Dr. Abhijit Lele, Power Grid Centre of excellence in Cybersecurity.
Dr. Abhijit Lele is a PhD from Indian Institute of Science and specializes in applications of AI / ML in various domains including cybersecurity and forensics. Over the last 25 years, he has been associated with Motorola Research Labs, Samsung, Bosch, to name a few. He has been the chief architect at Barracuda networks, a company providing security solutions majority of the Banks and financial institution globally. Current, he is associated with the Power Grid Centre of excellence in Cybersecurity.
Shri. Aby Joseph, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
Shri Aby Joseph is the Senior Director at Power Electronics Group at Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Thiruvananthapuram. A post-graduate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering with over 25 years of experience in the design and development of power electronic converter-based systems for renewable energy, power quality systems, microgrids, and battery energy storage systems. He has carried out product development and turnkey projects in association with various agencies. He worked closely on the National Mission on Power Electronics Technology (NaMPET) project by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). His expertise includes designing power electronic converters, implementing digital control systems, distributed generation systems, microgrids, power system monitoring, and power quality improvement solutions.
Shri. Akshay Mukesh, Ather Energy
Akshay Mukesh is the Lead for Public Charging Products and Policies at Ather Energy, where he plays a role in shaping the future of light electric vehicle charging solutions. With over 17 years of extensive experience in various customer-centric roles, Akshay has consistently demonstrated a strong bias for technology-led distributions. His expertise lies in fostering interoperability among multiple EV charging touchpoints, engaging proactively with standard definition and publication organizations. Through his efforts, Akshay aims to simplify and enhance the affordability of interoperability within the light electric ecosystem, ensuring a seamless experience for users.
Dr. Allabaksh Naikodi,Mahindra Electric
Dr. Allabaksh Naikodi is an expert with over 35 years of experience in the EV industry. Apart from his rich expertise in the EV sector, he also possesses significant experience in the domains of renewable energy, power electronics, drives, and automation among others. He is an external advisor to McKinsey. He has worked with a myriad of companies at different positions from Manager to R&D and Engineering Head. He was associated with renowned companies such as Royal Enfield, Mahindra Electric, Schneider Electric, ABB, Honeywell, and Tech Mahindra. Dr. Allabaksh Naikodi completed his PhD from IIT Madras.
Dr. Amit Chandrakar, Symphony AI
Dr. Amit Chandrakar is a Data Scientist at Symphony AI with over 10 years of experience. His career has spanned the intersection of mechanical engineering and data science, and he is passionate about leveraging data-driven insights to enhance decision-making and solve complex problems. His expertise includes program management, machine learning, and proficiency in Python. He specializes in Design for Six Sigma and Design for reliability, applying methodologies like Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to improve product and system reliability. Dr. Chandrakar holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Homi Bhabha National Institute and an M.Tech in Reliability from IIT Bombay.
Dr. Amit Ramchandra Kulkarni, MahaTransco
Dr. Amit Ramchandra Kulkarni, Additional Executive Engineer, MahaTransco has over 20+ Years of rich experience in the field of Transmission, Distribution and RE domain. His field of works include Power System Planning and Studies, Advanced Protection Systems, Automation and Control, SMARTGRID, WAMS, WAMPAC, FACTS, RE developmental areas, EHV Project Testing, Commissioning, and Execution including GIS, Grid Operation and Management, Cyber Security and Power grids. He was instrumental in implementing India’s first Wide Area Measurement System project and PMU based Situational Awareness System in MAHATRANSCO. He received Doctorate from VNIT-NAGPUR under Govt. of India’s Visvesvaraya MeitY scheme.
Ann Josey, Prayas (Energy Group)
Ann Josey is a Fellow with Prayas (Energy Group), a Not for Profit organisation working on power sector challenges for over 25 years. Since 2011, her work has concentrated on electricity sector policy and regulation at the national level and in various states. Her current efforts are focussed on the financial viability of distribution companies, supply and service quality challenges, rate and subsidy design, power procurement planning, development of electricity markets, RE integration, rural electrification and regulatory governance in the sector.
Ms. Anu Ranganath, World Resources Institute (WRI) India
Anu Ranganath comes with experience across automotive/EV startups and established OEMs in India and the UK. With a proven track record in leading innovative projects and driving transformative solutions in the automotive industry, she has developed a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on execution. Currently, she is contributing her expertise at the World Resources Institute (WRI) India, where she manages the Just EV Transition program. Her focus is on creating sustainable, inclusive strategies to ensure a fair shift towards greener economies, leveraging her deep industry knowledge to guide communities, stakeholders, and businesses through the transition to a low-carbon future.
