Conference Agenda 2026 | The Coaching Collective

YOUR HOST

Kavitha Garla(Anchor, TEDx Speaker | Curator | Interviewer)

Time

8:00 AM

Session

Welcome & Registration

Doors open. Coffee's on. Come as you are, find your people, and get ready for a day worth showing up for.

Speakers & Facilitators

The Coaching Collective Team (Co-Creators AKA Volunteers)

Time

9:00 AM

Session

Opening Note

The day begins with context, clarity, and a little provocation. This is where we establish why we're here, what we're wrestling with, and what we're hoping to leave with.

Speakers & Facilitators

Raj Kumar Sahu (Co-Founder, The Coaching Collective, CEO & Founder, The Gardener's Hub)

Rashmi Fernandes (Co Founder, The Coaching Collective, Leadership & Culture Transformation Coach | Organisation Psychologist | Doctoral Researcher)

Time

9:30 AM

Session

Still Irreplaceable: Redefining the Coach's Role in an AI World

AI can analyze, predict, and recommend — but it cannot connect, challenge, or truly see another human being. This session separates fact from fiction on what AI can do today, then makes the case for what only you can do. Not defensive. Definitive.

Speakers & Facilitators

Naveen Narayanan (Global CHRO, Biocon)

Time

10:00 AM

Session

From Insight to Impact: Coaching Stories That Changed Organisations

The best coaching doesn't just develop people — it reshapes what's possible for the organisations around them. This session brings both sides of the story: the human journeys that shifted mindsets and behaviours, and the measurable business outcomes that followed. Because the two were never separate to begin with.

Speakers & Facilitators

Lakshmipathy Bangalore (VP and Head of QM, L&D & Agile, Siemens Technology & Services Pvt. Ltd.)

Stuti Ghosh (VP – Skills Architecture and Management, Standard Chartered)

Gopal A Iyer (Leadership Architect, Executive Coach, Author) (Moderator)

Time

10:55 AM

Tea Break

Time

11:15 AM

Session

The Coach, the Client, and the Algorithm - A Live Demo

A live look at how AI is reshaping coaching workflows in practice — the tools, the possibilities, and the places where human presence, judgement, and connection remain irreplaceable.

Speakers & Facilitators

Bhuwan Mahajan (Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, EdMyst)

Dr. Manpreet Uppal (Executive Coach, Head-Coaching Operations, EdMyst)

Time

12:15 PM

Session

Coaching with a Conscience: Ethics in the Age of AI

The tools are powerful. The questions are harder. As AI reshapes how we coach, develop, and evaluate people, the ethical stakes have never been higher. This session examines the fault lines — privacy, bias, consent, dependency — and equips coaches to navigate them with clarity and conviction.

Speakers & Facilitators

Latha Chembrakalam (Founder and CEO, AutoAscend Pvt Ltd)

Rashmi Shetty (Founder, The Third Eye | V.O.I.C.E Coach for Global C-Suite Leaders)

Anjani Gandhi (Founder & Executive Coach, The Bento Coach) (Moderator)

Time

1:00 PM

Lunch Break

Time

2:00 PM

Session

What Makes Us Work? Coaches & Clients, Face to Face.

No panels. No presentations. Just the people at the heart of coaching — in conversation with each other. This facilitated networking session creates the space for coaches and clients to say what they don't usually say, hear what they don't usually hear, and find the people worth staying in touch with.

Speakers & Facilitators

Neeraja Ganesh (Leadership Trainer & Mindset Coach)

Ritu Gaur (Certified Leadership Coach | OD Consultant | ICF-Accredited Trainer, .)

Time

3:00 PM

Tea Break

Time

3:15 PM

Session

Own Your Edge, Price Your Worth

AI isn't replacing coaches — it's replacing the ones who never stood out. This session helps you identify the edge that makes you genuinely different, then price from that place with confidence. No more undercharging out of fear, no more copying what everyone else charges. Walk away knowing exactly what you're worth — and how to say it out loud.

Speakers & Facilitators

Chitra Singh (Founder, Chief Mentor SalesWomentoring, Co Founder WIB-E)

Sreedevi Raghavan (Founder & CEO, Tattvamassi | Sales Strategy Consultant | Member Board of Governor : IIM, Kozhikode, Co Founder WIB-E)

Time

4:15 PM

Session

Recognitions: Celebrating the Heart of Our Community

Volunteers, (whom we call Co-Creators) don't just make events possible — they embody what a coaching community stands for: showing up for others without keeping score. This is our chance to see them, name them, and thank them properly.

Speakers & Facilitators

Kavitha Garla (TEDx Speaker | Anchor & Curator | Interviewer)

Time

4:45 PM

Session

Closing Note: Until Next Time

Every ending is also a beginning. This closing note brings the day full circle — acknowledging how far the conversation has come, and pointing toward where it goes next. Leave energised, connected, and clear on why this community is worth being part of.

