VMPL
New Delhi [India], February 7: Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi inaugurated its three-day International Conference on "Reimagining Governance for Sustainable Futures: Balancing Profit, Purpose, and People in the Age of AI", in the campus on Thursday. The conference is organised as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the institute and has brought together academicians, industry leaders, policymakers, and practitioners from India and abroad to deliberate on the intersections of technology, ethics, governance, and sustainable development.
The conference commenced with a focused aim onaligning technological progress with ethical values, emphasising people-centric and sustainable governance models. Inspired by the Jesuit tradition of social justice and human dignity, the conference promoted leadership approaches that balance profit, purpose, and societal well-being.
In his inaugural address, Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur, SJ, Director, XISS set the tone for the conference and said, "This conference is a call to honour our past while courageously interrogating the future, ensuring that ethics, sustainability, and human values guide governance in the age of artificial intelligence. Efficiency often foreshadows empathy in AI-driven systems and profit, and purpose are complementary imperatives, not opposites, but our focus should be on ethical leadership, social justice, and responsible management education."
Fr Ajit Kumar Xess SJ, Chairman, XISS-GB congratulated the institute on its platinum jubilee celebration and discussed the topic saying, "True governance must be human-centred, inclusive, and ethically grounded, where leadership decisions respect people, institutions, and the ecological systems we depend on."
Later, Chief Guest, Mr Prabir Jha, Founder and CEO, Prabir Jha People Advisory gave an enriching address to the audience and said, "We live in a BANI world -- Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible. Governance is not compliance theatre, but the moral and strategic architecture of institutions. Growth without responsibility is hollow but real leadership lies in achieving results ethically, embracing discomfort, and ensuring that progress never comes at the cost of humanity."
Further in the session, Prof Joseph M Phillips, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Economics at Seattle University, USA discussed the topic and said, "Artificial intelligence is transforming economies and education, but without ethical reasoning and responsible governance, its growing concentration of power and impact on inequality is unsustainable."
Adding value to the event, Mr Pankaj Bansal, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Caret Capital & Board Member of the Prime Minister's KarmYogi Bharat Initiative stated, "Purpose is why we exist, vision is how you reach it, and values are what guide you. We must strategically link ancient wisdom with modern AI-era for leadership while keeping diversity, health, visibility, service, and higher purpose at the top. Our focus should be on personal mastery, meaning-driven work, and holistic growth."

Dr Vinay Ranjan, Director (HR), Coal India Ltd remarked, "Leadership in a VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) World demands adaptability, digital readiness, and the courage to learn through discomfort, because real impact is measured by outcomes, not effort alone. Competitors can copy technology, but not culture."
The programme also included the release of books and journals, felicitation of dignitaries by Director, XISS and a vote of thanks by Dr Amar E. Tigga, Dean Academics, who emphasized focus on deliverables and service to society. The session concluded with group photography marking a thoughtful beginning to the conference.
Later in the day, two plenary sessions were organised on topics namely Human Capital, Technology, and Organisational Transformation and Inclusive Development, Rural Management Futures, and Technological Empowerment, while 13 papers were presented on day one of the international conference.
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