Life Sciences Sector Skill Development Council (LSSSDC) recently hosted “SkillVerse 2026 – A National Skill Summit for the Life Sciences Sector” at Le Méridien, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, bringing together more than 100 senior leaders and key stakeholders from the life sciences ecosystem. The summit focused on addressing skill gaps, strengthening training ecosystems, building industry-aligned talent and preparing India’s workforce for the future needs of the rapidly evolving life sciences sector.
Organised around the theme “Shaping the Skilled Future of Life Sciences,” the national summit brought together representatives from the Central and State Governments, pharma and life sciences industries, academia, skill development organisations, policymakers and other ecosystem partners. Express Pharma was the media partner for this event.
The summit commenced with the welcome of dignitaries, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and the National Anthem. Shri Gautam Bhattacharya, Chief Executive Officer, LSSSDC, delivered the welcome address. Shri Anil Matai, Chairman, LSSSDC and Director General, OPPI, shared his perspectives through a video message.
Special addresses were delivered by Shri Aman Sharma, IAS, Department of Pharmaceuticals; Shri Chakravarthi AVPS, LSSSDC Board Member; Ms. Nidhi Satiija, ISS, Director, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE); Dr. K. Narendran, Deputy Drugs Controller, CDSCO; Dr. Sarvesh Singh, CEO, Telangana Life Sciences; and Prof. Shailendra Saraf, Director, NIPER Hyderabad, among other distinguished speakers.
More than 100 senior industry leaders participate
A major highlight of SkillVerse 2026 was the participation of more than 100 senior leaders, CXOs, industry experts and decision-makers from the life sciences sector. The summit provided a high-level platform for meaningful dialogue between industry, government, academia and the skill development ecosystem.
The industry ecosystem represented at the summit included leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences organisations such as Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Sun Pharma, Cadila, Biological E, Aurobindo Pharma, Hetero Labs, Granules India, Natco Pharma, MSN Laboratories, Eisai Pharmaceuticals India, Sahajanand Medical Technologies, Alkem Laboratories, Sekhmet Pharmaventures, Cohance Life Sciences, Agappe Diagnostics, Sandoz, Aragen Life Sciences , Bharath Biotech, Biozeen, Sai Life Sciences, Gland Pharma, Vimta Labs, Sai Parenterals.
Strong representation across government, academia and industry associations
The summit witnessed strong representation and participation from key Government Departments and organisations, including the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Telangana Life Sciences, Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK), Department of Employment and Training, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Technical Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Regional Directorate of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (RDSDE), Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council, Department of Pharmaceuticals and TICEL Bio Park.
The academic and knowledge ecosystem was represented by institutions and organisations including IIT Hyderabad, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), CSIR, GITAM, SRM, Punjab Biotech Incubator, PAGE and VIPER, reflecting the strong commitment of academia and knowledge partners towards building a future-ready life sciences workforce.
Industry associations and ecosystem bodies, including FOPE, BDMAI, MDP TG and FABA, also participated in the summit, contributing to discussions on industry requirements, skill development priorities and collaborative models for strengthening the life sciences skill ecosystem.
Key discussions on skill gaps and industry needs
The first panel discussion, “Identifying Skill Gaps in Life Sciences Sector,” examined the current skill requirements of the industry, changing demands in the employment market and the need to build a workforce that is industry-ready from day one.
The second panel, “NeeV Initiatives – Industry-led Models for Strengthening Skill Development Centres (SDCs),” explored practical models for strengthening Skill Development Centres through deeper industry participation, infrastructure support and outcome-oriented training.
Government initiatives and industry partnership
The third panel discussion on “Government Initiatives for Skilling” focused on aligning government-led skill development programmes with industry requirements, improving training quality and expanding employment opportunities for young talent.
The fourth panel, “Future-Ready Workforce for Life Sciences – Preparing for Industry 5.0,” brought together industry experts to discuss emerging skills, advanced technologies, innovation, digital transformation and the human capabilities required to prepare the life sciences workforce for the Industry 5.0 era.
Key partnerships to strengthen skill development
The summit also witnessed important partnership initiatives aimed at strengthening the skill development ecosystem. An MoU exchange took place between LSSSDC and Biological E Limited for a new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-supported Skill Development Initiative for FY 2026–27.
LSSSDC also entered into an understanding with Medical Devices Park to strengthen industry collaboration for multiple skill development initiatives. In addition, Oxygen Pharmatech Private Limited was associated as a Knowledge Partner for various skill development initiatives.
Building a future-ready life sciences workforce
Speakers and participants unanimously emphasised that as India’s life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors continue to grow rapidly, sustained investment in industry-aligned skilling, industry–academia collaboration, government support and awareness of emerging technologies will be critical.
The discussions highlighted that bridging skill gaps can not only improve employment opportunities for young talent but also strengthen India’s ability to compete globally by building a highly skilled, adaptable and future-ready workforce.
A strong national platform for collaboration
In his concluding remarks, Gautam Bhattacharya, CEO, LSSSDC, outlined key recommendations and the way forward, while thanking the distinguished guests, industry leaders, government representatives, academic institutions, partners and other stakeholders for their valuable participation and support.
All participating stakeholders appreciated the LSSSDC team for successfully organising this useful and timely national event for the Life Sciences Sector Skill Ecosystem. Participants acknowledged the summit as a valuable platform for meaningful dialogue, knowledge sharing, collaboration and collective action towards addressing skill gaps and strengthening India’s life sciences talent pipeline.
With the shared objectives of “Bridging Skill Gaps – Strengthening Training Ecosystems – Driving Innovation & Future-Ready Talent – Building a Competitive Global Workforce,” SkillVerse 2026 emerged as a significant national platform that brought together industry, government, academia and the wider skill ecosystem to collectively shape the future of talent development in India’s life sciences sector.