Vadodara, Gujarat | 13 September 2025
Leaders, innovators, policymakers, and city planners from across the country converged in Vadodara for the Elets Urban Innovation & Infrastructure Summit 2025, organised by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), Government of Gujarat, in collaboration with Elets Technomedia Pvt Ltd and its flagship publication eGov Magazine.
The summit commenced with an auspicious Lamp Lighting Ceremony, symbolising the dawn of a new era in India’s urban journey. The ceremony was graced by the august presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel; Shri Arun Mahesh Babu M.S., IAS, Municipal Commissioner, Vadodara Municipal Corporation (Program Chair); Smt. Pinkyben Nirajbhai Soni, Hon’ble Mayor of Vadodara, and Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder & CEO, Elets Technomedia & Editor-in-Chief, eGov Magazine, along with several other eminent dignitaries from government and industry.
Visionary Leadership & Transformative Roadmap
Delivering the Chief Guest Address, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Bhai Patel shared his visionary roadmap for #ViksitBharat2047 and #ViksitGujarat, emphasising the critical role of robust infrastructure, technological innovation, and inclusive governance in building future-ready cities.
Shri Arun Mahesh Babu M.S., IAS, Municipal Commissioner, Vadodara Municipal Corporation and Program Chair, in his Welcome Address, set the tone for the summit by underscoring the importance of fostering collaboration between government, academia, and industry to accelerate sustainable urban transformation.
Adding to this momentum, Smt. Tejal Amin, Chairperson, Navrachana University, delivered a compelling Special Address, urging stakeholders to leverage Vadodara’s industrial strengths, institutional ecosystem, and civic infrastructure to position the city as a model for urban development and innovation-led growth.
Smt. Pinkyben Nirajbhai Soni, Hon’ble Mayor of Vadodara, in her Presidential Address, reaffirmed the VMC’s unwavering commitment to building a citizen-centric, innovation-driven, and sustainable urban ecosystem that balances Vadodara’s rich cultural heritage with modern advancements.
Landmark Launches & Strategic Partnerships
A key highlight of the summit was the unveiling of two significant publications—the “Urban Development Year Book” by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation and a special edition of eGov Magazine titled “Urban Edge: Shaping Gujarat’s Urban Growth Story” by Elets Technomedia. These publications encapsulate the pioneering milestones of Gujarat’s urban transformation and present forward-looking strategies for India’s cities.
In another milestone moment, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) to drive innovation, capacity building, and sustainable urban development. The collaboration will foster knowledge exchange, skill enhancement, and technology integration to strengthen urban governance frameworks.
Commitment to Digitalisation, Good Governance & Inclusive Growth
The inaugural session concluded on an impactful note with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Sheetal Mistry, Chairman, Standing Committee, Vadodara Municipal Corporation. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to all dignitaries, partners, and participants for contributing to this landmark initiative, and reaffirmed VMC’s commitment to advancing digitalisation, ensuring corruption-free governance, strengthening democracy, and fostering inclusivity as the guiding principles of Vadodara’s urban transformation journey.
Insightful Panel Discussions Drive Meaningful Dialogue
A key highlight of the summit was a series of five high-impact panel discussions, which brought together senior government leaders, municipal commissioners, industry pioneers, and urban development experts to deliberate on the future of Indian cities. The panels included:
- Reimagining Urban India – Towards Viksit Bharat @2047: Focus on policy frameworks, innovative financing models, and governance reforms for resilient and sustainable cities.
- Future of Urban Mobility & Smart Infrastructure: Exploring intelligent transport systems, multimodal integration, EV ecosystem, and technology-driven mobility innovations.
- Climate-Resilient & Sustainable Cities: Addressing climate action, green energy, water conservation, and circular economy strategies in urban ecosystems.
- Financing the Urban Transformation: Strategies to mobilise public-private investments, PPP models, and leveraging municipal bonds for infrastructure projects.
- Strengthening New Municipal Corporations – Governance, Infrastructure & Capacity Building: Deliberating on frameworks for good governance, technical capacity-building, and efficient resource management in emerging municipal corporations.
