We had an incredible two days at Jio World Convention Centre for SHRMTech 2.0, from high-energy conversations at our booth to focused discussions with L&D leaders across industries. 

As a Platinum Partner, Tekstac engaged with HR and learning leaders, hosting conversations that matter, and unveiling something we’ve been working on for months.

Key Takeaways from the event

1. The Big Moment: Report Launch 

A key highlight of the event was the launch of our first collaborative report with SHRM India: 

“Tectonic Shifts to Transformational Growth: Evolving Role of L&D in the GenAI Era.” 

Built on insights from conversations with 50+ organiszations, the report captures how Indian enterprises are rethinking learning strategies to stay future-ready in a rapidly evolving AI landscape. 

The report was unveiled by Vivek Ranjan (CHRO, Zensar), Krishnan Unni (Chief Business Officer, Tekstac), and Jasdev Ahuja (Senior Director & Lead Membership & PMQ at SHRM East), setting the tone for deeper discussions around the evolving role of L&D. 

One idea stood out strongly through the launch and beyond:
The shift from talking about AI to proving business value. 

2. What Leaders Spoke 

Across panels, conversations, and our own interactions, a few themes consistently came up: 

• Organisations are moving towards skills-first frameworks, but struggle to keep them updated as new roles emerge rapidly 

• There is increasing pressure on L&D to demonstrate tangible business outcomes 

• Employees themselves are questioning how to stay relevant in a world where skills evolve faster than ever 

One of the most thought-provoking reflections from the event captured this well:
What happens when the skills you learn today risk becoming obsolete within months? 

3. Perspectives from the Floor 

In a compelling exchange between Andy Biladeau and Pranjal Sharma, the focus was on how organisations need to rethink transformation itself. 

As highlighted by Krishna Kumar, Head of Marketing at Tekstac: “Transformation cannot be siloed.” 

Another strong takeaway: 

• In the GenAI era, cross-functional knowledge is becoming essential, not optional 

What stood out equally was SHRM’s own approach—being self-critical and actively evolving, rather than just advocating change. 

4. Conversations That Went Deeper: The Roundtable 

Beyond the mainstage, we hosted an exclusive roundtable with 15+ senior L&D and HR leaders on: 

“Tectonic Shifts to Transformational Growth: Evolving Role of L&D in the GenAI Era.” 

This wasn’t a panel or a presentation—it was a candid exchange on what’s actually changing inside organisations. 

Leaders spoke openly about: 

• The pressure to move faster than traditional learning systems allow 

• The gap between learning investments and business outcomes 

• The need for more agile, outcome-driven L&D models 

As one attendee, Amit Haldar (Director of L&D, Wipro) shared, the discussion brought forward “ideas, insights, and perspectives that clear the AI blur.” 

5. Booth 38: Where Conversations Came Alive 

Across both days, our presence at Booth 38 brought together a steady stream of HR and L&D professionals. 

From live demos to hands-on conversations, we explored how organisations can: 

• Define and validate skills at scale 

• Build connected systems where learning data flows seamlessly 

• Measure capability, not just course completion 

It also became a space for more informal interactions, exchanging ideas, sharing challenges, and continuing conversations sparked on stage.