Anuraag Nallapaneni, WRI India
Anuraag is a Senior Program Associate – Hydrogen at WRI India in the Sustainable Cities and Transport program. His work involves accelerating adoption of EV’s through projects that create a conducive ecosystem for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. He comes from a diverse experience in the clean energy and energy storage sectors. He was involved in technical and commercial feasibility assessment, business model development, capacity building strategies and policy assessment for public and private sector entities in the renewable energy and energy storage sectors in India and South East Asia region. Anuraag holds a master’s in Renewable Energy Engineering from Cranfield University, UK and an Integrated master’s in Chemistry from the University of Hyderabad.
Shri Asit Singh, SRPC
Shri Asit Singh belongs to Central Power Engineering Services (1996 Batch) and presently is Member Secretary of Southern Regional Power Committee (SRPC). He is member convenor to SRPC and TCC and chairs sub committees which looks into planning, operation, commercial, protection and communication aspects of Southern Regional Grid. He has more than 27 years of experience in grid operation, commercial, regulatory issues etc. He has held various designations and area of expertise in SRPC, has experience in working at Regional Inspectorate Organisation at Chennai and as Chief Engineer (Power) at Polavaram Project Authority in Hyderabad. He holds B.Tech Degree in Electrical Engineering and also a MBA degree.
Shri. Awdhesh Kumar Yadav, CERC
Shri Awdhesh Kumar Yadav is currently serving as Chief (Engineering) at the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) since June 2022. He began his career at BHEL and later joined the Central Power Engineering Service in 2000. At CEA, he contributed to transmission planning, offline grid function in the Regional Power Committees, and tariff-based competitive bidding for transmission projects. At CERC, he has been involved in formulating key regulations, including General Network Access, the Indian Electricity Grid Code, and Tariff Regulation 2024-29, as well as determining tariffs for thermal, hydro, and transmission projects. Shri Awdhesh Kumar Yadav is an Electrical Engineering graduate from MMMEC Gorakhpur.
Dr. Balaraman Kannan, Idam Infrastructure Advisory Private Limited
Dr. Balaraman Kannan is the Executive Director at Idam Infrastructure Advisory Private Limited and has completed his tenure as Director General at the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. With over 30 years of experience in the domains of clean energy, sustainable energy, and power system engineering, Dr. Balaraman is an accomplished expert in clean energy transition and Renewable Energy (RE) integration.He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from VTU, Belgaum, and an MBA from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Ben Kroposki, NREL
Dr. Ben Kroposki is the Director of the Power Systems Engineering Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where he leads NREL’s strategic research in the design, planning, and operations of electrical power systems. He has over 30 years of experience in the design, testing, and integration of renewable and distributed power systems.Dr. Kroposki serves as the organizational director for the Universal Interoperability for Grid-forming Inverters (UNIFI) consortium, which addresses challenges in seamlessly integrating inverter-based resources and synchronous machines in power systems worldwide. He received his BSEE and MSEE from Virginia Tech and his Ph.D. from the Colorado School of Mines.
Dr. Bharadwaj Sathyanarayana, Siemens
Dr. Bharadwaj Sathyanarayana is a Senior Product Owner and Engineering Manager in the R&D group of the Grid Software business unit at Siemens. He is responsible for delivery of projects and software solutions for transmission operations in the EMS, EMMS and Grid Planning areas. Dr. Sathyanarayana has more than 10 years of experience in delivering solutions for leading TSOs, DSOs and IOUs worldwide (notable projects include Arizona Public Service, Red Electrica Espana, California ISO). He has also developed custom Machine Learning applications for automating and enhancing operator workflows. Dr. Bharadwaj Sathyanarayana obtained his MSEE and PhD from Arizona State University.
Shri. Bhargav Nerayanoor, POWRGRID Center of Excellence in Cyber Security
Shri. Bhargav Nerayanoor is an expert in electrical power systems and industrial automation, with over 17 years of experience. He holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore. Currently serving as a Technical Officer at the POWRGRID Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security, Bhargav specializes in securing critical infrastructure, particularly in power transmission utilities. His expertise spans ideation, design, development, testing, commissioning, and technical management. With a deep understanding of the convergence between IT and OT systems, he is committed to advancing cybersecurity in utility automation.
Shri. Bibhudatta Patnaik, GE Vernova
Shri. Bibhudatta Patnaik (Senior Member, IEEE) pursued his M.Tech in Power Systems and is currently a Lead Engineer with GE Vernova, Chennai, India with an experience of around 10 years contributing to the domains of Prognostics Health Management (PHM) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS). Prior to joining GE Vernova, he was associated with Eaton and Airbus, where his primary focus was on working with different power generation & transmission systems in automotive and aerospace industries. His major research interests include condition-based monitoring and lab-based testing of electrical and industrial assets, failure identification & prediction techniques leveraging both physics-based and data driven techniques.
