GOPIO International Youth Council Hosts Global Webinar

The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) International Youth Council successfully hosted a global webinar on Saturday, 14
February 2026, themed “The Power of YOUth: Creating Impact in an Evolving World.” The virtual gathering brought together young leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, students, and members of the Indian Diaspora from across continents for a powerful 90-minute exchange of insight, reflection, and action.

In an era defined by artificial intelligence, rapid technological shifts, and borderless opportunity, the session moved beyond age-based definitions of youth to focus on awareness, ownership, and purposeful action. As articulated during the initial address, youth is not about chronology - it is about consciousness. It is about stepping up today for a better tomorrow.The webinar emphasized that in a trend-driven world, true leadership requires clarity over noise, purpose over popularity, and discipline over distraction. Participants were reminded that roles do not define individuals; it is how one plays those roles that creates impact. The recurring message throughout the session was clear: youth are not preparing for the future; they are actively building it.

Opening Address: A Global Call to Conscious Leadership, GOPIO Associate Secretary,Sunil Vuppulal opened the session by highlighting India’s
powerful youth demographic dividend and its global potential. He underscored the urgent need to bridge the gap between access to technology and meaningful employment opportunities, positioning youth empowerment as a collective responsibility.

GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham,welcomed participants and spoke on GOPIO mission and achievements in the last 36 years and emphasized the pivotal role of the Indian Diaspora in driving global innovation and leadership.

GOPIO President, Mr Prakash Shah, President of GOPIO International, encouraged deeper engagement with GOPIO initiatives to foster community-led growth and promote global collaboration.

Setting the Context: From Trends to Transformation Mr. Viresh Patel, Founder & CEO of Intell IDEA and Co-Chair of the Youth Council, also
panel executive host for this webinar, set the tone for the session by reframing youth as a mindset of awareness and responsibility rather than age. He outlined key themes that would shape the dialogue during the webinar, such as Awareness & Emotional Intelligence, AI & Future Skills, Financial Wisdom, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Wellbeing & Balance, and Purpose-Driven Leadership

Mr. Viresh emphasized that speed without direction is noise, and that real growth begins with inner clarity. Drawing parallels between the human mind and AI, he noted that “our mind responds to the prompts we feed it,” reminding participants that self-awareness is the foundation of emotional excellence and conscious leadership.

Keynote Address: Adaptability in the Age of Reinvention

GOPIO Youth Council Chair Ms. Vasu Pawar, CEO of Step2StepUp Inc., a non-profit, delivered a keynote address 'Adaptability in the Age of Reinvention' centred on adaptability, ethical leadership, and structured mentorship. She emphasized that the age of reinvention demands more than ambition — it demands alignment, disciplined execution, and ecosystem-building. Pawar highlighted that leadership is not about holding power but about creating more leaders, reinforcing the importance of enabling others to rise. Her message urged youth to shift from aspiration to actual impact through consistency, courage, and character. 

Moderator Patel then introduced the Chief Guest welcoming the Chief Guest Nitesh Banta, Co-Founder & CEO of B12, who spoke on Building Beyond Hype, Banta, after graduating from Harvard, initiated a few companies and then went to Google, from there to venture investing and entrepreneurship. Banta spoke about the exponential pace of AI development and its transformative societal impact.

Banta advised young leaders to continuously learn, build with AI tools, and engage across generations. Importantly, he distinguished between founders who chase valuation and those who build lasting value, emphasising sustainability, problem-solving, and long-term thinking over hype cycles.

Awareness & Identity: Breaking Patterns, Building Possibilities - 
Patel then introduced and welcomed Celebrity Guest Ms. Manasvi Mamgai, former Miss India, Actor and now a Hollywood producer. Manasvi shared her journey from Miss India to creative leadership, emphasising the importance of staying true to one's passions and cultural roots. She discussed her career in entertainment and her new initiative, the South Asians in Media and Arts Foundation(SAMA), aiming at supporting the next generation of talent in the arts and media.

AI & Human Skills: Staying Human in a Digital Age - Mr. Anubhav Jain, Founder of TWC UK and GUTSY, explored how AI is redefining industries. He stressed that while AI may outperform humans in speed and logic, emotional depth, empathy, creativity, and ethical judgment remain profoundly human. e encouraged youth to focus on “problem engineering” and human connection rather than competing with machines. The future, he noted, belongs to those who combine technological
literacy with emotional intelligence.

