POWERGRID HR Tech event spotlights AI–human balance

The POWERGRID HR Tech Conference 2025, held in partnership with SHRM, opened with addresses from national leaders, industry experts and global HR professionals, outlining themes around humane leadership, digital transformation and technology-supported workforce practices.

POWERGRID underlined the need to reduce the perceived separation between humans and technology, encouraging organisations to adopt “humane leadership” as AI becomes more embedded in work systems. The company referred to its use of Model Context Protocol (MCP)-based solutions and noted the sector’s shift from AI toward emerging quantum intelligence technologies.

Speaking on digital transformation, Sudhir Gadh, Chief Growth Officer & Strategic Advisor – SHRM APAC & MENA, said that digital transformation is becoming a core requirement for organisational growth. He added that cooperation between public and private sectors will be important in building future capabilities for India.

In a fireside chat, Rashmi Govil, Director HR at IOCL, discussed how belonging, inclusion and performance function in large organisations. She pointed to the importance of equitable structures, visibility, recognition and capability-led inclusion, and cautioned against issues such as tokenism and uneven allocation of work. She noted that leadership behaviour ultimately influences organisational culture.

During a panel on succession planning, speakers Varun Kejriwal, Krishna Kumar Singh, Uttam Lal and Dr. V. K. Singh discussed the need for systematic talent identification, ongoing skill development, structured exposure and policy-linked workforce planning. The panel emphasised combining data-driven insights with people-centric leadership development to build future-ready talent pipelines.

The day ended with a session by cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, who spoke about maintaining composure, discipline and clarity under pressure. He shared experiences related to resilience, decision-making and developing younger talent through communication, trust and opportunities to learn.

SHRM India works with organisations to advance HR practices and support workplace development. It collaborates with multinational and Indian companies through consulting, leadership development, professional certification (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP), corporate training, membership and conferences, combining global frameworks with local context.