Dr. Chandrasekhar Reddy Atla, Power Research & Development Consultants Private Limited (PRDC)
Dr. Chandrasekhar Reddy Atla is the Deputy General Manager at Power Research & Development Consultants Private Limited. He has a rich experience of over 20 years in the power sector. His area of interests is Battery Energy Storage System and its grid services, Electric Vehicles impact on grid, Net-zero assessment, Energy Action Plan, Power system operation, Power system planning, Large-scale renewable integration, Energy Management Systems, Production-cost models, Wind, Solar and Load Forecasting, EMTP and insulation coordination studies. He completed B.Tech from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, M.Tech. from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka, and Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University.
Dean Sharafi, Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
Dean Sharafi is heading up the System Design and Transformation Group of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Dean holds a degree in Applied Physics, a degree in Electrical Engineering and a degree in Business Management. He has around 30 years of experience in power system engineering including Power System Protection, HV Systems, Asset Management and Power System and Electricity Market Operation. Dean has been also a sessional academic and actively involved with IEEE PES initiatives and CIGRE Working Groups over the last decade and has served as a member of the Governing Board of the IEEE PES from 2017 to 2022.
Shri. P Devanand, Tata Power
Shri. P Devanand is the Chief of Tech Services & PSCC at Tata Power, Mumbai, with over two decades of experience across diverse aspects of power distribution. As the head of Mumbai’s Integrated Control Centre, overseeing key transmission assets, hydro systems, and Tata Power Distribution, Devanand has been pivotal in implementing various initiatives, including Islanding monitoring, training for Black Swan events, Optimal Power Planning systems, and Cybersecurity. He holds a B.Tech (Hons) in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from the University of Calicut and an MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi. He is also an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad.
Ms. Gertrude. K.G, Kerala State Electricity Board Limited
Ms. Gertrude K.G. is an Assistant Executive Engineer (Market Operations) at Kerala State Electricity Board Limited. Her expertise spans Grid Integration of Large Scale Renewable Energy, Open Access and Power Trading in the ABT (Availability-Based Tariff) Scenario, Power System Operation, Grid Management & Power Market Development, and Power System Simulation Studies. Ms. Gertrude holds a Bachelor of Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Government Engineering College, Thrissur, Kerala, and a Master of Business Administration from Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu.
Giri Prathivadi,Utiltyx
Shri. Giri Prathivadi is the Vice President of Engineering at Utiltyx, where he leads and directs the company’s global engineering teams. He also co-founded EAFT, serving as CTO and overseeing the development of enterprise solutions for various industries, including education, entertainment, healthcare, and home automation. Over three decades, Giri has played a key role in designing and developing solutions across diverse business sectors, such as power systems, network datacenters, FMCG, stock markets, Airline Reservation Systems (Amadeus), and connected classrooms. Giri earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Mysore.
Shri. Giridharan, Hitachi Energy India Limited
Shri. Giridharan is the Applications and Business Development Manager at Hitachi Energy India Limited, where he leads customer relations, technical solutions, and business strategies, focusing on STATCOM and power electronics solutions. With over 15 years of experience in engineering, testing, product management, and marketing, he has successfully engineered numerous projects, including substation automation systems and products. He has a proven track record of driving engineering improvements and managing complex projects across various countries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Sathyabama University, Chennai.
Dr. Gurunath Gurrala, Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
Dr. Gurunath Gurrala is an Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. His research interests include smart grids, power system stability, grid integration of renewables, Microgrid control, high-performance computing applications to power systems, nonlinear and adaptive control of power systems. He received his B.Tech from S.V.H. College of Engineering, Machilipatnam, M.Tech from J.N.T.U. College of Engineering, Anantapur, and Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Texas A&M and Oak Ridge National Lab. He has earned several prestigious awards, including the IEEE PES Outstanding Engineer Award and INAE Young Engineer Award. His papers have won best paper awards at IEEE events, and two of his master’s students received POSOCO Power System Awards.
Shri. Hiranmay De, Former Executive Director, PTC India Limited
Shri. Hiranmay De is a former Executive Director of PTC India Limited with over 37 years of rich experience in the Power sector. His responsibilities included T-GNA booking, scheduling various power sources such as Thermal, Hydro, and Wind, managing invoicing processes, overseeing power exchange activities, facilitating cross-border trading, and managing the Energy Portfolio for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, among others. Prior to joining PTC India Limited, he worked with NTPC, the foremost energy conglomerate in India. Throughout his tenure at both NTPC and Powergrid, he was involved in a broad spectrum of activities related to 400 KV substations, including testing, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of both outdoor and indoor substation equipment.
