Event Overview
The seventh edition of charcha, curated by the*spark forum, concluded on 16‑17 September 2026 at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The two‑day convening attracted more than 2,000 participants each day.
Participation
Over 250 speakers representing 40 co‑hosting organisations took part, including Atal Innovation Mission (NITI Aayog), PRADAN, Eternal, SEWA, DBS Foundation, EkStep Foundation, Meta, Meesho, Janaagraha, Mahindra Rise, J‑PAL, Central Square Foundation and The/Nudge. Eminent speakers such as K T Rama Rao, S Niranjan Reddy, Renana Jhabvala, Meenakshi Ramesh, Dr Saurabh Garg IAS, Rohit Kansal IAS, Jayesh Ranjan IAS, Mekin Maheshwari, Prabhakar L, Raj Gilda, Shobini Mukherji and Vidit Aatrey addressed the audience.
Themes and Sessions
Panel discussions, workshops and plenaries were organised around eight core themes: Inclusive Livelihoods, Tech4Good, Policy & Governance, Entrepreneurship & Informal Livelihoods, Rural & Agri Livelihoods, Education & Skilling, Climate & Green Jobs and Philanthropy & CSR. The opening plenary, “Intelligence Infrastructure: How India Can Build the World's First AI Development State,” highlighted India’s data advantage and the importance of trust for AI deployment.
AI‑Empowered Village
A flagship “Bharat AI Experiential Centre” was co‑created with Jan AI and featured 12 leaders in AI for Bharat, including the Development Ministry, Piramal Foundation, Meesho, Karya, Wadhwani AI, EkStep Foundation, Rocket Learning, Jan AI and ITC MAARS. Delegates experienced a simulated rural day where AI solutions addressed health, education and agriculture for ASHA workers, farmers, kirana owners and children.
New Tools and Frameworks
The GxD Hub and The/Nudge, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, NextWealth, Karya and Myna Mahila, launched the AI‑Data Skills Framework (AISF), mapping millions of Indian data annotators, enrichers, auditors and trainers into five defined roles to create recognised career pathways.
Research Launches
The Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship released the “Women’s Listening Study Report.” Generation India Foundation published “India’s Workforce Ecosystem,” mapping pathways and gaps in the national workforce. The/Nudge unveiled the “Livelihoods at the Margins” compendium of research on vulnerable households.
Jan AI Cafés
Seven new Jan AI Cafés were inaugurated in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh by Rohit Kansal IAS, Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development. These community‑run centres enable local entrepreneurs to provide last‑mile services in regional languages.
Closing Session
The concluding plenary, “Samriddh Gaon: The Village that is Never the Same,” reiterated the triad of samaaj, sarkaar and bazaar as enablers, orchestrators and diffusion partners, emphasizing that trust, not technology, will determine inclusive and sustainable growth over the next decade.
Entertainment and Future Plans
The event closed with a performance by singer‑composer Shekhar Ravjiani in conversation with Sarthak Kaushik. Organisers confirmed that charcha will return to New Delhi in September 2027.