Some conversations don’t fit neatly into a lecture format, and this was one of them. On 29th September 2026, our Students’ Council and Cultural Committee welcomed Shri Milind Deora, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, to the Worli campus for an open Campus Dialogue. What followed was an hour-plus conversation that moved from India’s economic future to climate technology to how students themselves should think about the years ahead.

Turning Challenges Into Opportunities

Shri Deora opened by framing today’s biggest challenges as the seeds of tomorrow’s breakthroughs, pointing out that major global crises have historically pushed nations toward faster innovation and new energy sources. He walked students through India’s recent progress in building domestic capability, from manufacturing and processing to defence, space and technology, and argued that reducing dependence on external sources has become central to the country’s growth story.

What It Takes to Build a Culture of Innovation

A large part of the discussion centred on what actually creates innovation. Comparing the ecosystems of the United States and China, Shri Deora made the case that India needs its own environment where experimentation and even failure are treated as part of the process, not something to avoid. He pointed to closer collaboration between government, universities and the private sector as the missing piece, and highlighted emerging opportunities across AI, robotics, space technology, nuclear energy and climate tech, including green steel and sustainable agriculture, as areas where that collaboration could pay off.

Preparing for a Changing Job Market

On AI and automation, Shri Deora didn’t shy away from the disruption many traditional jobs will face, but he balanced that with a clear point: new technology also creates entirely new kinds of work. He encouraged students to stay curious about emerging tools, build an entrepreneurial mindset, strengthen teamwork and communication, and get comfortable experimenting and learning from failure. One piece of advice stood out for its simplicity: spend less time doomscrolling, and more time building actual skills.

Rethinking How Mumbai Grows

The conversation also turned local, with a detailed look at Mumbai’s housing and connectivity challenges. Drawing a comparison to how Manhattan’s high costs are offset by well-connected boroughs like Queens and Brooklyn, Shri Deora spoke about infrastructure projects like the Coastal Road and Atal Setu, and the potential of an expanded Mumbai Metropolitan Region to bring housing, jobs and transport closer together, cutting commute times across the city.

Students Took the Mic Too

The Q&A that followed covered an impressively wide range of ground: career-ready skills, India-US relations, opportunities in space and nuclear energy, online safety for children, and urban governance. Shri Deora spoke about the growing role of private enterprise in India’s space sector and made the case for stronger, more empowered municipalities as a path to better city governance.

A Personal Touch for Student Leaders

Beyond the main session, Shri Deora sat down directly with Students’ Council representatives in Room No. 1, discussing what leadership on campus actually involves. He left genuinely impressed, encouraging the Council to pursue meaningful social initiatives, and even floated the idea of inviting 20–25 Hinduja College students to attend the upcoming Winter Parliament Session, pending coordination with the Principal.

A Conversation Worth Having Again

What stayed with students wasn’t just the policy detail; it was the tone. Shri Deora closed on a simple note: stay adaptable, don’t take yourself too seriously, and meet a changing world with a balanced, positive outlook. For a campus built on preparing students for what comes next, that’s a message worth holding onto.

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