Dr. Ishan Purohit, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Dr. Ishan Purohit is an Energy Specialist at International Finance Corporation (IFC). He was also a visiting faculty at TERI University and National Power Training Institute, Delhi. Dr. Ishan’s expertise includes Concentrating Solar Power, Large Scale Solar PV, Wind Power, Biomass Power Projects and Energy Storage among others. He is Master of Science(MS) in Physics from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University.
Kaushik Das, Samsung Electronics
Kaushik Das has over 20 years of experience at Samsung Electronics, where he currently serves as a Principal Architect, leading home IoT and industrial IoT projects, AI applications in energy efficiency, and several other Generative AI projects. He has been recognized as Employee of the Year at Samsung R&D Institute India and holds several certifications. A gold medalist in Computer Science and Engineering from Jadavpur University, Kaushik is also a prolific inventor, holding 6 patents in areas such as intelligent response systems and web application security. His work continues to shape the future of cutting-edge technology.
Prof. H.P. Khincha, Karnataka State Innovation Council
Prof. H.P. Khincha is the Chairman of Karnataka State Innovation Council with over 42 years of teaching and research experience at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. His research interests include computer-aided power system analysis, power system protection, distribution automation, and AI applications in power systems. With his unprecedented passion towards engineering and indomitable energy, Prof. Khincha continues to contribute by associating with several reputed organizations within India and overseas. He received the B.E. degree in electrical engineering from Bangalore University, the M.E. and Ph. D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Shri. Jyotiranjan Harichandan, Bolt.Earth
Shri. Jyotiranjan Harichandan is the co-founder of Bolt.Earth, India’s largest EV charging network, with over 35,000 charging points in 1,500+ cities. Bolt.Earth offers a peer-to-peer distributed network supporting two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers with standard and fast charging options. The Bolt.Earth app simplifies locating, booking, and paying for charging through a scan-pay-charge model. By providing reliable customer service and comprehensive charging solutions, Bolt.Earth is transforming electric mobility. Jyotiranjan aims to revolutionize the charging experience by making it convenient and accessible, bringing charging directly to where EVs are, and eliminating the need for separate trips to charging stations.
Shri. Kiran T.S, POWERGRID Center of Excellence in Cyber Security
Shri. Kiran T.S. possesses extensive knowledge in electrical power systems and industrial hardware automation, with about a decade of experience in multinational companies and research institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and Electronics Engineering and a Master’s degree in Power Systems. Currently, he serves as a Project Scientist at the POWERGRID Center of Excellence in Cyber Security. His expertise includes the entire project lifecycle, from ideation and design to hardware development, testing, power system studies, and project management. With a strong understanding of cybersecurity methodologies for hardware security and the OT/IT integration of critical systems, he is dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity in utility automation.
Dr. Murali Baggu, NREL
Dr. Murali Baggu is the Laboratory Program Manager for grid integration at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). He manages the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity, Grid Deployment Office, and Grid Modernization Initiative programs at NREL. Baggu has extensive experience in advanced grid control and evaluation for future power systems with high levels of distributed energy resources (DERs). This includes ADMS, microgrid, and energy-storage applications. He has five patents and more than fifty publications in these areas. He holds a Ph.D. in power engineering from Missouri S&T.
Shri. Murali Ramakrishnan Ananthakumar, CSTEP
Murali Ramakrishnan is a Research Scientist at CSTEP. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy (Sustainable Development) from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. He has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Anna University, Chennai. His research interests lie in areas of energy efficiency, systems modelling and energy economics.
Dr.R. Nagaraja, Power Research & Development Consultants Private Limited (PRDC)
Dr.R. Nagaraja is the Managing Director of Power Research & Development Consultants Pvt. Ltd. His specializations include Parallel Computing, Power System Analysis, Simulation, SCADA Systems and Energy Management Systems, Development of Algorithms for Real-Time Power System Simulation and Control, Power Engineering Education and Power System Protection among others. He is the brain behind the architecture, design and development of the MiPower®, the Power system analysis software used by Electric utilities, Industries, Consultants and Universities / Engineering colleges globally. Dr. R. Nagaraja completed his Bachelors in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Mysore University, Masters and Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bengaluru.
Dr Narottam Das, CQUniversity Australia
Dr. Nirmal Nair, University of Auckland
Dr. Nirmal Nair is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering at the University of Auckland. His expertise involves smart grids, power system analysis, protective relaying & optimization in the context of electricity markets and integration of DG/renewable sources into electricity networks, energy markets (block-chain), innovations in low-carbon transitions, and energy policy. He completed his ME in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in High Voltage Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University, USA.
