The Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli hosted Daksha 4.0, the annual flagship leadership conclave, bringing together industry veterans, senior leaders and rising changemakers from various domains such as finance, technology, consulting, marketing, operations, and human resources to examine one of the defining questions of our time: how leadership must evolve in an age of artificial intelligence.

Anchored by the theme “The Human Element: Redefining Leadership in the Age of AI,” Daksha 4.0 brought together C-suite leaders, functional heads, and domain specialists for a day of structured dialogue that examined not only how technology is transforming decision-making, but also what it means for trust, accountability, inclusion, and human judgment. Air Marshal CR Mohan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.), the Chief Guest, Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh, The Director of IIM Tiruchirapalli, Prof. Abhishek Kumar Totawar, Chairperson of Placement Committee and Media Relations Committee and Prof. P Saravanan, Dean (Corporate Relations and Faculty Affairs).

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh, Director, IIM Tiruchirappalli, reflected on the deeper relationship between technology, leadership, and human responsibility in a rapidly changing world. Framing the Institute’s vision for leadership in the AI era, he observed, He noted that India carries a responsibility to the world Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,  because it holds a vast reservoir of knowledge meant for all of humanity, and that this responsibility becomes even more significant as technology reshapes societies and economies. Drawing a distinction between technological phases, Industry 4.0 placed technology at the centre, while Industry 5.0 underscores that without human–technology integration, progress remains incomplete, reinforcing the need for leadership that is both technologically informed and deeply human.

Delivering the keynote address, Air Marshal Chakalayil Rajappa Mohan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.), drew on his deep experience in technology, systems thinking, and organisational leadership to underscore that artificial intelligence represents a transformation as profound as electricity once did for industry.

Observing that technology’s power must be guided by human intention, he cautioned against a narrow focus on efficiency alone, urging leaders not to turn intelligence into a “paper clipping of humanity,” where the human dimension is reduced to data points and checkboxes.

He emphasised that leadership is not simply about managing technology, but about exercising creativity and purpose: leaders must “do art” in the sense of creating meaning, cultivating vision, and shaping organisational culture in ways that machines alone cannot replicate. In a compelling summation of the conclave’s theme, he asserted that “the true test of leadership in the age of AI will be whether we can outhuman the machine,” placing dignity, empathy, and ethical judgement at the centre of human-centred leadership.

The conclave opened with the flagship Leadership Panel that brought together leaders from SQFT Fund, TransUnion CIBIL, Times Internet, Bluestone, and Freshworks.

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