Who's who of politics, AI, sports, films to converge at India Today's Mumbai Conclave

The flagship event of the India Today Group, the India Today Conclave, is set to return to Mumbai on October 9 and 10, bringing together politicians, policymakers, military experts, business leaders, athletes, film stars and thought leaders to discuss some of the biggest issues shaping India today.

This year's Mumbai edition comes at a time of intense political churn, with Maharashtra's power equations evolving, the debate over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls putting the Election Commission under scrutiny and youth-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar adding a new dimension to the country's political discourse.

Against this backdrop, the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai will become a hub of conversations spanning politics, national security, technology, business, health, sport and popular culture -- with artificial intelligence, the elephant in the room, cutting across them all.

SPORTING QUEENS OPEN THE SHOW

Day 1 will open with a celebration of India's sporting queens, with Kiran Pahal, Prachi Choudhury, MR Poovamma and Vithya Ramraj taking the stage soon after their gold-winning performance in the women's 4x400m relay at the 2026 Asian Games. Their victory in Nagoya was India's only athletics gold at the Games and capped a memorable run for the quartet. Navneet Kaur, a member of India's hockey team, will also join the session.

The spotlight will then turn to Maharashtra, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis speaking on the state's development model and state opposition party Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray outlining his party's vision. A conversation on the political wishlist of young India will bring together NCP's Amol Kolhe, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari and Jharkhand student leader Devendra Mahato, offering perspectives from across the political spectrum.

FROM 'MIRZAPUR' TO FUTURE WARFARE

The conclave will then move from politics to public health, with a debate on the promise and risks of GLP-1 drugs, before Ali Fazal takes the stage to discuss the journey of Mirzapur from an OTT cult hit to the big screen. Congress leader Sachin Pilot will subsequently outline his party's vision for a new model of governance.

National security will be another major focus, with a session on India's 21st-century defence shield examining future warfare and emerging military technologies. The conversation comes as India looks to strengthen its indigenous defence capabilities and prepare for a changing security environment.

CJP VS POLL PANEL

The youth voice will return to centre stage with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is once again at the heart of a political movement -- this time over the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The CJP comes to the conclave fresh from leading weeks of youth protests over the NEET paper leak and examination irregularities, with its campaign for the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan culminating in his resignation in July. The movement has since shifted its focus to demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

THE BIG QUESTIONS: STRAY DOGS, SECURITY AND AI

Governance will then take the spotlight with Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain discussing his vision for the state, followed by a debate over one of the country's most contentious urban issues -- the stray dog question, including the competing demands of animal welfare, public safety and civic responsibility.

Technology and innovation will feature prominently as well, with a session on smart farming exploring how AI, IoT and hydroponics could reshape India's agricultural future.

The conclave will also turn to one of India's most ambitious and contested infrastructure projects -- the Great Nicobar project. The session, titled "Security or Sustainability: Andaman's Big Question", will bring together conservationist Debi Goenka, Andaman and Nicobar researcher Dr Manish Chandi and defence expert Captain Sarabjeet S Parmar to examine the competing questions of strategic security, infrastructure development and ecological sustainability in the islands.

The conversation will then shift to women, work and showbiz, bringing together television veteran Anu Ranjan and actors-entrepreneurs Anushka Ranjan and Akansha Ranjan to explore how opportunities and expectations are changing across generations.

With the country's electoral system facing one of its most intense political debates in recent years, former Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and OP Rawat will discuss the functioning of India's poll machinery and the institutional challenges facing the Election Commission.

The evening will bring a series of conversations around young Indians and emerging voices -- from Prathamesh Sinha, the young innovator and National Award winner, to poet and storyteller Ruchika Lohiya. Emotional AI expert Bryony Cole will examine the rapidly evolving relationship between artificial intelligence, intimacy and human connection.

The day's business conversation will turn to India's economic roadmap, with leading economists and policy thinkers discussing growth, jobs and investment and the country's path towards the next phase of economic expansion.

Day 1 will end on a cinematic note with Sharvari, who will take the stage for a conversation on her breakout year. The actor recently appeared alongside Alia Bhatt on the opening episode of India's Got Latent 2, where the two Alpha co-stars became part of the show's much-discussed return.

DAY 2: AI, PARLIAMENT, SPACE AND THE INDIA STORY

Day 2 will open with Maharashtra's political contest from the NCP's perspective, with Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule taking the stage. The conversation will then move from state politics to India's maritime security, with Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan discussing the weaponisation of the seas and Shyam Jagannathan examining the strategic importance of India's ports and trade lifelines.

Artificial intelligence will return to the centre of the conversation, this time through the lens of cinema and storytelling. Filmmaker Subhash Ghai and Whistling Woods International president Meghna Ghai Puri will discuss how AI and OTT platforms are changing the rules of the creative industry. The entertainment line-up will continue with Divyenndu Sharma, whose portrayal of the iconic Mirzapur villain made him a household name.

Business and legacy will take centre stage with Geetanjali Kirloskar and Manasi Kirloskar Tata discussing two generations of women at the helm of major business institutions.

Food safety will get its own spotlight through Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, whose surprise inspections and stringent action against restaurants, eateries, food shops and other businesses have made him one of the most recognisable faces of the state's food-safety crackdown. His work has now attracted international attention, with The New York Times featuring him on its front page as a food inspector whose tough enforcement has made him a public figure in Maharashtra.

The conclave will then move to wellness tourism and the changing definition of luxury, before educationists debate how India's premier institutions can evolve through a conversation on resetting the IIT system and making excellence more humane.

A session on marriage, domestic violence and relationships will bring together lawyer Flavia Agnes, documentary-maker Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj and psychiatrist Dr Pavan Sonar, while the Bright Young Indians segment will introduce audiences to eight-year-old prodigy Rishi Shiv Prasanna.

Technology and innovation will once again take centre stage with India's emerging space ecosystem and robotics, followed by a conversation on Ladakh and the Indus question with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

The evening will bring together cinema and popular culture, from the story behind the Hanuman Ansh blockbuster to model Maleesha Kharwa's journey from Dharavi to the spotlight.

The final political conversation will turn to democracy, Parliament and the road ahead, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju discussing the functioning of Parliament and the broader questions confronting India's democratic institutions.

The concluding session will bring together actor Rajkummar Rao, filmmaker Dinesh Vijan and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam for a conversation on Kasab, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the battle for justice -- bringing together cinema, the legal system and one of the darkest chapters in Mumbai's recent history.

From Maharashtra's political churn and the debate over India's electoral system to the Great Nicobar project, national security, AI, business, sport and cinema, the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2026 will bring some of the country's most influential voices together to examine the questions shaping India today.