Shri. Nitin Srivastava, Indian Energy Exchange Limited
Shri. Nitin Srivastava is the Vice President at Indian Energy Exchange Limited. His responsibilities involve Market Operations – Managing Exchange Operations including Collective Transactions (IDAM & RTM), Bilateral Transactions (TAM & GTAM), DAM-AS and RTM-AS, Regulatory Affairs, and New Products initiatives. His expertise includes Market Operation and Regulatory Affairs, Aspects of Generation, Transmission & Distribution, and Electricity Act Provisions. He has a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication from Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun in Power Management.
Shri. R K Porwal, Grid Controller of India Limited
Shri. Rajiv Kumar Porwal is the Director (System Operation) of Grid-India (formerly POCOSO). Some of his distinct contributions are the implementation of the first Grid-Code in the country, availability-based tariff (ABT) and deviation settlement mechanism (DSM), open access in transmission, regional energy accounting by RLDCs, operations of Power Exchanges (PX) in the country, implementation of PMUs pilot, cross-border power exchanges with the neighboring countries, etc. He is a graduate of Electrical Engineering from MMM Engineering College Gorakhpur and a Master in Power Electronics, Electrical Machines, and Drives from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (India).
Dr. Pranav Balasubramanian, Eaton
Dr. Pranav Balasubramanian is a Manager at Eaton Research Labs, Pune, India. He leads technology research in predictive controls, optimization, DERMS, and predictive health monitoring solutions. His research interests include power system operations and control, energy markets, smart grids, microgrids, asset health monitoring (PHM), electrical machines, and process control. He has a Bachelor of Engineering in electrical and electronics engineering, a Masters in instrumentation engineering from Anna University, Chennai, India. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Arizona State University, AZ, USA.
Dr. Prasad Venikar, Eaton
Prasad received his PhD in 2017 from VNIT, focusing on developing online diagnostic solutions for transformer monitoring. Post-PhD, he worked with ABB R&D center in Bengaluru on IoT products for condition monitoring of rotating machines and bearings. Currently, he is an Engineering Specialist at Eaton’s Corporate R&D center in Pune.
With 7 years of industrial experience, he has developed Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) solutions for various assets such as motors, transformers, breakers, and assemblies. Prasad has published 13 patents, 4 journal papers, and 6 conference papers. He is an IEEE Senior Member and an active member of IEEE WG 1856.1 on recommended practices for prognostics and health management systems.
Dr. Priyaranjan Mishra, BelBird Technologies
Dr. Priyaranjan Mishra has over 35 years of experience in research & development across various agencies including CEL, CDAC, Philips Research, and BelBird Technologies. His expertise encompasses DC technologies, Solar Photo-Voltaic Technologies, Micro-grids, Power conversions, and both DC and AC LED drivers, as well as hybrid solar and AC LED drivers. He received the Outstanding Engineer Award from IEEE PES in 2021 and is the inventor of 19 patents. Additionally, he has authored numerous journal and conference papers, served as a reviewer for Journals of Elsevier Science, IEEE Sensors, and Transactions on Power Delivery, and has guided over 100 students. Dr. Mishra holds a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and a BE in Electrical Engineering from BIT Sindri, Ranchi University.
Prof. Raghupathi C N, Manipal Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurship School (MILES)
Prof. Raghupathi C N has nearly 40 years of experience, with over 25 years in the digital field, both in India and internationally. He is currently a Professor and Director at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, leading the MILES (Manipal Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurship School). Previously, Raghu was Senior VP and Head of India Business at Infosys, where he led major IT projects for government sectors, including APDRP, GST, and Income Tax. He also contributed to public policy as a member of various task forces. Raghu started his career by designing one of India’s first 400KV Sub-stations. Raghu holds degrees in Engineering and Management, an Honorary Doctorate, and serves on multiple advisory boards, including in the 3D printing and satellite sectors.
Dr. Rakesh Panguloori, Texas Instrument
Dr. Rakesh Panguloori is currently working as Applications Manager in the Power Switches group at Texas Instruments, where he is responsible for delivering reliable and robust input protection solutions for the Industrial, Enterprise, Telecom, and Automotive markets. Prior to this role, he served as an R&D engineer at Philips, focusing on power management, renewable power conversion, LED lighting, DC microgrids, and battery charge management applications. He holds 7 granted US patents and has published 17 research papers in IEEE international journals and conferences. Dr. Panguloori earned his doctorate in Power Electronics from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and is a senior member of the IEEE Power Electronics Society.