Financial Literacy: From Awareness to Action - Mr. Mirat Joshi, Director, Strategy & Regulatory Initiatives at CITI Bank, emphasized that financial literacy is freedom literacy. He discussed savings, investments, compounding, diversification, and the importance of starting early. He advised youth to cultivate disciplined investing habits and choose the right investment vehicles early in life. Wealth creation, he noted, is not about speed but consistency — great things that truly last take time to build.

Entrepreneurial Mindset: Courage Meets Clarity - Mr. Nemil Dalal, Visiting Partner at Y Combinator and crypto expert, shared insights on founder-market fit and early-stage innovation. He highlighted resilience, execution bias, and obsession with solving real problems as defining traits of successful entrepreneurs. He emphasized that the current AI era is resetting power dynamics between startups and incumbents, presenting unprecedented opportunities for bold builders willing to iterate, learn
from failure, and adapt.

Purpose Over Popularity: Character as Competitive Advantage - Mr. Jesson Jose, Founder of Sports Mission Infusion (SMI), presented his impactful work in
Mumbai, addressing crime prevention and gender-based violence through sports and character development programs. He underscored that integrity must outweigh algorithms, and that success should be measured by internal impact rather than social metrics. His call to action urged the “silent majority” to challenge abusive behavior and champion responsible masculinity.

Hustle to Harmony: Mental Well-being in High Performance - Mr. Lokesh Naidu, Founder of Loksun.ai and Optico.health, spoke on balancing ambition
with mental clarity. He cautioned that success without peace leads to burnout. The discussion emphasized daily micro-practices - reflection, digital boundaries, mind fulness, and intentional pauses — as tools for sustaining performance. Emotional awareness, not emotional suppression, was positioned as the path to inner strength.
Youth Innovation Showcase: The Future Presenting Today

Ms. Nayan Aggarwal, Young innovator from Chandigarh University, presented an AI-powered patient avatar simulator for psychology students, which provides dynamic, unpredictable interactions similar to real patients while eliminating risks associated with real patient contact.Veeresh K, a high school sophomore from Northwood High School, discussed his web-based Alzheimer's cognitive assessment tool aimed at reducing stigma and promoting early screening in communities where mental health support is stigmatized. Both young presenters emphasized the importance of making mental health support more accessible and culturally sensitive.Mentor Panel on Future Impact The meeting featured a panel discussion with mentors sharing their perspectives on AI,financial freedom, emotional well-being, and future skills.

Mr. Ramesh Thalli, an AI Solution Architect, emphasised the importance of building skills from a young age and highlighted how modelling tools can empower individuals to create and innovate.

Mr. Satyaki Mookerjee, CDO JIO-BP, stressed the need for lifelong learning, adapting to technological changes, and developing human qualities like empathy.

Dr. Geeta Narayan, Emotional Intelligence Expert & Coach, spoke about emotional agility, cultural grounding, and the value of Indian youth in contributing to the world, emphasizing the importance of purpose-driven performance and intergenerational intelligence.

Youth Power for Positive Change - The meeting focused on the power of youth and the importance of harnessing that power peacefully. Dr. Shashi Bhushan Singh, Ex Director & Head R&D at DRDO, emphasized the need for reducing conflicts and using technology for a positive impact.

Interactive Panel for Defining Success in 2030 - Mr. Viresh and the panel with all speakers coming together, discussed their perspectives on their perspectives of the definition of success in 2030.

Closing Reflection: One Action Within Seven Days - The session concluded with Mr Viresh highlighting a call to action for participants to implement one change within 7 days, aiming to transform lives rather than just following trends. Participants were reminded: Awareness builds clarity. AI requires humanity. Money
requires wisdom. Entrepreneurship requires resilience. Leadership requires integrity. Success requires balance

The event ended with concluding remarks and a vote of thanks by GOPIO SecretRY Siddharth Jain, expressing gratitude to speakers, participants, and the global GOPIO team. Technical support was provided by GOPIO Associate Secretary Vatsala Upadhyay.

About GOPIO International Youth Council
The GOPIO International Youth Council serves as a global platform for empowering young leaders across the Indian Diaspora through dialogue, mentorship, innovation, and collaborative impact initiatives.