Innovation-Driven Project Excellence Takes Centre Stage at the 15th Project Management South Asia Conference in Chennai

PRNewswire
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 8: The 15th Project Management South Asia Conference (PMSAC23) held in Chennai was a grand success with over 780 project professionals coming together at ITC Chola to learn and gather insights from industry leaders and noteworthy speakers from diverse industries. Themed 'Innovation in Action: Connecting Humans and Technology' the conference was graced by Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan, Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services, Tamil Nadu State. Spread across two days, the conference was packed with enriching discussions on the importance of projects and programs, amidst technological innovations and human intervention, in driving change and delivering business outcomes. This year's conference was co-hosted by the PMI Chennai Chapter.
The theme of the conference was centered around innovation and changing work environment in light of rapid digital transformation, emergence of new technologies and how the role of project professionals is changing. It focused on bridging the gap between human ingenuity and technological progress in the AI era, forging new frontiers in project management.
Opening the two-day conference was Ike Nwanko, Governance Committee Chair at PMI, who in his captivating keynote address, spoke about 'Powering the Project Economy' and the crucial role of innovation in project management
. What truly mesmerized the audience were his profound insights on the transformative power of shifting one's mindset to become a true innovator. The Conference Chair and President of the PMI Chennai Chapter, Parvez Alam welcomed the attendees. In his address, Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan spoke about the increasing importance of project management especially for large-scale projects in the public sector. He emphasized the crucial role a project manager plays in being able to see such projects through to completion while staying within the timeline and budget.
Industry stalwart Kishore Jayaraman, President - India & South Asia, Rolls-Royce, delivered a captivating presentation on the theme 'Building Sustainable and Resilient Businesses for the Future,' urging project managers to prioritize outcomes over actions and emphasized the need for digital transformation to foster sustainable businesses. The session by Srimathi Shivashankar, Corporate VP & Business Head (EdTech Services) – HCLTech, was a masterclass on how the human mind should guide AI, not vice versa, and how people play a pivotal role in making the most impact on the business. Day 1 also included Sandeep Kumar, Founder and CEO - Product Dossier, R. K. Shenoy, Executive Leadership Team, Mobility Solutions - Bosch Global Software Technologies, Sandeep Kochhar - Certified Leadership Coach and Sowmya Iyer, Founder and CEO – DViO, who spoke about different aspects of AI and technology, with a keen focus on leadership against the project management backdrop.
Day two featured a power packed line up of speakers. Founder and CEO of SpaceKidz India, Dr Srimathy Kesan's keynote speech 'Gulabjamoon to Stars,' narrated her inspiring journey from a mother and a housewife to leading a team of youth who have been pivotal in launching first of its kind satellites to space, leaving the audience filled with awe and a sense of pride. Saveen Hegde, Founder/Director - Unbox Experience, Namita Mishra, Senior Solution Consultant, SPM - ServiceNow and Kewyn George, Global Director, Information Services – Expeditors, left lasting impressions on the minds of the delegates with their sessions. Rajendran Dandapani, Director of Technology at Zoho Corporation, shared invaluable productivity strategies to help project managers achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Ashutosh Bhatawadekar, Engagement Director - TCS, Tal Karkashon, Solutions Engineer (APAC) from Monday.com, Santosh Bhadule, Director, Software Engineering, Burns & McDonnell; Dr Yadvendradev V. Jhala, Field Biologist & Conservationist; Ramam Atmakuri, Chair, Board of Directors, PMIef; Dr M. Manivannan, Professor, Bio Medical Engineering, IIT Madras and Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Kauvery Hospital were other notable speakers at the event.
The day concluded with a session by Lt. Gen. Arun Ananthanarayan, Yudh Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, who spoke about leading for success and his personal take on leadership strategies.
The conference also celebrated excellence through the PMI South Asia Awards Program, recognizing exceptional achievements in the realm of project management. The winner across each category is listed below:
* NGO Category: L V Prasad Eye Institute for 'Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Care in rural districts of Odisha'
* Contribution to the Community Category: Daahuk for 'Facilitating Climate Resilient Alternative Livelihood Schemes for Vulnerable Communities'
* Project of the Year - Micro Category: Northeast Frontier Railway for 'Intrusion Detection System for saving elephant lives'
* Project of the Year - Small Category: Bosch for 'Prototyping for automotive electrification products'
* Project of the Year - Medium Category: Engineers India Limited for 'Consultancy Services for INDJET Project at IOCL, Barauni'
* Project of the Year - Large Category: Teesta Solar Limited for 'Teesta Solar Limited'
PMI conferences are curated with an overarching thought on empowering our community and pivoting them for professional success and social impact. In line with that, there were several activities conducted on the sidelines of the conference, for an immersive delegate experience. A few notable ones were:
Digital Avatar – To create essential awareness of the importance of Personal Branding and the best practices to make one's social presence credible and trustworthy. This initiative deep dived into crafting a well-rounded social presence on LinkedIn and other social platforms. 
Bring a smile – It's an initiative supported by Shine Hearts Foundation, a children's home with 110 kids. We used this event to help them with an essential utility kit beneficial to the children at the home. 
Career++  – Mentors guided the delegates on specific career-related queries in one-to-one sessions. They helped them forge a career roadmap based on their aspirations and next steps to manifest those ambitions into a successful career.
As the conference drew to a close, participants were left inspired by the myriad possibilities that arise when innovation seamlessly intersects with human expertise in the field of project management. The 15th Project Management South Asia Conference truly embodied the spirit of "Innovation in Action", setting a dynamic trajectory for the future of project management. The 2024 edition of the conference will be cohosted by the PMI North India chapter in New Delhi and is poised to reach new frontiers in celebrating the project management community across the region.
About Project Management Institute (PMI)
Project Management Institute (PMI) is the leading professional organization for project management, and the authority for a growing global community of millions of project professionals and individuals who use project management skills. Collectively, these professionals and "changemakers" consistently create better outcomes for businesses, community, and society worldwide.
PMI empowers people to make ideas a reality. Through global advocacy, networking, collaboration, research, and education, PMI prepares organizations and individuals at every stage of their career journey to work smarter so they can drive success in a world of change. 
Building on a proud legacy dating to 1969, PMI is a not-for-profit for-purpose organization working in nearly every country around the world to advance careers, strengthen organizational success, and enable project professionals and changemakers with new skills and ways of working to maximize their impact. PMI offerings include globally recognized standards, certifications, online courses, thought leadership, tools, digital publications, and communities.
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