Shri. M.K. Ramesh, Grid Controller of India Limited, Southern Regional Load Despatch Centre
Shri M K Ramesh is presently working as Chief General Manager at SRLDC, heading the real-time grid operations of the Southern Regional grid with a 131GW installed capacity. With over 30 years of extensive experience in the Indian power sector, he has made significant contributions in power system operations, SCADA, Communication, implementation of Unified Real-Time Dynamic Status Monitoring (WAMS), and renewable energy management centre establishment and operations at SRLDC. He is a graduate of Electronics and Communication Engineering from GCT Coimbatore, holds an MBA in finance from Central College Bangalore, and an M.Tech in Data Science from BITS Pilani. His areas of interest include developing tools for demand forecasting, renewable energy forecasting, and resource adequacy.
Shri. Ravikiran Annaswamy, Numocity
Shri. Ravikiran is the CEO & MD at Numocity with an extensive career spanning over 30 years in business leadership and innovation. His fervor for clean mobility and commitment to driving the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) through the strategic integration of IoT, analytics, and deep learning sets him apart in the industry. Ravikiran’s influence extends beyond the corporate realm as he actively volunteers as a professional within IEEE, contributing to the development and dissemination of technology-related insights. As a thought leader and speaker, he shares his wealth of knowledge at international business conferences within the global business community. He holds an MBA from IIM Bengaluru and a degree from UVCE, Bengaluru
Shri. Ravindra Desai, IEEE Standards Association
Ravindra Desai is an electrical engineer with over 33 years of experience in the industry. He is currently associated with the IEEE Standards Association as a global IEEE member. Throughout his career, he has held various positions, including working as an electrical engineer with Alembic Limited and as a design engineer with the Centre for Electronics Design & Technology. Additionally, Ravindra has served as a lecturer in Electrical Engineering at the Government Polytechnic in Panaji, Goa. He completed his B.E. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Mumbai in 1984. Some of his top skills include engineering, GMP, and product development.
Dr. Rob Hovsapian , National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Dr. Rob Hovsapian is a senior research advisor at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with over 30 years of experience in the Power & Energy sector. He leads the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform, where he is developing the largest DRTS capabilities cluster in the Power & Energy R&D sector.
In the industrial sector, he has led key projects, including pioneering integrated 3D printing at General Dynamics and contributing to the USAF F-22 program at Northrop Grumman. His global expertise extends to the Pacific Rim, where he successfully launched advanced manufacturing facilities and managed semiconductor startups.
Dr. Hovsapian holds a Master’s in Control Systems and a PhD in Energy Systems from Florida State University (FSU).
Prof. Sairaj Dhople, University of Minnesota
Prof. Sairaj Dhople received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently the Oscar A. Schott Professor with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota. His research interests include modeling, analysis, and control of power electronics and power systems, focusing on renewable integration. Dr. Dhople was the recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2015 and the Outstanding Young Engineer Award from the IEEE Power and Energy Society in 2019. He has also received the 2021 IEEE Power and Energy Society Prize Paper Award and the 2022 IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (Second Place) Prize Paper Award.
Sanjeev Kulkarni, Billion Electric Mobility Pvt Ltd
Sanjeev Kulkarni is the Chief Operating Officer of Billion Electric Mobility Private Limited. He has over 33 years of deep understanding of various core areas of Machine tool, Automotive and EV Industries such as Strategy and Management, Quality, Reliability, R&D, New Product Development, Sales and Business Development, Acquisitions and Mergers, Turnaround projects, developing leadership pipeline, etc., in India and abroad. Prior to joining BillionE, Sanjeev Kulkarni was a member of the Board of Kalyani Powertrain Limited. In addition, he was also on the Board of Tevva Motors Limited, United Kingdom, and Tork Motors Pvt. Limited, Pune, India. He completed Mechanical Engineering from Karnataka and an executive General Management program at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.
Shri. S C Saxena, Grid Controller of India Limited
Shri Samir Chandra Saxena is the Director (Market Operation) of Grid Controller of India Limited with 27 years of diverse experience comprising Power Market Operations, Power System Operations, Power Exchange Operations, Electricity Market Design, Regulatory Affairs, Integration of Renewables, REC markets design & operations, and SCADA-IT systems. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University and MBA from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He has also completed a Certificate Course in “Regulation of Power Sector” from the Florence School of Regulation, Italy.
Dr. M. Selvaraj, Central Power Research Institute
Dr. M. Selvaraj is the Joint Director/Head of the Division of the Mechanical Engineering Division at Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), Bengaluru. He has over 31 years of rich experience in CPRI specializing in the area of design, testing & evaluation of transmission line towers & tower-like structures, transmission line components etc. His research interests include Compact Power transmission lines using alternate materials such as Polymer composite materials. He is a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Madras, Master in Engineering Design from Anna University, Chennai and Ph.D from NITK, Surathkal, Mangalore.
