The India Research & Impact Summit (IRIS) 2026 will take place on October 1 in New Delhi. This event brings together policymakers, university leaders, researchers, industry representatives, and higher education stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping India's research ecosystem. The summit's theme is ‘Universities Advancing Knowledge | Universities Creating Knowledge.’
- Impact keynote and keynote addresses by prominent leaders
- Six panel discussions on key research topics
- Faculty Research Awards recognizing 54 researchers across 27 domains
- Special discussion on building research strength through Centres of Excellence
What is the schedule for IRIS 2026?
The programme starts with registration at 9 am, followed by the opening address at 9:30 am. Sribharat Mathukumilli, Member of Parliament and President of GITAM, will deliver the impact keynote from 10 am to 10:20 am. Afterward, Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Member of NITI Aayog and former Secretary of DST, will give the keynote address.
What are the main panel discussions at the summit?
IRIS 2026 features six panel discussions covering important topics in Indian research:
- What Is Holding Back Indian Research: Funding, Faculty, Institutions, or Incentives? (11 am - 11:50 am) with experts including Pramath Raj Sinha, Sribharat Mathukumilli, Dr. Ananya Mukherjee, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Prof. GD Yadav, and Prof. Pankaj Chandra.
- Industry-Academia Research: Partnership Problem or Trust Deficit? (11:50 am - 12:40 pm) featuring Prof. Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Dr. Atul Chauhan, C Srinivasa Raju, Hitesh Oberoi, and Prateek Maheshwari.
- From Labs to Legislation: How should India measure research on Policy, Business and Social Impact? (12:40 pm - 1:30 pm) with Prof. C. Raj Kumar, Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Prof. Dishan Kamdar, Dr. Sekar Viswanathan, and Dr. A. Vinay Kumar.
- Are Indian Universities Rewarding Research Impact or Research Output? (2:30 pm - 3:20 pm) including Prof. Rudra Pratap, Dr. B. Suresh, Prof. Ch. Satish Kumar, Er. Onkar Bagaria, and Dr. Suresh Ramanatham.
- Fresh Blood: How PhD students and research fellows see India’s research environment (3:20 pm - 4:10 pm) with Prof. Sandeep Kumar Shukla, Dr. Sandeep Sancheti, Sujatha Kshirsagar, Dr. Dhruv Galgotia, and Dr. Asit K Barma.
- Research and Rankings: How fair are research parameters in ranking and listing frameworks? (4:10 pm - 5 pm) featuring Prof. Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Hemant Sahal, Dr. Bipin Nair, Achal Agrawal, and Dr. B. Priestly Shan.
What is the Faculty Research Award ceremony?
The award ceremony begins at 5 pm, recognizing 54 researchers across 27 subject domains. The awards will be presented by Dr. D. Purandeswari, MP and Chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, and former Union Minister of State for Education and Commerce.
Is there a special session after the awards?
Yes, at 6:30 pm, a special discussion titled “Centres of Excellence: Building Research Strength That Matters” will be held. It will feature Satish K. Tripathi, President Emeritus of the University at Buffalo, New York, and Prof. Ch. Satish Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of SRM University AP.
IRIS 2026 aims to foster collaboration and innovation in India's research landscape by bringing together diverse stakeholders to share insights and strategies for advancing knowledge and impact.
