Knowledge Networks Hosts the Inaugural Universal AI Awards 2026 India Chapter in New Delhi & Announces the Miami Chapter

Knowledge Networks launched the Universal AI Awards 2026 in New Delhi, celebrating AI impact and announcing Miami as the next chapter in its global journey.

NEW DELHI, NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Knowledge Networks hosted the Universal AI Awards 2026 India Chapter on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency, New Delhi. The Universal AI Awards, an initiative of Knowledge Networks, brought together senior policymakers, enterprise leaders, technologists, and researchers for a full-day Leadership Summit centered on the theme “Celebrating Impact. Inspiring the Future.”

The program paired the Leadership Summit with the Grand Awards Ceremony, which recognized organizations and individuals advancing responsible and high-impact artificial intelligence across India and beyond. EY served as the process partner for the Universal AI Awards and oversaw the evaluation and selection process behind the recognitions.

Opening Ceremony and Guest of Honor
The Summit opened with a ceremonial lamp lighting and the formal inauguration of the Universal AI Awards. Dr. Buddha Chandrasekhar, CEO of Anuvadini AI and Chief Coordinating Officer at the All India Council for Technical Education, Ministry of Education, joined as Guest of Honor and delivered an address on India’s AI vision and its ambition to build a global AI powerhouse.

Founder’s Address and Global Launch
Sanjay Puri, Founder and Chairman of Knowledge Networks, felicitated the assembled dignitaries and delivered the Founder’s Address, during which he announced the global launch of the Universal AI Awards. He introduced the Awards ecosystem across India and America, set out its vision, governance framework, and global roadmap, and announced the Universal AI Awards Miami Chapter as the next edition in the series.

“Artificial intelligence has become a defining force across every economy, and the people building it responsibly deserve recognition on a global stage. With the launch of the Universal AI Awards, we are celebrating the individuals and organizations turning AI into real impact, and we are creating a platform that connects India and America around a shared vision for trustworthy AI. The India Chapter shows what becomes possible when policy, industry, and research pursue a common purpose,” said Sanjay Puri, Founder and Chairman, Knowledge Networks.

Leadership Discussions
The Summit featured a series of leadership discussions with senior voices from government, industry, and research:

a) India’s AI Roadmap: Policy, Innovation & Global Competitiveness. Moderated by Shakoor Rather, Founder of Science Matters, with panelists Dr. Shakti Goel (Yatra Online), Alok Shankar Pandey (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India), and Ankit Bose (NASSCOM).

b) Governing AI Responsibly: Balancing Innovation, Risk & Trust. Moderated by Prakhar Garg, Assistant Editor at ET Edge Insights, with panelists Saakshar Duggal (Global AI Leaders Forum), Jibu Elias (Mozilla Foundation), Shubhradeep Nandi (ResponCibleAI), and Chandni Nanda (United Health Group).

c) The Chief AI Officer Agenda: Scaling Enterprise AI Across Industries. A CXO leadership panel moderated by Chinmay D. Gavankar, Partner at EY, with panelists Sudhanshu Mittal (NASSCOM), Rupali Gupta (Dunnhumby), and Atul Rai (Staqu Technologies).

d) Inside the AI Boardroom: Lessons from Enterprise AI Transformation. An executive conversation moderated by Ashok Kalra, Associate Director at Deloitte, with panelists Vikram Malhotra (Microsoft), Ashwin Raguraman (Bharat Innovation Fund), Vicky Nanda (NiramAI Health Analytix), and Harish Chandra.

e) The event also included two feature talks: Avik Sarkar, Faculty and Senior Researcher at the Indian School of Business and former Head of the Data Analytics Cell at NITI Aayog, presented “AI for Social Good: Turning Data into Public Impact,” and Raul John Aju, Founder of ThinkCraft Academy and CTO of Airealm Technologies, presented “AI Beyond Tomorrow: The Next Decade of Human Progress.”

The Universal AI Awards 2026 India Chapter
The day concluded with the Grand Awards Ceremony, which honored the achievements celebrated across the India Chapter. Meher Tavadia, Manager of Event Risk Management Services at Ernst & Young, addressed delegates on the process behind the Universal AI Awards, and Sanjay Puri felicitated the jury panel. Sanjay Puri closed the proceedings with reflections on the key takeaways from the day. The evening continued with a cocktail reception and the Universal AI Awards Gala Dinner, which brought together award winners, speakers, investors, and delegates from across the AI ecosystem.

About the Universal AI Awards
The Universal AI Awards is an initiative of Knowledge Networks that recognizes organizations and individuals driving responsible, high-impact artificial intelligence. Following the India Chapter, the Awards are expanding across India and America, with the Miami Chapter announced as the next edition under a shared vision, governance framework, and roadmap.

Upasana Das
Knowledge Networks
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