Shripurnabodh Deshpande, Schneider Electric
Shripurnabodh Deshpande is a General Manager, Hardware Systems at Schneider Electric, having experience of 15 years in hardware design. Prior to joining Schneider, he worked with Enphase Energy and Honeywell. His areas of expertise include analog, RF, power supply, and system design in domains such as industrial automation and solar & renewable energy. In the solar & renewable domain, he has mainly worked for the North American market for home, commercial, and industrial systems, meters, and energy management products.
Shuvendu Bose,Senior Advisor Ministry of Energy UAE
Shuvendu Bose is a seasoned professional in the energy industry, with extensive experience in the development and implementation of energy projects and policy formulations . He has worked in various roles in the energy sector, including engineering, project management, Management Consulting, and strategic planning. In his current role as advisor, energy transition in the Ministry of Energy in the UAE, Shuvendu is assisting the Ministry for developing energy strategy, implementation roadmap and associated sector reforms. He also Advises World bank and International finance corporations on power sector reforms and battery storage projects.
In the field of storage, his journey started when he was associated with Masdar, A Mubadala company in assisting analyzing investments done by them in Tesla and BYD in 2010. He has been working on storage projects in SE Asia, India and In middle east on behalf of either world bank group or Ministry of Energy, UAE. He has been advising UAE utilities, Indian Utilities, Philippine utilities, few island nations, and a host of private sector companies in their journey to storage and decarbonization. Prior to joining the Ministry of Energy, Shuvendu held leadership positions at Ernst & Young, World bank Group (based in Hanoi and later as consultant in India), Masdar where he successfully oversaw the execution of major energy projects. Starting with Mechanical engineering, he eventually ventured into Energy management and Energy economics at higher education levels while pursuing his academic goals. Throughout his career, Shuvendu has been recognized for his expertise and leadership in the energy industry. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences and has published articles on energy-related topics.
Prof. S.N. Singh, Atal Bihari Bajpayee – Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management
Prof S. N. Singh is the Director, Atal Bihari Bajpayee – Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Gwalior (MP), deputed from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. His research interests include power system restructuring, FACTS, power system optimization & control, security analysis, wind power, etc. Prof S. N. Singh obtained his M. Tech. and Ph. D. in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, in 1989 and 1995 respectively.
Shri. Sivaguru S.G., GE Vernova
Shri. Sivaguru is an engineer with expertise of over 16+ years in handling operational technology (substation automation) ranging from Engineering, FAT, commissioning, maintenance projects, Research & Development for substation automation products. His areas of expertise include protection, communication & automation, cyber security for the substation automation domain. He has vast experience in handling substation automation product portfolios, which includes providing application support for cyber security implementation in products as well as systems. Presently, he is engaged with business growth and application activities, new technology, product promotion & approvals, testing & validation, and training needs for the region on cyber security solutions.
Shri. Sourabh Tiwari, Airbus India
Shri. Sourabh Tiwari completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from SSCET and M.Tech in Thermal & Fluids from IIT Bombay. With a professional journey spanning over 12.5 years, he has gained extensive experience in the engineering field. Currently, he is employed at Airbus India as the Head of Health Engineering, where he leads initiatives to enhance the reliability and safety of aerospace systems. His role involves integrating innovative engineering solutions and collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive advancements in health engineering. By utilizing real-time data and predictive analytics, he develops PHM solutions that lead to early identification of potential failures, facilitating timely maintenance interventions.
Shri T. Srinivas, SRLDC
Shri T. Srinivas is the Chief General Manager at SRLDC, where he oversees both System Operations and Market Operations. With over 30 years of extensive experience in the Indian power sector, he has made significant contributions in power system operations, power market operations, regulatory affairs, renewable energy integration and development of innovative software solutions for energy accounting and settlement. He has been instrumental in the implementation of key policies and regulations, including Availability Based Tariff and the facilitation of seamless open access in inter-state transmission. Under his leadership, the Southern Indian Grid has successfully integrated over 6 GW of renewable energy while ensuring the safe and secure management of a grid exceeding 60 GW in capacity.
Shri. Subhendu Mukherjee, National Load Despatch Centre
Shri. Subhendu Mukherjee is a Deputy General Manager and Head of the Department, of Market Operation at National Load Despatch Centre, New Delhi. His responsibilities include Administration of the Electricity Market, Regulatory affairs, Green Energy Open Access, Project Management of the National Open Access Registry, etc. His expertise includes Market Operation, Regulatory Affairs, Thermal Generation, aspects of Generation, Transmission and Distribution, Electricity Act Provisions, solving Open Access challenges for the Power Market, etc. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the College of Engineering and Management, Kolaghat, and a Master’s in Intelligent Automation and Robotics from Jadavpur University.
