MAM
Good deeds, great returns dentsu clocks its ninth One Day for Change
MUMBAI: Sometimes, the biggest shifts begin with the smallest switches flipped. At dentsu India, that switch was thrown once again with the ninth edition of One Day for Change (ODfC), the network’s annual volunteering initiative that turns a single day on the calendar into weeks of collective impact.
Built around the idea that everyday choices can ripple outward, this year’s ODfC reflected dentsu’s Sanpo-Yoshi philosophy good for business, good for people, good for society and brought its Business to Business to Society (B2B2S) promise to life in distinctly human ways.
Far from a symbolic exercise, ODfC has become dentsu’s practical proof point that sustainability and social impact are not side projects but part of how the business works. Anchored in the company’s 2030 value creation strategy, the programme feeds real-world learning back into how dentsu designs inclusive, sustainability-led strategies for clients across markets.
For the 2025 edition, dentsu India partnered with Enabling Leadership, a Pragatee Foundation initiative focused on building life and leadership skills among children from underserved communities. Over four weeks, 122 dentsu volunteers worked with 73 students across multiple cities, combining hands-on building-block workshops hosted at dentsu offices with structured online mentoring sessions.
The sessions focused on skills that rarely fit neatly into textbooks communication, digital literacy and financial literacy while also nurturing creativity, adaptability, problem-solving and confidence. For dentsu’s employees, the experience offered something equally valuable: a close-up view of values-led leadership in action, mirroring the same approach the organisation brings to client work.
“One Day for Change reminds us that impact doesn’t always come from grand gestures,” said dentsu CEO for South Asia Harsha Razdan. “It often starts with the intent to do something small, consistently, for someone else. This initiative has grown into a reflection of who we want to be as an organisation responsible, empathetic and present.”
Dentsu president and chief strategy officer for South Asia Narayan Devanathan described ODfC as a working model of the company’s B2B2S philosophy. The value, he noted, lies not in scale but in sincerity, with moments that shape culture internally while sharpening how dentsu guides clients on their own sustainability journeys.
From the partner side, Enabling Leadership CEO Ravi Sonnad highlighted how the collaboration translated abstract ideas into lived experience for students, helping build skills around teamwork, resilience and creative thinking.
Now in its ninth year, One Day for Change continues to underline a simple but persuasive argument: when creativity and sustainability meet consistent action, business outcomes and social progress do not compete, they compound.
MAM
Mumbai Tech Week 2026 to focus on real-world AI adoption at scale
From pilots to production, event spotlights AI’s growing business impact
MUMBAI: Mumbai Tech Week 2026 will return for its third edition on 29 and 30 May at the Jio World Convention Centre, with a clear shift in focus from AI experimentation to real-world deployment.
Organised by the Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai and the Government of Maharashtra, and co-powered by Meta, the event is expected to bring together startups, investors, developers and policymakers to explore how AI is actively reshaping business operations.
This year’s edition places execution front and centre, with curated showcases from Indian unicorns and global technology firms demonstrating practical AI applications across sectors. The emphasis is less on what AI can do and more on what it is already doing.
“The competitive advantage in AI has shifted. It’s no longer about understanding it, it’s about implementing it,” said Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai co-chair, governing council Harsh Jain. “The companies pulling ahead are the ones moving from pilots to production and embedding AI into how their business runs.”
The backdrop to this shift is significant. AI is projected to contribute up to $500 billion to India’s GDP, while Mumbai’s startup ecosystem could see more than 100 unicorns by 2035. The city is also emerging as a key hub for data centre expansion, fuelled by rising AI workloads and enterprise demand.
The event will feature formats such as AI Excellence Awards, an early-stage startup showcase, and an AI-powered job fair in collaboration with Babblebots.ai. Masterclasses led by Meta, Replit and NPCI are expected to offer hands-on insights into AI adoption.
Speakers from organisations including Anthropic, Google Cloud India and Neysa will share perspectives on scaling AI in production environments, reflecting the event’s blend of global expertise and local innovation.
In the lead-up to the main event, satellite sessions between 25 and 28 May will take place across Mumbai, featuring workshops, hackathons and founder-led meetups designed to deepen ecosystem engagement.
“Mumbai has the ingredients to shape how AI is built and applied,” said Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai governing council member Naiyya Saggi. “Its strength lies in proximity, where capital, enterprises and consumers are closely connected, allowing ideas to move quickly from concept to adoption.”
As India reaches a defining moment in its AI journey, Mumbai Tech Week 2026 aims to turn momentum into measurable impact, positioning the city as a key driver in the global AI ecosystem.
