Hyderabad: The Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI), Hyderabad, hosted its Industry Conclave 2026 on Saturday, bringing together representatives from industry, academia and government. The event focused on strengthening partnerships and developing industry-ready talent.
Held at Lemon Tree in Hitech City, the conclave was organised under the theme “Bridging Talent, Building Partnerships.”
The event provided a platform for dialogue between educational institutions, industry leaders, government representatives and professionals. Discussions focused on industry-academia collaboration, talent development and deeper institutional partnerships.
The programme began with registration and ceremonial lamp lighting. FDDI Hyderabad Executive Director Dr. Narsimhugari Tej Lohit Reddy, IAS, delivered the welcome address and made an institutional presentation.
FDDI Chairman and AFPL Global Ltd founder Rajendra Kumar Jalan also addressed the inaugural session.
Industry-focused panel discussions formed a major part of the conclave. The sessions examined emerging opportunities and challenges across design, technology, retail and talent development.
The first panel, “Make in India to Design in India: Engineering the Next Leap,” examined the evolving role of design and innovation. Participants also discussed industry capabilities needed to strengthen India’s manufacturing and creative ecosystem.
A second panel, “From Campus to Corporate: Co-Creating Industry-Ready Talent,” focused on collaboration between educational institutions and industry. The discussion examined ways to equip students with skills and exposure suited to a changing workplace.
Industry Conclave 2026 expands institutional engagement
Speakers and moderators represented several institutions and organisations. These included Woxsen University, Flipkart, Salesforce, National Institute of Design and A.V. Thomas Leather & Allied Products.
Representatives from the Retailers Association of India, NIFT Hyderabad and Pepe Jeans also participated in the conclave.
A Government Connect Session expanded the interaction between FDDI and public-sector stakeholders. Senior representatives associated with TGIIC, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, NIMSME and WE HUB participated.
Representatives from the Ministry and MSME ecosystem also took part, along with FDDI Hyderabad Executive Director Dr. Narsimhugari Tej Lohit Reddy.
The event included an MoU signing ceremony aimed at facilitating institutional collaboration and building partnerships.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, group photograph and networking lunch. Participants also used the occasion to continue discussions and explore possibilities for future collaboration.
FDDI Hyderabad said the conclave reflected its focus on strengthening links between education and industry. The institute aims to build a collaborative ecosystem supporting innovation, employability and future-ready talent.