Times of Bennett
ArticleCampus

Dialogues that define tomorrow: Inside the Times Now Summit 2026

Marking 20 years of Times Now journalism, the summit shaped India's future in innovation and influence. Day 1 featured Vineet Jain urging Atmanirbhar self-reliance in AI, defence, and more. Kiren Rijiju defended democracy, critiqued Rahul Gandhi, and backed an anti-"dalal" stance. Maneesha Ramesh detailed sustainable community solutions, such as lemongrass distillation. A panel with Dr. Sangeetha Reddy, Archana Vyas, and Mira Rajput stressed healthcare, women's empowerment, AI, and startups. Navika Kumar challenged Asaduddin Owaisi's parliamentary critiques and war views, noting his provocative diversions (e.g., Israel as "tawaif," US as "Mr Orange"). Iran's Dr Mohammed Hussein Zeinani addressed unity and negotiations; Rekha Gupta touted Delhi NCR infrastructure; Shilpa Rao and Harmanpreet Kaur shared cultural/sports insights. Day 2 intensified with Amit Shah praising the economy, agriculture, infrastructure, and PM policies; MP CM Mohan Yadav highlighting state roles via Ladli Laxmi Yojana and growth; Akhilesh Yadav pushing opposition views on accountability. Bollywood's Kriti Sanon discussed her career and film evolution, quipping she's "not a sports person."Overall, the event sparked dynamic dialogues across politics, states, the economy, and culture.

Published:April 7, 2026 at 03:37 PM4 min read
Dialogues that define tomorrow: Inside the Times Now Summit 2026
Correspondents: Shreya and Rajesh

For six years, the Times Now Summit has shaped India's future beyond merely capturing its rise, marking 20 years of credible journalism. Focusing on the road ahead, from global innovation to digital influence. The first day at Taj Palace brought policymakers, industry leaders, and cultural voices together.

Times Group Managing Director Vineet Jain opened, hailing India's shift from "promise" to "central" in geopolitics and tech. He urged self-reliance in AI, education, defence, critical technology, and infrastructure, calling Atmanirbhar Bharat a "fundamental doctrine."
Keynotes and panels followed. Kiren Rijiju, on "Strengthening the world’s largest democracy," praised a successful all-party meeting on West Asia, positioning himself as both bridge-builder and confronter. He slammed Rahul Gandhi's "personal policy" jabs at Modi's foreign policy as agenda-driven, targeting development while ignoring SC/ST/minority aid. Rijiju endorsed EAM Jaishankar's "We’re not a dalal country" remark and clarified India's timely condolences for Khamenei's death.

Maneesha Ramesh outlined "Sustainable development," detailing community co-solutions like lemongrass distillation systems using steam, stainless steel stills, boilers, condensers, and separators.
A healthcare and women empowerment panel featured Dr Sangeetha Reddy (Apollo Hospitals MD), Archana Vyas (Gates Foundation), and Mira Rajput (Dhun Wellness founder). They emphasised healthcare as a socio-economic driver, women's growth via participation, financial literacy, AI/digital tools, integrated workforce platforms, and startup support.


Navika Kumar grilled Asaduddin Owaisi on parliamentary democracy, noting his loud voice. He lamented scant West Asia debates in Parliament versus all-party meetings. In war crises, he prioritised national interest, referencing China discussions, and deflected on Iran's Gulf attacks. Responding to "dalal," he called Israel a "tawaif," US President "Mr Orange," and praised Iran's Kashmir stance while criticising India-Israel ties—prompting neutrality reminders. His diversions drew criticism for global image risks.
Iran's Deputy Supreme Leader Dr Mohammed Hussein Zeinani discussed war perspectives and unity, viewing Pakistan's role as a negotiator amid US pressure.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta touted NCR roads, drains, and safety fixes, making drives enjoyable and curbing rain overflows. Cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur highlighted resilience, locker-room camaraderie, and mental prep. On the whole, Day 1 sparked ideas across politics, business, culture, and sports, setting the stage for more.

After an exciting and composed Day 1, the Times Now Summit 2026 at Taj, dialogues moved forward into a level of intense idea-swap at Day 2 (March 27), where different important ideas like politics, role of states and national policy are covered. The spotlight remained on political heavyweights, big names such as Amit Shah, Akhilesh Yadav, MP chief minister Mohan Yadav and other political big names were the centre of attention in the summit. Turning the summit into a platform of multiple shared and sharp ideological contrasts. Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted the narratives of the Indian government on India’s strong economy and rapid growth in the agriculture and infrastructure sectors. He also highlights the contribution of the Prime Minister in India’s stable policies.


Along with central discussions, Madha Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav talked about the role of the state in nation-building and unity. He has a detailed description of the role of states in developing India’s overall progress. In his speech, He also mentions many social and economic development programs such as the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, along with the industrialisation and agricultural growth within Madhya Pradesh. His comments placed Madhya Pradesh on the map as a developing state within the large framework of India’s development story.

On the other hand, moving forward in the discussion, opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav offered the viewpoints of one of the important leaders of the opposition by posing questions regarding governance policies, emphasising accountability and inclusiveness. This made the debates more engaging and interesting, making the discussion more dynamic and multi-dimensional.

Moving forward with heated sessions, the summit also saw a touch of Bollywood when Bollywood superstar Kriti Sanon attended the summit, where she talked about her life, her reputation and the changing nature of film with time.

Adding another element to the conversation, as one can see, summits like these extend past politics into other forms of culture. redibly quotable quote, saying, “I am not a sports person—that’s the funniest rumour I’ve ever heard,” which immediately became media material.

On the whole, day two was a definite highlight, combining hard political discussion with state-level politics as well as cultural elements.

