Sachin Chugh, Hydrogen Lead India, ARUP UK; Vice President, Hydrogen Association of India
Sachin Chugh is Director, Energy & Hydrogen at Arup India, leading consultancy services in green molecules and energy across India, the Middle East, and Africa. With over 20 years of experience in hydrogen and downstream energy, he advises on technical due diligence, renewable energy, decarbonization, and nuclear energy strategy. Formerly at IndianOil R&D, he pioneered hydrogen initiatives, including India’s first hydrogen stations and fuel cell buses. He holds 12 patents, has mentored startups and PhD scholars, and contributes to government panels on energy transition. Sachin holds a Master’s in Thermal Engineering and certifications in Business Analytics and Environmental Law.
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Kapur, Advisor - R&D, GAIL India Ltd
Dr. Kapur is a distinguished research and technology professional with over 35 years of experience in the energy sector. He retired in December 2022 as Executive Director (Chemical Technology and Technology Promotion & Forecasting) and Head of the IndianOil Technology Development & Deployment Centre at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., where he led R&D initiatives in alternative energy, hydrogen and fuel cells, petrochemicals, polymers, catalysts, and nanotechnology.
Post-retirement, Dr. Kapur continues to support India’s clean energy transition through academic and advisory engagements. He serves as Advisor (R&D) to GAIL (India) Ltd., Independent Director at ACIC-University of Ladakh Atal Innovation Foundation, and holds faculty positions at the University of Ladakh, Jamia Hamdard University, and Akal University. He also chairs the Clean Technology Advisory Board at Let’s Do It India Foundation and is Senior Advisor to the Hydrocarbon Sector Skill Council, where he guides skill development programs in green hydrogen.
Suniti Kaur, Co-founder and Executive Partner, Alaya Legal
Suniti holds a B.A.,LLB (Hons) degree from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (India). She is the Co-founder and Executive Partner at Alaya Legal, where she leads the firm’s Energy and Sustainability practice. With deep expertise across oil & gas (upstream and downstream), LNG, renewable energy, and green hydrogen, Suniti has built a reputation for delivering strategic legal counsel in complex, high-value transactions and regulatory matters.
Under her guidance, Alaya Legal has steadily developed its credentials in advising stakeholders across India’s evolving energy sector.
Charith Konda, Energy Specialist - India Mobility and New Energy, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA)
Charith is an Energy Specialist, India Mobility and New Energy at IEEFA. He works on issues related to clean mobility, newer clean energy technologies, and the overall energy transition challenges of the economy.
Charith has around two decades of professional work experience in public policy advisory, consulting, and business & policy research in a wide range of global firms. His interest lies at the intersection of government and private enterprise in the sectors of energy & environment, mobility, infrastructure, and technology. Charith’s last assignment was with an Amsterdam-based technology platform for smart electric vehicle charging applications. Previously, he worked with the Government of Andhra Pradesh for drawing investments into the state and was earlier instrumental in establishing the India work program of Climate Policy Initiative.
Charith holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts (ICFAI), India and a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from Acharya Nagarjuna University.
Dr. Manoj Kumar Upreti, Dy. General Manager - Biotechnology & Sustainability, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, R&D Centre
With a PhD in Biotechnology and an MBA in Operations Research, Dr. Upreti brings over 24 years of pioneering experience in industrial biotechnology at IndianOil R&D. Currently leading the biotechnology division, he has been instrumental in translating cutting-edge research into commercially scalable solutions. These include technologies such as bioremediation, biological and hybrid wastewater treatment, compressed biogas (CBG) production, microbial corrosion (MIC) monitoring in hydrocarbon pipelines, microalgae- and enzyme-based CO₂ capture, and various CO₂ utilization pathways.
Renowned for developing hybrid and interdisciplinary solutions that integrate biotechnology with electrochemistry, nanotechnology, and biohybrid systems, Dr. Upreti focuses on delivering cost-effective, sustainable technologies tailored for the petroleum and energy sectors. A prolific innovator, [he/she/they] has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, holds more than 200 patents and applications, and has been honored with multiple national and international awards.
