The Australia-India Youth Dialogue (AIYD) has announced the initial list of delegates for the 2024 Dialogue, scheduled to take place in Canberra and Sydney from 19-22 August.
Bodean Hedwards, AIYD Co-Chair, said in a statement that 2024 cohort consists of “incredible young leaders from across sectors to now explore and define the future of leadership, and what is needed to ensure young people can lead and respond to these trends.”
She added:
“At the heart of the AIYD is the unshakable belief that young people have to be at the table as our countries redesign the way we respond to the issues that affect Australia, India and the world and play a meaningful role in shaping one of the region’s most important bilateral relationships.”
For over a decade, AIYD has brought together 30 outstanding young leaders from Australia and India—15 from each nation—alternating between the two countries each year.
The Dialogue aims to foster connections, encourage collaboration, and address significant issues for future bilateral leaders.
The 2024 Dialogue will kick off in Melbourne, where AIYD will reveal the 2024 delegates and release the 2023 AIYD Trends Report. This report identifies key trends shaping Australia, India, and the broader region:
- Decline in Social Cohesion: Highlighting the urgent need for bold leadership.
- Women’s Potential: Emphasising significant investment required to unlock women’s potential across all sectors.
- Climate Change: Recognised as the central issue for young people.
- Human Experience in Data and AI: Necessitating a refocus on integrating human experience in data and AI.
- Values-Driven Workforce: The next generation prioritises values, influencing bilateral business and education engagement.
The 2024 Dialogue will explore the Future of Leadership, focusing on politics, the knowledge economy, sport, business and entrepreneurship, arts and culture to strengthen the Australia-India relationship. Delegates will engage with speakers and participate in various discussions to define the leadership needed for both nations.
Fellow Co-Chair, Bindu Subranium, added:
“The AIYD has helped deepen my connection with the world around me and influenced the way I approach my work in music. I look forward to seeing what comes of our exploration of the Future of Leadership.”
The diverse Australian cohort includes:
- Justin Narayan, 2021 MasterChef winner
- Arvind Ramana, Director Space Programs, Australian Space Agency
- Charishma Kaliyanda MP, NSW Member for Liverpool
- Arth Tuteja, Electorate Officer, Office of the Hon. Tim Watts MP
- Drew Ambrose, Senior Correspondent and Documentary Maker, Al Jazeera
- Olivia Thornton, CEO Cricket ACT
- Aayushi Khillan, PhD Student, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
- Aster Haile, Program Manager, Asia Society
- Shannon D’Souza, Founder, KCROASTERS
- William Stoltz, Lecturer & Expert Associate, National Security College
- Nikhil Kulkarni, Group Product Manager, Atlassian
- Eliza Archer, Adviser, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Sally Scales, Chairperson APY Executive Board and Artist
- Jack Batty MP, South Australian Member for Bragg
The Indian delegation features:
- Zainab Kakal, Regional Innovation Specialist, United Nations Development Programme
- Anshul Gupta, Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation
- Neha Mehta, CEO & Founder, FemTech Partners
- Anurag Maloo, Regional Director (Asia-Pacific), Seedstars, Mountaineer, SDG Advocate, Climbing4SDGs
- Golan Naulak, Senior Manager, Earth Tree
- Lalit Gautam, CEO, Sensegrass Inc
- Juhi Jain, Senior Investments Coordinator, Strategy and Management, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Narayana Subramaniam, Director of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Director of Clinical Innovation, Sparsh Hospitals, Bengaluru
- Alicia Souza, Illustrator, Alicia Souza Studio/Future Wagon Pvt Ltd
- Misha Mehrotra, Senior Director Marketing, Australian Trade and Investment Commission
- Chaitanya Marpakwar, Assistant Editor, Times of India, Mumbai
- Akshay Tyagi, Head-Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group
- Anish Gawande, Founder, Pink List India
The final Australian and two additional Indian delegates will be announced soon.
These delegates will join AIYD’s esteemed alumni network of over 300 individuals, including Olympians, Paralympians, best-selling authors, Walkley Award-winning journalists, entrepreneurs, academics, economists, social activists, politicians, and foreign policy experts.
University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President, Prof. Mark Scott, commented:
“Our continued partnership with AIYD reflects our commitment to fostering innovation, and mutual understanding between Australia and India. We are proud to again be a distinguished Sponsor of this important initiative and look forward to the impactful outcomes it will undoubtedly achieve.”
Monash University’s Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Katie Stevenson, added that Monash Arts is proud to support this vital bilateral relationship.
“These cross-cultural dialogues play a crucial role in identifying urgent issues and key opportunities that are of utmost importance to the mega-challenges our world faces.”
Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University, is happy to support the AIYD.
“At the heart of the AIYD is the unshakable belief that young people must be at the table as our countries redesign responses to critical issues. Young leaders are best placed to address the trends shaping our nations and the world, from climate change to social cohesion.”
“By engaging in this dialogue, we look forward to shaping their futures and driving impactful change for both nations and beyond. The ideas and partnerships formed here are instrumental in strengthening the Australia-India relationship. Simply, we are stronger together, and we are proud to be part of this extraordinary journey,” she adds.
The 2024 AIYD promises to be a transformative experience, continuing its legacy of impactful partnerships and initiatives benefiting both Australia and India.
The AIYD is supported by a dedicated network of partners committed to shaping the next generation of bilateral leaders. The 2024 event is supported by founding sponsor Global Victoria, the University of Sydney, Monash University, Deakin University, and Bluescope Steel. Western Sydney University, the CEO Forum, and the India Australia Business and Community Alliance will also host the delegation.
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