Visakhapatnam is set to emerge as a global platform for business and investment partnerships with the 31st CII Partnership Summit scheduled to be held on November 12 and 13. 59 countries, 15 foreign ministers and over 1,250 delegates are expected to attend the two-day event
The two-day summit, themed ‘Navigating New World Order: Trade, Technology, Trust’, will bring together government representatives, industrial leaders, international organisations, investors and technology experts from across the world. Among the key focus areas during the summit will be, Trade, technology, global cooperation, food security and clean energy.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday reviewed the arrangements for the CII Partnership Summit–2026, along with the proposed agenda, key discussion points and declarations, at a meeting attended by senior government officials and CII representatives, including CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee.
Naidu emphasised that the Visakhapatnam summit should showcase Andhra Pradesh’s investment potential across various sectors to the global community. He called for bringing policymakers, investors, industries, educational institutions and start-ups onto a common platform and translating deliberations into concrete business and technological partnerships.
The Chief Minister said the summit should focus on connecting industries in Andhra Pradesh with global markets and creating new business opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It should also highlight the state’s potential in expanding technological cooperation and providing international opportunities for the skills and talent of its youth.
He stressed the need to showcase the state’s policy initiatives, including the payment of industrial incentives through an escrow account and its Speed of Doing Business framework, to a global audience.
Naidu called for extensive promotion of investment opportunities in green energy, technology, semiconductors and other emerging sectors. He said Andhra Pradesh had several advantages, including progressive policies, skilled professionals, infrastructure, knowledge resources and strong leadership.
It is important to convey to the international business community that investing in Andhra Pradesh was both safe and easy, he said.
Government delegations from Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, the Slovak Republic, Mauritius, Mozambique, Egypt, Algeria, Tanzania and Guatemala are among those expected to participate.
Ambassadors of various countries and representatives of international organisations, including the World Food Programme, Asian Development Bank and United Nations Environment Programme, will also attend the two-day event.
Around 400 business-to-business (B2B) meetings are planned to facilitate partnerships and commercial engagements between companies. Business-to-government (B2G) meetings will also be organised to enable industries to interact directly with government representatives.
A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people’s minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.
Read More