George Mathew, Senior Advisor, Government of Kerala
Mathew C. George is a seasoned energy and petrochemical industry professional with over 35 years of leadership experience at Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), one of India’s largest Fortune 500 companies. He has held key roles across corporate planning, petrochemical exports, marketing, international business development, and refinery strategy.
Notably, Mathew spearheaded IOCL’s maiden international foray through the establishment of Lanka IOC in Sri Lanka and led the global marketing of petrochemicals under the "Propel" brand across 71 countries. He has overseen business units with turnovers exceeding ₹9,000 crore and played a pivotal role in designing supply chains, IT systems, and commercial frameworks that enabled IOCL’s entry into global markets.
He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Government of Kerala, and has consulted for the Government of Nigeria and the High Commission of Sri Lanka in India. He is recognized for his ability to conceptualize and operationalize new businesses in energy, alternate fuels, and logistics.
Dr. Bharat L. Newalkar, Chief General Manager - R&D, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
Dr. Bharat L. Newalkar joined the Corporate R&D Centre of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in September 2002 and currently serves as the Chief General Manager (R&D). He leads strategic research programs focused on Net Zero, Circular Economy, and Niche Fuels & Products.
Dr. Newalkar has successfully steered pioneering research in the development of high-silica zeolite-based catalysts for oligomerization, dewaxing, and niche petrochemical applications. His work has culminated in the commercial deployment of a dewaxing catalyst formulation, marking a significant achievement in indigenous catalyst development.
His team is actively engaged in the development of porous materials for adsorptive separation and low-pressure natural gas storage applications. With a strong foundation in catalysis and material science, Dr. Newalkar has published 75 scientific papers and holds 25 patents to his credit.
Dr. Naveen Raj, Senior Consultant & Head-Environment, Marine Oil Spill Response for Oil & Gas Industry (OISD)
Dr. Naveen Raj is an experienced HSE domain expert with specialization in Environment and sustainable development having 40+ years of Industrial experience of leading the Environment team of oil & energy PSU managing Environmental activities by implementing Environmental policies & best practices; Regulation enforcement, clearances & compliances; Liaising with regulatory bodies & Industry groups for implementation of environmental plans; Implementing Environment management systems and capacity building through environmental trainings.
He had been Certified QCI-NABET accredited Coordinator- Environment Impact Assessment and Functional area expert in Water Pollution, Air pollution & Hazardous Waste Management.
Jessica Singh, Chief Manager - Corporate Strategy Department, Indian Oil Corporation Limited
Jessica Singh is Chief Manager at IndianOil’s Corporate Strategy Department, bringing 18 years of rich experience in energy economics, strategic planning, and sectoral analysis. A postgraduate in Economics from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics, her expertise spans energy transition, demand modelling, transport sector, oil and gas value chain, and evolving global energy dynamics. She is known for her ability to distil complex trends into actionable insights that support long-term business planning and policy alignment. Her work routinely informs IndianOil’s forward-looking strategies on energy security, decarbonization pathways, and market positioning in a transitioning global energy landscape.
Over the years, she has authored and contributed to several high-impact reports, articles and internal strategy papers. She has represented IndianOil at industry consultations and international workshops. Her analytical rigor and forward-thinking perspective have established her as a credible voice in corporate energy circles.
KK Sharma, Consultant-Climate Change, SCM & Growth Strategy
Kumud Kumar Sharma is a seasoned energy professional with over 38 years of experience in the oil & gas, petrochemicals, cryogenics, supply chain, and sustainability domains. He superannuated as Executive Director at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. in July 2023.
Throughout his career, Mr. Sharma has held diverse leadership roles, including Head of Sustainable Development, Business Head of Cryogenics, and State Head of Odisha, where IOC was ranked 2nd nationally in MOU performance. He was instrumental in key projects like IOC’s petrochemicals and international business expansions, green logistics models, and sustainability initiatives. A strong advocate of knowledge sharing, he has developed over 30 e-learning modules and regularly delivers talks on climate change, supply chain strategy, and energy transition.