(Shreya and Rajesh are aspiring media professionals pursuing their BAMC degrees. Together, they combine their skills in research and creative writing to bring a fresh perspective to every story they cover)
Tags
#times now summit#navika kumar#mira rajput#sangeetha reddy#vineet jain#kiren rijiju#asaduddin owaisi#times group

Related Articles

A Curtain Call to Remember: Jashn-E-Cinema 2026
Article
Campus

A Curtain Call to Remember: Jashn-E-Cinema 2026

Jashn-E-Cinema 2026 embodied the university's vibrant cultural spirit through a night of unity, talent, and reflection. The highlight was BYOB Live's finale, where the audience joined in singing and swaying, blurring the stage and crowd in a shared, emotional celebration marking the year's end. The evening opened with a poignant badge ceremony honouring club leaders for their dedication, setting a reflective tone before the performances. Clubs showcased diverse talents: Advaita's energetic band set the musical rhythm; Cerebrum's witty Farzi Mushaira skit satirised poetry; Panache's ethnic-modern ramp walk dazzled visually; Verve's narrative Bollywood dance enthralled; Ansh's comedic theatre Big B chal Padhe delivered laughs; and Rivaaz's classical dance closed gracefully. Vikram Singh, Music Society Secretary, summed it up: “A great end to the year—a final goodbye, but a celebration of what we’ve built together.” The event was a farewell tapestry of collaboration, from quiet honours to explosive energy.

Apr 17, 20264 min
#ansh#advaita#panache+2 more
When AI Meets Healthcare: Bennett University Leads the Conversation
Article
Campus

When AI Meets Healthcare: Bennett University Leads the Conversation

Bennett University, with ADiRA, DataLEADS, Google.org, ADB, and AVPN, hosted the “AI for Health” webinar on World Health Day. With 200+ registrations, experts discussed AI in early disease detection, diabetes care, and prompt engineering. The session blended practical insights with discussion, highlighting AI’s growing impact on healthcare and awareness.

Apr 17, 20263 min
#bennett university#rajeev tiwari#nimish kapoor+6 more
Bennett’s Digital MBA: The New Rule for Corporate Success
Article
Campus

Bennett’s Digital MBA: The New Rule for Corporate Success

Stop choosing between a paycheck and a promotion. Bennett University has officially launched its January 2026 Online MBA Foundation Batch, signalling the end of the "career break" era. This high-octane program, backed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., is designed to turn working professionals into future-ready leaders through tactical decision-making and real-world application, all without leaving the workforce. For those looking to dominate the boardroom, the rules of the game just changed.

Apr 7, 20262 min
#digital#bennett#batch+6 more
Strengthening Media Ethics at the ASCI-TSOM Faculty Development Program
Article
Campus

Strengthening Media Ethics at the ASCI-TSOM Faculty Development Program

The event gathered advertising leaders, academicians, and media professionals to explore building trust amid rampant advertising. It kicked off with a welcome from Asst. Prof. Sneh Gupta and a keynote by Dr. Sumit Narula on the media's role against misinformation and ASCI's ethical standards. Prof. Dhiraj Singh highlighted unethical ads' role in consumer distrust, while key speaker Subhash Kamath traced ASCI's origins and advertising's shift to influencer marketing. Dr. Saheli Sinha discussed industry evolution, preventive regulations since 2023, and the power of emotional storytelling in ethical campaigns. Interactive discussions stressed responsible advertising to consumers, society, brands, and industry—via self-regulation, disclosures in influencer marketing, avoiding stereotypes, and curbing harmful practices. Mr. Senthil Kumar praised the academia-industry bridge. The session ended with a quiz on ad laws and ethics, underscoring transparency and self-regulation for lasting consumer trust in a digital world.

Apr 7, 20264 min
#faculty development program#sneh gupta#times school of media+2 more
The 61st Femina Miss India Auditions at Bennett University
Article
Campus

The 61st Femina Miss India Auditions at Bennett University

The 61st Femina Miss India North Zone Auditions at Bennett University showcased aspiring models from North India through screening rounds, talent displays, and interviews. Judges like Bhawana Rao, Rishi Raj, and others evaluated confidence, originality, and stage presence. Standouts included Harsh from Punjab challenging stereotypes, Delhi's Ankana embracing authenticity, comedian Kaashvi Mehra, and Kathak dancer Sakshi Mengane. Top 5 finalists: Punjab (Yashika Sharma et al.), Himachal (Shivangi Rana et al.), Delhi (Shruty Rana et al.). The event celebrated self-expression, breaking barriers, and ambition, highlighting Bennett University's stellar hosting.

Mar 20, 20264 min
#femina miss#bennett university#bhawana rao+6 more
Inside Lovejeet Alexander’s Bloomberg New Economy Masterclass
Article
Campus

Inside Lovejeet Alexander’s Bloomberg New Economy Masterclass

On March 10, 2025, Times School of Media at Bennett University hosted a masterclass by Lovejeet Alexander, Director - New Economy at Bloomberg, on modern financial journalism, the digital economy, and data-driven storytelling. Dhiraj Sir opened the session, discussing technological shifts in the economy before introducing Alexander, who contrasted the old economy (physical assets like factories) with the new (data, tech, and platforms like Amazon and Meta). He explored the attention economy—where attention builds influence and attracts capital—and narrative capital, where stories drive markets, citing GameStop, AI hype, Paytm's IPO, Adani volatility, and Zerodha's trust-based success. Alexander concluded with five principles for journalists: track capital flows, grasp industry tech, distinguish narrative from reality, value credibility over speed, and adopt a global mindset—stressing accuracy amid information-driven markets.

Mar 20, 20263 min
#mr alexander#lovejeet alexander#times school of media+5 more