Careers of the Future Summit
Theme: Computer Science for All
Date: January 21, 2025
Time: 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Venue: Shahjehan Hall, Taj Palace, New Delhi
Time Agenda and Speakers
9:00 am - 10:00 am Coffee to Connect
[1 hour] Guest registration followed by morning coffee
9:00 am onwards Opening of AFE 2025 Exhibition
[Full Day] Opportunity to interact with key AFE program participants - students, teachers and
nonprofit partners - to witness their innovative models and projects created using
learnings across robotics, physical computing and sustainability.
10:00 am -10:03 am Stories of Impact
[3 mins] A short film by Amazon showcasing various initiatives under the Amazon Future
Engineer program in India.
10:03 am - 10:10 am Welcome Address by Amazon
[7 mins] Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President, Public Policy, Amazon India
10:08 am - 10:18 am Special Address by Amazon
[8 mins] Samir Kumar, Country Manager, Amazon India
10:18 am - 10:30 am Keynote Address by Chief Guest [Ministry of Education]
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Government of
[12 mins] India [TBC]
10:30 am - 11:30 am Panel Discussion 1: Computer Science for All
[1 hour] Need for re-imagining tech and computer science education in India, including:
● Addressing equity gaps for young learners in school particularly those
from underrepresented communities and facing systemic barriers
● Creating an integrated, inclusive and engaging educational experience for
young learners in school to ensure opportunity and access to computer
science
● Aligning with the global emphasis on digital literacy to equip young
learners in school with sustainable future-ready skills
Moderator: Aarti Mohan, Co-Founder and Partner, Sattva Consulting
Panelists:
1. Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director - Atal Innovation Mission,
NITI Aayog [TBC]
2. Kumar Anurag Pratap, Vice President and CSR Lead, Capgemini
3. Madhukar Reddy Banuri, Founder and Director, Leadership For
Equity (LFE)
4. Akshay Kashyap, Head - Amazon Future Engineer, Amazon India
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Mid-morning pause
[30 mins] Tea / Coffee break
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Panel Discussion 2: Transition from Education to Careers of the
Future
[1 hour]
Overcoming employability and skill gaps for jobs of the future with a particular
focus on students from underrepresented communities and facing systemic
barriers; understanding employer expectations and responding to emerging
industry demand in the rapidly changing tech career landscape.
Moderator: Suman Yadav, Director, University Talent Acquisition,
Amazon India
Panelists:
1. Ian McBride, Head, Responsible Business, British Telecom Group
in India
2. Aakash Sethi, CEO, Quest Alliance
3. Dr. Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore
4. Gitanjali Bhutani, Director, CMT, Amazon
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch
[1 hour]
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm Mind to Market: Stories of Trailblazers
[45 mins] A fireside chat with exemplary AFE program participants and supporters - who are
contributing towards building a better future for themselves and the society. This
session will spotlight the impact and opportunities unlocked by the AFE program,
through computer science education, volunteering, scholarships and internships.
Facilitator: Anita Kumar, Head, Amazon Community Impact for APAC
Speakers:
1. Vaishnavi Deokar, AFE scholar and Amazon intern
2. School Teacher (female CSTE trained)
3. Shoaib Dar, CEO, PiJam Foundation
4. Paras Pawade, Grade 12th student, G.N Khalsa College,
Matunga, Mumbai (trained at The Innovation Story)
2:45 pm - 3:30 pm Panel Discussion 3: An interactive session to discuss the rise of digital
technologies shaping job demand across various sectors in India and
[45 mins] globally.
The session will explore how industries globally are realigning to the changes
brought about by digitization, examine the government's perspective from a
policy standpoint, and delve into how industries and governments can
collaborate to address these shifts effectively.
Moderator: Aman Jain, Director Public Policy, Amazon India
Panelists:
1. Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education &
Literacy, Ministry of Education, Govt of India [TBC]
2. Deepti Varma, VP, (HR) People eXperience and Technology
at Amazon
3. Alice Shobe, Global Director, Amazon in the Community
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Mid-afternoon pause
[30 mins] Tea / Coffee break
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Panel Discussion 4: Leveraging AI / ML and Accelerating
Collaborations for building a Future-Ready Workforce
[1 hour]
Leveraging AI / ML to ensure access to computer science education for all and
prepare students for the future workforce; Role of industry and government to
bridge the gap in hiring and placements and ensure inclusive and equitable access
to employment in tech-based careers.
Moderator: Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-Founder and Managing Partner,
Sattva Consulting
Panelists:
1. Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, Govt of India
2. Rajeev Rastogi, Vice President, Applied Science and Central ML,
Amazon India
3. Abhishek Gupta, Co-Founder, NavGurukul
4. Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras
5:00 pm - 5:25 pm AFE 2025 Felicitation
[25 mins] (Felicitation of AFE partners and kids who participated in the showcase)
5:25 pm - 5:30 pm Vote of thanks - Prateek Agarwal, Sr. Product Manager, AFE
[5 mins]
5:30 pm onwards Chai pe Charcha
(Networking over Tea/ Coffee)
The above agenda is tentative and subject to change closer to the event's day. Details of speakers and
panelists will follow.
The AFE 2025 Exhibition is a full-day showcase by AFE scholars and will open for guest access from 9 am to
6 pm at Mumtaaz Hall, Taj Palace, New Delhi.
