New Delhi: Leaders from energy, pharma, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, startups and education sectors came together to bat for collective responsibility to promote clean air at the Next Gen Bharat 2026 Conference.
Organised by Morning Sprout Consulting and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College (DDUC), University of Delhi, the conference brought together industry, academia and youth for a solution-oriented dialogue and to reinforce the importance of collective action for Viksit Bharat.
Stakeholders underlined that besides health, air quality has a direct bearing on economy, employee productivity, absenteeism and almost every aspect of life. They reiterated that it is a complex issue and all stakeholders must work together to accelerate India’s development journey.
Prof Balaram Pani, Dean of Colleges at University of Delhi, who was the chief guest, urged stakeholders to “take responsibility and provide solution to this challenge. The Swachh Bharat call inspires us all to work together for our nation and future of our youth”.
Shweta Thakur Nanda, Founder and Managing Director, Morning Sprout Consulting, said, “India of tomorrow requires young people to be active participants in shaping clean air solutions, supported by stronger collaboration between government, industry, academia and communities.”
“It’s time we change the way we frame the clean-air conversation. The shift must happen from awareness to ownership; from apprehension to collective responsibility and collective action,” Nanda said in her inaugural address.
“The air our young people breathe today will shape the India they build tomorrow. Clean air is an investment in human potential, productivity and the resilience of our nation. A healthier workforce is not only a healthier workforce; it is a sharper, stronger and more capable generation, equipped to create the economic, social and sustainable value that will define a truly Viksit Bharat,” said Prateek Dubey, Global CHRO of Mankind Pharma.
During the industry panels, speakers emphasized that “clean air cannot be somebody else’s responsibility; it is a shared responsibility, and our young people must be at the heart of that change”.
Prof Hem Chand Jain, Principal, DDUC underlined the importance of behaviour change for clean air and urged everyone especially the youth to take planet positive steps, recycle and reuse. Shashi Yadav, Councillor, Municipal Corporation of Delhi said clean air is a basic necessity and we must work together to improve it.
A key highlight was the Principals’ Round Table featuring Prof Sandeep Garg, Principal, Motilal Nehru College (Evening), Prof Kawal Gill, Principal, Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce and Prof Ruby Mishra, Principal of Bhagini Nivedita College. The discussion examined how educational institutions can prepare students for a rapidly changing world while creating greater awareness around sustainability, citizenship and social responsibility.
