Tarun Khanna, Aspire Institute‘s co-founder and Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at Harvard Business School, spoke at the NDTV World Summit 2025 in India this month. Themed Edge of the Unknown: Risk. Resolve. Renewal, the summit brought together perspectives from global thought leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and beyond to discuss navigating an era of profound complexity with clarity and conscience. Speakers were joined by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Five Aspire alumni had the opportunity to join Professor Khanna following his discussion on how strategic investments in science, technology, and human capital are essential for defining India’s path to a fully sovereign and developed nation by 2047.
The True Bottleneck Isn’t Infrastructure. It’s Talent.
In his discussion, Professor Khanna argued that India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision — the Government of India’s vision to transform the nation into a developed country by 2047 — cannot be achieved through infrastructure, economic growth, or policy reforms alone. The real challenge lies in a failure to invest urgently in a specific kind of human capital: first-generation learners from limited-income backgrounds who possess untapped potential.
The Aspiring Leaders India Foundation is answering that call through the Aspire Leaders Program and enabling economic and social mobility for Indian alumni through job opportunities, real world exposure, scholarships, and seed funding.
“What we do is provide an infrastructure for low-income college kids to come and engage in a really fun process of rediscovering the joy of learning,” Professor Khanna stated at the event.
Aspire Leaders on the World Stage
Our incredible alumni had the opportunity to take to the stage and speak about their journeys to success and the impact the Aspire Leaders Program had on their lives.
Vineet Kumar, Founder of JEVIX Technologies, shared his entrepreneurial journey.
Challa Sri Grouri, co-founder of Tinkertechie, spoke of innovation in tech.
Pavani Munnuri, a University Gold Medalist and MSc Economics student, offered fresh economic insights.
Nitesh Taral, Impact Delivery Manager at Urban World Consulting, discussed the future of urban spaces.
Roshan Panigrahi, from IIM V 28, represented the next generation of leaders.
There are 900 million young people globally in the demographic we serve — deserving, unbelievably smart, and motivated. All they need is someone to extend a hand with support, mentorship, funding, connections, and opportunities.
“Leave the world a better place,” Professor Khanna stated.
Aspire does exactly that — one learner, one community, one generation at a time.
