Bhubaneswar: Dr. Prabodh Mohanty, President of the Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Limited, spearheaded a landmark industry forum in Bhubaneswar as the chamber, in association with PwC India, hosted the Odisha Conclave on Ease of Doing Business and Unlocking Value by Leveraging AI and Digital. The high-profile event converged senior leadership from approximately 20 premier metals and mining corporations to map out the future of industrial growth in the region.
Dr. Mohanty set the strategic direction for the conclave during his opening address, reaffirming the chamber’s ongoing commitment to fostering a progressive, efficient, and highly competitive business environment in Odisha.
Beyond his leadership role at the chamber, Dr. Mohanty also played a pivotal part in the technical highlights of the event in his capacity as Managing Director of the SNM Group. Alongside Amit Giri, Partner for Metals and Mining at PwC India, Dr. Mohanty co-presented a live demonstration of Industry X, a cutting-edge digital mining platform. This showcase provided industry delegates with a real-time look at how advanced digital frameworks are actively reshaping mine operations and power generation efficiency.
The demonstration also featured practical applications of artificial intelligence within the power sector, including a localized AI-powered bot capable of handling industry queries in Odia. This specific innovation was highlighted as a major advancement in making complex, next-generation technology accessible and functional for the regional industrial workforce.
The broader conclave itinerary featured two major panel discussions. The first session, moderated by Sandeep Mohanty of PwC India, focused on ESG, green metals, and resilient mining. Panelists including S S Mohanty of Essar Minmet, Kalyan Bhattacherjee of Jindal Stainless, and Gaurav Sharma of FACOR analyzed how the sector is adapting to domestic and global sustainability regulations like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and Green Taxonomy frameworks.
The second panel, moderated by Pallab Dutta of PwC India, explored next-age manufacturing through AI and Industry 4.0. Industry leaders Kalyan Bhattacherjee of Jindal Stainless, Gagan Bihari Swain of Odisha Power Corporation, Saunak Gupta of Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys, and Ghanashyam Parida of AM/NS India shared operational perspectives on deploying AI across the metals and mining value chain.
The event concluded with a summary of actionable insights delivered by Dr. Sanjeev Mohapatra, Honorary Secretary of the chamber, who emphasized the industry’s collective determination to drive growth through policy compliance, technological innovation, and sustainable practices.