural Colloquy
Memorable Moments from Past Events
Diva Dhar Mekhala Krishnamurthy Rashmi Shukla Sharma

Rural Influencers

Beyond followers and hashtags, these are the voices driving transformation. Hear from the people changing rural India from the ground up.

Rural influencer story
Rural influencer story
Rural influencer story
Rural influencer story
Rural influencer story
Rural influencer story
Rural influencer story

Be Part of the Change

Join policymakers, innovators, local leaders, and institutions shaping a more inclusive rural future. Reserve your place in the room.

Register Now