XLRI FULCRUM 6.0 – Event Overview
On July 29, 2026, XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, hosted FULCRUM 6.0, a conclave titled “Navigating Disruptions, Resilience, and Strategic Transformation in the Consulting Industry.” The event was organised by the XLRI PGDM (General Management) programme and executed by members of the Kautilya Consulting Club under the conceptual leadership of Prof. Kanagaraj Ayyalusamy (Professor of Finance & Convenor, Corporate Relations and Placements), Prof. Sunil Sarangi (Professor of Business Communication), and Mr. Rajni Ranjan (Vice President, Corporate Relations & Placements).
Panel Structure and Themes
Panel 1 – Judgement in the Age of Information Overabundance
Panelists included Ajit Pai (EY), Amey Navelkar (Persistent Systems), Anup Gandhi (Alvarez & Marsal), Avinash Baliga (Avasant), Inder N. Dua (Infosys Consulting), Jeewitesh Prabhakar (PwC), Maheshan Kuttikkariyil (IBM Consulting), Sangita Moulik Gupta (Leading Consulting Company), Shantanu Singh (Accenture) and Sujith Jain (Alvarez & Marsal). The discussion highlighted that despite exponential data growth, professional judgement—shaped by client experience—remains irreplaceable.
Panel 2 – Generative AI as a Disruptor: Existential Threat or Biggest Opportunity?
Speakers were Amitayu Roy (Accenture Strategy & Consulting), Angad Karunan (ZS), Avvanti Gupta (IBM Consulting), Prakash Dwivedi (EY), Priyadarshi Majumdar (Genpact), Raghav Manohar Narsalay (PwC), Renu Chandel (Accenture), Sunjeet Gupta (Accenture), Vasudev Puranik (Leading Consulting Company) and Yash Vardhan Nath (PwC). The dialogue traced consulting’s evolution through successive technological waves, positioning generative AI as a catalyst that augments rather than replaces human talent. Panelists stressed the need for adaptable frameworks, empathy, precision, and purpose when integrating AI into client solutions.
Panel 3 – Fee Pressure, Commoditisation, and Protecting Consulting Margins in the Gen‑AI Era
Participants included Ankur Mittal (Axeno Consulting), Anurag Khare (KPMG), Karthiga Anand (Leading Consulting Company), Krishna Prasad (CGI), Rohan Padha (Deloitte India), Sharmistha Bagchi (IBM Consulting) and Somsekhar Pal (ZS). The conversation focused on safeguarding value amid increasing commoditisation, evolving pricing models, and the necessity of intentional differentiation over the next three to five years. Trust, deep expertise, and the human edge in high‑stakes decision‑making were identified as enduring competitive advantages.
Moderation and Hosting
The sessions were moderated by Dr. Rupinder Kaur, Monishka Singh, Nilkanth Sawant and Anurag Singh. Hosts and co‑hosts Hardik Dhawan, Megh Podar, Dhwani Shah and Aakriti Anwesha added vibrancy and professionalism throughout the event.
Significance
FULCRUM 6.0 served as a platform for senior consulting executives, sector experts, and academia to exchange perspectives on how AI, information overload, and fee pressures are reshaping the consulting value chain. The conclave reinforced XLRI’s role in convening thought‑leaders to shape the future trajectory of the consulting industry on a global stage.