Connect Karo is WRI India’s annual flagship event, bringing together thought leaders, decision-makers, practitioners, academics, scientists, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to discuss some of the most pressing climate, development and sustainability challenges of our time.
On September 9–10, 2026, at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Connect Karo will convene diverse voices from across sectors to explore how India can turn today’s challenges into opportunities for a more sustainable, equitable and resilient future.
Through a range of engaging sessions, discussions and interactive formats, participants will explore critical themes including climate finance, urbanisation, clean energy transition, food, land and water systems, sustainable mobility, climate resilience and adaptation, and just transition.
This year, a special feature will be the WRI India Data Lab, an immersive exhibition offering hands-on exposure to our open-access data tools, such as Transport Analytics Hub, a visual and analytical platform for sustainable urban transport, ASCENT, a tool that enables sub-national governments to calculate GHG emissions and project future emission trajectories under different scenarios, Citizen Science Application for participatory monitoring restoration efforts and Energy Access Explorer, the world's first digital public good for climate-compatible energy transitions, among others.
We will also be hosting Playing for the Planet: WRI India Game Room, a curated gaming experience that brings climate change and sustainability to life through board games, card games and gamified planning tools for communities, decision-makers and practitioners.
Meet Our Connect Karo 2026 Speakers
Shakambhari Nandan
Varanasi Smart City
Rajat Sindhu
Programmes Officer,Global Climate Initiatives
Oak Foundation
Ramanshu Ganguly
Partner and Lead, Adaptation and Resilience
Energiva Ventures
Varun Raheja
Founder
Raheja Solor
Shilp Verma
Senior Researcher and Deputy Country Representative
International Water Management Institute
Ms Sonal Karia
Director- Finance & Legal
Shishir Dash
Team Lead, Urban Habitat
TATA Steel Foundation
Sarah McMillan
Team Leader — Fondation Botnar programme
Ecorys UK
Anuj Malhotra
Master Planner
NMDPL, Adani
Kanak Tiwari
Independent Consultant
Tarun Sharma
Co-Founder
Nagrika
Sujatha Srikumar
Director
Powertec Engineering Pvt Ltd
Capt. Ashish Jacob
Vice President
Development Alternatives
Neeraja Kudrimoti
Practice Director - Climate Action
TRI
Shail Bajaria
Prameya Consulting
Akshat Srivastava
CityData
Vanshika Shah
The Urbanizer
Siddhi Soni
The Urbanizer
Arijit Biswas
Vogic AI
Sathyanarayanan Shankaran
CEO
Rainmatter Foundation
Nidhi Madan
Director, Cities and Urban Landscape
Raahgiri Foundation
CA Mohit Gupta
Practicing Delhi High Court Advocate
Mohit Law Chambers
Dr Sanjay Patra
Managing Director
CPA Services Pvt. Ltd
Mansi Sahu
Director and Co-Founder
StudioPOD
Rajeev Gopal
Former Senior Country Officer, IFC
World Bank Group
Gaurav Mehta
Dharmalife Foundation
Shalini Sinha
Home-Based Work Sector Specialist & Asia Strategic Lead, Associate Consultant
WIEGO
Sarada Prasanna Das
Fellow - Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC)
Aashutosh Mule
Experiential Learning Designer
Anita Kane
Senior Advisor
Pune Knowledge Cluster
Dr Umamaheshwaran Rajesekar
Consultant, Urban Sector Resilience
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
Dr Ambarish Dutta
Professor, Epidemiology at
Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
Dipa Singh Bagai
Country Director,
NRDC India
Depinder Kapur
Head, C-Cube
National Institute of Urban Affairs
Shamindra Nath Roy
Visiting Fellow, Centre for Policy Research and Consultant, WRI India
Ashwin Kulkarni
Partner Manager,
Rainmatter Foundation
Arnavee Phukan
Assistant Director,
Town & Country Planning, Baksa
Nidhi Batra
Founder,
Sehreetri Development Practices Foundation
Zeenat Niazi
Chief Advisor, Circular Economy and Climate Resilience Programs
