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Themes — DDA '26 | Dharma in Digital Age

DDA '26  ·  Conference Themes

Six Dimensions of the Question

Background & Rationale

Why these questions matter now

6Conference Themes
40+Speakers & Panelists
3Days of Dialogue

The contemporary world stands at a critical inflection point. Rapid technological advancement, unprecedented ecological stress, and deep transformations in social and educational systems have generated both opportunity and risk. While modern development has delivered material progress, it has also intensified concerns around ethical responsibility, social cohesion, and long-term sustainability.

There is increasing recognition that purely technocratic or utilitarian approaches are inadequate for addressing these challenges. This conference therefore foregrounds interdisciplinary dialogue that integrates ethical reflection, institutional responsibility, and long-term societal impact across technology, education, and sustainability.

Each of the six themes below represents one facet of that larger inquiry — a lens through which scholars, practitioners, and community leaders can engage with the defining questions of our time, guided by the insights of Sanatan Dharma.

Explore the Themes

The six pillars of DDA '26

Click any theme card to explore the full session description, panelists, and discussion questions. Sessions run across Saturday and Sunday in two simultaneous parallel tracks.

01Saturday · Set 1
Aligning Technology with Dharma

Technological systems now shape decision-making, governance, and social interaction. This theme examines how innovation can be aligned with accountability, human dignity, and collective well-being.

Key Questions
◆How can ethical accountability be embedded in the design of emerging technologies?
◆What governance models can balance innovation with democratic oversight?
◆Can plural ethical traditions enrich global frameworks for technology governance?
Biplav Srivastava — ModeratorAlok ChaturvediAnand RaoArijit PatraNomesh Bolia
Sat · Space City Room · 10:00 AM – 12:30 PMExplore
02Saturday · Set 1
Health Beyond Medicine

Health is a multidimensional condition shaped by physical, mental, behavioural, and environmental factors. This theme explores how individuals and communities can cultivate conditions that support sustainable well-being and social flourishing.

Key Questions
◆What does it mean to be healthy — as distinct from simply not being sick?
◆Are my physical and mental states aligned to facilitate appropriate behaviours?
◆Which habits and environments support the wellbeing of society as a whole?
Sonal Gupta — ModeratorAnand YadavDevraj NayakKoustuv DalalShreela Sharma
Sat · Ballroom · 10:00 AM – 12:30 PMExplore
03Saturday · Set 2
Education: Learning Beyond Data

Education increasingly prioritises standardised assessment and data-driven evaluation — often at the cost of reflection, ethical reasoning, and civic formation. This theme explores education as a holistic process oriented toward wisdom, agency, and social responsibility.

Key Questions
◆What constitutes meaningful learning in an era of AI and automation?
◆How can education balance employability with ethical and civic development?
◆How can diverse knowledge traditions complement contemporary pedagogy?
Ashish Pandey — ModeratorBhimraya MetriNeerja GuptaVishal AhujaShirin Kulkarni
Sat · Space City Room · 2:00 – 4:30 PMExplore
04Saturday · Set 2
Sustainability: From Exploitation to Equilibrium

Ecological crises reflect structural and cultural patterns that prioritise short-term growth over ecological resilience. This theme examines sustainability through ethical and long-term perspectives that emphasise restraint, reciprocity, and intergenerational responsibility.

Key Questions
◆How can sustainability be reframed beyond technocratic policy compliance?
◆What insights do indigenous and traditional ecological knowledge systems offer?
◆Can economic systems be reoriented toward regenerative rather than extractive models?
Shashi Mandapaty — ModeratorBhavik BakshiVikram PattarkineSailesh RaoPadmini Ranganathan
Sat · Ballroom · 2:00 – 4:30 PMExplore
05Sunday · Set 3
Spirituality in the Age of Algorithms

Algorithmic systems increasingly shape attention, perception, and behaviour — driving conformance rather than open thinking. This theme explores spirituality as a path to discernment, balance, and intentional living, and asks how we can foster a healthier relationship between technology and consciousness.

Key Questions
◆What does spirituality mean in today's technologically advanced world?
◆Can spirituality be encoded in AI or algorithms?
◆How do we find a way to live by awareness rather than algorithms?
Shekhar Mayanil — ModeratorJeffrey LongK RamasubramanianR V HosurSharda Nandram
Sun · Space City Room · 9:30 AM – 12:00 PMExplore
06Sunday · Set 3
Conversations Across Generations

Accelerated social change and technology have significantly altered how knowledge, values, and practices are transmitted across generations. This theme explores how we can go beyond surface-level communication and foster deeper dialogue about what we can learn from each other — if we truly listen.

Key Questions
◆What values can sustain family cohesion and shared social purpose today?
◆How can families remain centred on what matters most while allowing individual judgement?
◆What shifts in home and communication can foster more open, reflective dialogue?
Kalika Uttarkar — ModeratorSwami ChidanandpuriSampadananda MishraViswajith MalampatiAadit Kapadia
Sun · Ballroom · 9:30 AM – 12:00 PMExplore