Some of the Key speakers included: H. E. Stephen Hickling, British Deputy High Commissioner for Gujarat & Rajasthan, Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, UK; Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Member, House of Lords (UK); Smt. Shalini Agarwal, IAS, Municipal Commissioner, Surat Municipal Corporation; Smt. Jayaben Thakkar, Ex-MP, Vadodara; Shri Chaitanya Desai, Hon’ble MLA, Akota Constituency (BJP); Shri Radhabinod Aribam Sharma, IAS, Commissioner, Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation; Shri D.J. Jadeja, IAS, Chief Town Planner, Gandhinagar; Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Choudhary, Vice-Chancellor, Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya; HH Radhikaraje Gaekwad, Vice President, Maharani Chimnabai Stree Udyogalaya; Trustee, Maharaja Fatesingh Museum; Director, CDS Art Foundation; Shri Hari Mohan Meena, IAS, Director, Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water, Sewerage and Infrastructure Corporation Limited (RUDSICO); Shri Upendra Pande, Managing Director, Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd (GETCO); Shri Vijay Shah, Ex-President, BJP, Vadodara; Ms. Shalini Goyal Bhalla, Managing Director, International Council for Circular Economy, amongst more.
These panel discussions sparked collaborative dialogues and offered actionable solutions to accelerate India’s urban transformation.
Industry Presentations Showcase Cutting-Edge Innovations
The summit also featured a dedicated Industry Presentations Track, spotlighting transformative solutions and best practices shaping India’s urban and infrastructure landscape. Eminent industry leaders delivered insightful presentations, including:
Mr Praveen Singh, Chief Manager, Bank of Baroda; Mr Mohit Bhakuni, AGM, Bank of Baroda; Mr Mandar Kulkarni CEO Gujarat Circle, Indus Towers; Shri Keyur Rokadia, MLA; Ankit Magan, Founder and Director, Retas Enviro Solutions Pvt Ltd; Shri Balkrishna Shukla, Chief Whip, Gujarat Vidhan Sabha; Dr Jayprakash Soni, President, BJP, Vadodara and Smt Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt, Ex-MP, Vadodara.
The presentations highlighted the cutting-edge innovations driving India’s urban growth and emphasised the importance of public-private collaboration in accelerating infrastructure development.
A Collaborative Platform Driving India’s Urban Future
The Elets Urban Innovation & Infrastructure Summit 2025 served as a national platform bringing together government officials, urban planners, technocrats, industry pioneers, financial institutions, and academia to deliberate on strategies for building future-ready, resilient, and inclusive cities.
Summit Partners
- Host Partner: Vadodara Municipal Corporation
- Knowledge Partner: eGov Magazine
- Presenting Partner: Navrachana University
- Co-Presenting Partner: Bank of Baroda
- PSU Partners: Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd (GSECL), Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO)
- Gold Partner: Zigma
- Silver Partners: Parul University, Indus Towers, AMNEX
- Supporting Partners: BRG Group, Sargam House Vadodara, Vadodara Gas Ltd, India Energy Storage Alliance, CREDAI Vadodara
- Exhibitors: Axis Bank, Central Bank of India, Punjab & Sind Bank, Parth Electricals & Engineering Ltd, Arya Omnitalk, Retas Emviro Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Courtyard & Planning PS Solutions
Reflections & Way Forward
Reflecting on the success of the summit, Mrs. Hemangini Rajputh, Senior Associate Editor, Elets Technomedia, emphasised that the event served as a vital platform for fostering knowledge exchange and strategic collaborations among government leaders, industry pioneers, and urban planners. She noted that the diverse dialogues and actionable insights shared during the sessions will play a pivotal role in accelerating India’s journey towards sustainable and inclusive urbanisation.
Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder & CEO, Elets Technomedia and Editor-in-Chief, eGov Magazine, extended his gratitude to all dignitaries, speakers, and partners for their active participation and thought leadership. He reaffirmed Elets Technomedia’s commitment to continue championing conversations that drive innovation-led growth and to support government bodies in shaping future-ready cities aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
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