Rana Hasan
Senior Advisor,
NCAER
Wase Khalid
Manager, Clean Energy Access
CLASP
Romeo Koch
Program Director, Operations
SeSTA
Sanjeev Sharma
Vice President
GH2 Solar
Utsav Choudhary
Consultant
NIUA
Professor Nand Kumar
Team Leader
AMRUT Centre, MNIT, Jaipur
Dr. Rahul Tiwari
MANIT
Bhopal
Dr. Pavan Mamidi
Director
Center for Social and Behaviour Change (CSBC)
Manas Das
Senior Director
Intel
Naved Alam Khan
CEO
Society For Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC)
Sarvesh Kumar
Executive Director
IOCL
Rana Pujari
Lead – Renewable Energy
NRDC India
Sreejith Narayanan
Program Manager - Technology and Innovations
CLEAN
Nimisha Biswas
Engagement Lead
CEEW
Dr Debajit Palit
Centre Head, Centre for Climate Change & Energy Transition
Chintan Research Foundation
Dr. Agnivesh Pani
Asst. Professor
IIT (BHU)
Dipyaman Sen
Global Head
Biocon
Sapna Bhawnani
VP
Alstom
Diksha Choudhary
Program Manager
Toyota Mobility Foundation
Prasanna Ganesh
Executive Program Director
Toyota Mobility Foundation
Gurman Bhatia
Founder & Director
ReVisual Labs
Ruchika Singh
Executive Program Director - Food, Land and Water
Bharath Jairaj
Executive Director - Energy
WRI India
Lanvin Concessao
Program Lead - Energy for Equitable Development
WRI India
Avinash Dubedi
WRI India
Vishal Ramprasad
WRI India
Highlights from Connect Karo 2025
Photos from Connect Karo 2024
DAY 1
Wednesday
07 May 2019
7:30
First floor
Pre-Conference and Main Conference Registration Desk Open
Plaza Court Registration Area
This presentation will describe seven essential actions that could unleash the power of prevention and substantially reduce the prevalence of behavioral health problems and inequality in health and behavior outcomes in the U.S. population.
Business leaders know that growing a company requires you to put yourself out there and stay ahead of trends. One good way to accomplish both is by attending industry events throughout the year.
The Regional Leadership Conference provides the opportunity to meet officers from different sized sections as well as learn about the many different types of activities they hold.
12:00
Restaurant
Please take lunch in your own time. Conference attendees will not be charged.
In a marketplace where customers are more aware, active, and value-driven, firms must rapidly conceive and develop new products and services that meet customers' changing demands.
Relationships are the foundation for opportunities in the world of business, especially as you rise through the ranks of management or decide to start your own business.
18:00
Rooftop Bar
Business cocktail parties are a great opportunity to break out of your shell.
DAY 2
Thursday
08 May 2019
7:30
First floor
Pre-Conference and Main Conference Registration Desk Open
Plaza Court Registration Area
This presentation will describe seven essential actions that could unleash the power of prevention and substantially reduce the prevalence of behavioral health problems and inequality in health and behavior outcomes in the U.S. population.
Business leaders know that growing a company requires you to put yourself out there and stay ahead of trends. One good way to accomplish both is by attending industry events throughout the year.
The Regional Leadership Conference provides the opportunity to meet officers from different sized sections as well as learn about the many different types of activities they hold.
12:00
Restaurant
Please take lunch in your own time. Conference attendees will not be charged.
In a marketplace where customers are more aware, active, and value-driven, firms must rapidly conceive and develop new products and services that meet customers' changing demands.
Relationships are the foundation for opportunities in the world of business, especially as you rise through the ranks of management or decide to start your own business.
18:00
Rooftop Bar
Business cocktail parties are a great opportunity to break out of your shell.
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