Dr. Subir Sen, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited
Dr. Subir Sen, Executive Director in Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, has more than three decades of professional experience in the field of power system, currently leading Engineering-HVDC, Technology Development, Transmission line Survey and Smart Grid Knowledge Centre activities in POWERGRID. He has contributed towards the development of National Grid, Green Energy Corridors for renewable integration, 1200kV technology, New Technology adoption for system efficiency improvement, Smart Grid, Wide Area Measurement System, EV Charging infrastructure, Storage system, distribution strengthening, Energy efficiency, Cyber Security.
Dr. Sugoto Maulik
Dr. Sugoto Maulik is currently a Senior Electrical Engineer at American Energy Storage Innovation Inc., working in the areas of safety and grid interface of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Previously, he was with ABB GISPL as an Associate Scientist from 2015 to 2017, focusing on HVDC applications. Sugoto received his B.E. degree in electrical engineering from IIEST, Shibpur, India, in 2013, followed by the M.E. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, in 2015 and 2024, respectively. His research interests include modeling and control of distributed generation and grid-tied high power converters.
Prof. Suresh Chandra Srivastava, Ex Director of IIT Kanpur-La Trobe University Research Academy
Prof. Suresh Chandra Srivastava is the Ex Director of the IIT Kanpur-La Trobe University Research Academy and a Distinguished Visiting Professor at IIT Kanpur. He has served on the governing council and expert committee of several government organizations and utilities in India. He was a ‘Visiting Research Professor’ at Mississippi State University, USA, and a faculty member at AIT Bangkok. Prof. Srivastava has been the Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on about 24 sponsored research and consultancy projects, including the Indo-US project ‘UI-ASSIST’ focused on Smart Grid and Storage. His research interests encompass Power System Security, Synchrophasor Applications, Electricity Markets, Microgrids, and Smart Grid technologies. He holds a Ph.D. from IIT Delhi, India.
Dr. Suruchi Rao, Ossus Biorenewables|Renewable Energy
Dr. Suruchi Rao is the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of Ossus Biorenewables. Her work involves developing technologies for the reuse of waste as a viable feedstock for value-maximising transfers to new energy. She received Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Macquarie University and Ph.D in Bioprocess Technology from the Institute Of Chemical Technology.
Sri. Ujjwal Surana, Avaada Energy
Sri. Ujjwal Surana is a Senior General Manager at Avaada Energy. His responsibilities include monitoring and assisting in the development of various projects of RE, PSP, green hydrogen, etc. His expertise includes Renewable Energy project development and approvals, Power offtake to Utilities, merchant sale and C&I consumers under open access, Business Development and Contracts, Regulatory Affairs and Policy Advocacy, etc. He has a Bachelor of Science from Jai Narayan Vyas University, Jodhpur, and a Master in Business Administration from Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidhyanagar.
Prof D.Venkatramanan, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
Prof. D. Venkatramanan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Energy Science & Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Mumbai. He works in the area of distributed renewable energy and storage systems, specializing in grid integration of solar PV resources and energy storage systems (e.g., batteries and ultracapacitors) using high-performance PWM power converters. His current research interests are towards next-generation inverter-based resources (IBRs) for large-scale PV integration, infrastructure development for electric vehicle charging, grid modernization, and transportation electrification at large. He received a Ph.D. in Power Electronics technology from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
Shri. Vijayan SR, Hitachi Energy
Vijayan SR is the Principal Technical Consultant and Digitalization Lead for Grid Automation at Hitachi Energy India. He is a graduate in Electronics and Communication Engineering, with an MBA in Information Technology and Marketing Management. Over 24 years at Hitachi Energy, he has held roles in Engineering, Product Management, and Technology, specializing in SCADA/EMS/DMS, Substation Automation, Smart Grids, and Cybersecurity. He is also a Solution Architect and System Designer, actively participating in industry forums. He serves as Vice Chair of ISGF WG-1 for Grid Modernization and Smart Cities and was Convener of IEEMA’s Smart Grid Technical Committee.
Shri. Viju Ravindran, Kalkitech
Shri. Viju Ravindran is Director-Product Management at Kalkitech, India. He has been working in the field of Power System Protection and Substation Automation for more than 30 years. During this period, he has worked with various Indian and multi-national companies who are solution providers in the field of Protection and Automation. He has also been associating with various power utilities, industries, and institutes for their requirements and special applications. He also works with various work groups in the vPAC alliance. His specialization is in the areas of Power System Protection, IED data communication, and Substation Automation.