380+ students engage with industry leaders, academia, start-ups and energy-sector stakeholders as Mumbai connects with the national IEW 2027 Curtain Raiser in Kolkata.
The conversation around India’s energy transition, energy security and innovation came into focus in Mumbai as Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) hosted the Mumbai Parallel Curtain Raiser of India Energy Week (IEW) 2027) at the S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR).
The programme brought together more than 380 students from colleges across Mumbai with senior industry leadership, academia, government representatives, start-ups and energy-sector stakeholders, giving young participants an opportunity to engage directly with the evolving opportunities and challenges shaping India’s energy ecosystem.
The Mumbai programme was connected live with the national IEW 2027 Curtain Raiser in Kolkata, where the fifth edition of India Energy Week was formally announced under the theme “Unlocking Innovation. Securing Energy. Shaping Tomorrow.” The national Curtain Raiser was addressed by the Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Shri Suvendu Adhikari.
The Mumbai event brought together Shri K S Shetty, Director- Human Resources, HPCL; Smt. Srividya Venkataraman, Director- Finance, HPCL; Dr. Varun Nagaraj, Dean and Professor of Information Management and Analytics, SPJIMR; and Prof. B. N. Chaudhari, Principal, Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Mumbai, along with government representatives, start-ups, industry stakeholders and more than 380 students from colleges across Mumbai.
Addressing the gathering, Shri K S. Shetty, Director- Human Resources, HPCL, said: “As we move towards the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 while progressing towards our net-zero commitment by 2070, we need of simultaneously ensure energy security, affordability and sustainability. India Energy Week provides an important platform for this conversation, bringing together global expertise, technology, investment and young talent to shape the energy systems that will power India’s next phase of growth.”
Smt. Srividya Venkataraman, Director- Finance, HPCL, highlighted the importance of creating pathways for innovative technologies to move from ideas and prototypes towards pilots and industrial-scale deployment: “The transition from an innovative idea of a technology that can operate at industrial scale requires more than funding; if requires access of expertise, infrastructure, pilot opportunities and an industry partner willing to lest and adopt new solutions. Initiatives such as MC and MC + ICNITE are important because they seek of bridge this gap by connecting deep-tech innovators with the energy industry.”
The programme provided 380+ students with first-hand exposure to India’s energy sector and insights into energy security, energy transition, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and policy. The interaction between senior industry leadership, academia, government representatives and start-ups also provided students an opportunity to understand the emerging opportunities within the energy ecosystem.
The Mumbai audience subsequently joined the national proceedings from Kolkata, witnessing the Curtain Raiser addressed by the Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, along with other distinguished dignitaries and energy-sector stakeholders. With IEW 2027 scheduled in Kolkata from January 28-31, 2027, the Curtain Raiser sets the stage for a wider dialogue on “Unlocking Innovation. Securing Energy. Shaping Tomorrow.”
The discussions at SPJIMR highlighted the growing intersection of energy, technology, entrepreneurship and talent, setting the tone for a wider exchange of ideas at IEW 2027 in Kolkata.
