The Next Gen Bharat 2026 Conference, organised by Morning Sprout Consulting and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College (DDUC), University of Delhi, brought together industry, academia and youth for solution-oriented dialogue and reinforced the importance of Collective Action for Viksit Bharat.
The stakeholders underlined that besides health, air quality also has a direct bearing on the economy, employee productivity, absenteeism and almost all aspects of our lives. They reiterated that it’s a complex issue and all the stakeholders must work together to accelerate India’s development journey.
Prof Balaram Pani, Dean of Colleges at the University of Delhi, who was the chief guest, urged the stakeholders to "take responsibility and provide a solution to this challenge. The Swachh Bharat call inspires us all to work together for our nation and the future of our youth".
Shweta Thakur Nanda, Founder & Managing Director, Morning Sprout Consulting said, "India of tomorrow requires young people to be active participants in shaping clean air solutions, supported by stronger collaboration between government, industry, academia and communities."
"It's time we change the way we frame the clean-air conversation. The shift must happen from awareness to ownership; from apprehension to collective responsibility and collective action," said Nanda in her inaugural address.
"The air our young people breathe today will shape the India they build tomorrow. Clean air is an investment in human potential, productivity and the resilience of our nation. A healthier workforce is not only a healthier workforce; it is a sharper, stronger and more capable generation, equipped to create the economic, social and sustainable value that will define a truly Viksit Bharat," said Prateek Dubey, Global CHRO of Mankind Pharma at the conference.
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During the industry panels, speakers emphasised that "clean air cannot be somebody else's responsibility; it is a shared responsibility, and our young people must be at the heart of that change".
In his address, Prof Hem Chand Jain, Principal, DDUC, underlined the importance of behaviour change for clean air and urged everyone, especially the youth, to take planet-positive steps, recycle and reuse.
Shashi Yadav, Councillor, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, said clean air is a basic necessity, and we must work together to improve it. He said, "Let's ideate, innovate and integrate."
A key highlight was the Principals' Round Table featuring Prof. Sandeep Garg, Principal, Motilal Nehru College (Evening), Prof. Kawal Gill, Principal, Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce and Prof Ruby Mishra, Principal of Bhagini Nivedita College. The discussion examined how educational institutions can prepare students for a rapidly changing world while also creating greater awareness around sustainability, citizenship and social responsibility.
Next Gen Bharat 2026, A Clean Air Conference and Morning Sprout Consulting aims to continue this dialogue as a platform where ideas, institutions and young India come together for collective action.