Speakers & Facilitators

Raj Kumar Sahu (Co Founder, The Coaching Collective, CEO & Founder, The Gardener's Hub)

Rashmi Fernandes (Co Founder, The Coaching Collective, Leadership & Culture Transformation Coach | Organisation Psychologist | Doctoral Researcher)

Time	Session	Speakers / Moderators / Facilitators
8:00 AM	Welcome & Registration Doors open. Coffee's on. Come as you are, find your people, and get ready for a day worth showing up for.	The Coaching Collective Team (Co-Creators AKA Volunteers)
9:00 AM	Opening Note The day begins with context, clarity, and a little provocation. This is where we establish why we're here, what we're wrestling with, and what we're hoping to leave with.	Raj Kumar Sahu (Co-Founder, The Coaching Collective, CEO & Founder, The Gardener's Hub) Rashmi Fernandes (Co Founder, The Coaching Collective, Leadership & Culture Transformation Coach \| Organisation Psychologist \| Doctoral Researcher)
9:30 AM	Still Irreplaceable: Redefining the Coach's Role in an AI World AI can analyze, predict, and recommend — but it cannot connect, challenge, or truly see another human being. This session separates fact from fiction on what AI can do today, then makes the case for what only you can do. Not defensive. Definitive.	Naveen Narayanan (Global CHRO, Biocon)
10:00 AM	From Insight to Impact: Coaching Stories That Changed Organisations The best coaching doesn't just develop people — it reshapes what's possible for the organisations around them. This session brings both sides of the story: the human journeys that shifted mindsets and behaviours, and the measurable business outcomes that followed. Because the two were never separate to begin with.	Lakshmipathy Bangalore (VP and Head of QM, L&D & Agile, Siemens Technology & Services Pvt. Ltd.) Stuti Ghosh (VP – Skills Architecture and Management, Standard Chartered) Gopal A Iyer (Leadership Architect, Executive Coach, Author) (Moderator)
10:55 AM	Tea Break
11:15 AM	The Coach, the Client, and the Algorithm - A Live Demo A live look at how AI is reshaping coaching workflows in practice — the tools, the possibilities, and the places where human presence, judgement, and connection remain irreplaceable.	Bhuwan Mahajan (Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, EdMyst) Dr. Manpreet Uppal (Executive Coach, Head-Coaching Operations, EdMyst)
12:15 PM	Coaching with a Conscience: Ethics in the Age of AI The tools are powerful. The questions are harder. As AI reshapes how we coach, develop, and evaluate people, the ethical stakes have never been higher. This session examines the fault lines — privacy, bias, consent, dependency — and equips coaches to navigate them with clarity and conviction.	Latha Chembrakalam (Founder and CEO, AutoAscend Pvt Ltd) Rashmi Shetty (Founder, The Third Eye \| V.O.I.C.E Coach for Global C-Suite Leaders) Anjani Gandhi (Founder & Executive Coach, The Bento Coach) (Moderator)
1:00 PM	Lunch Break
2:00 PM	What Makes Us Work? Coaches & Clients, Face to Face. No panels. No presentations. Just the people at the heart of coaching — in conversation with each other. This facilitated networking session creates the space for coaches and clients to say what they don't usually say, hear what they don't usually hear, and find the people worth staying in touch with.	Neeraja Ganesh (Leadership Trainer & Mindset Coach) Ritu Gaur (Certified Leadership Coach \| OD Consultant \| ICF-Accredited Trainer, .)
3:00 PM	Tea Break
3:15 PM	Own Your Edge, Price Your Worth AI isn't replacing coaches — it's replacing the ones who never stood out. This session helps you identify the edge that makes you genuinely different, then price from that place with confidence. No more undercharging out of fear, no more copying what everyone else charges. Walk away knowing exactly what you're worth — and how to say it out loud.	Chitra Singh (Founder, Chief Mentor SalesWomentoring, Co Founder WIB-E) Sreedevi Raghavan (Founder & CEO, Tattvamassi \| Sales Strategy Consultant \| Member Board of Governor : IIM, Kozhikode, Co Founder WIB-E)
4:15 PM	Recognitions: Celebrating the Heart of Our Community Volunteers, (whom we call Co-Creators) don't just make events possible — they embody what a coaching community stands for: showing up for others without keeping score. This is our chance to see them, name them, and thank them properly.	Kavitha Garla (TEDx Speaker \| Anchor & Curator \| Interviewer)
4:45 PM	Closing Note: Until Next Time Every ending is also a beginning. This closing note brings the day full circle — acknowledging how far the conversation has come, and pointing toward where it goes next. Leave energised, connected, and clear on why this community is worth being part of.	Raj Kumar Sahu (Co Founder, The Coaching Collective, CEO & Founder, The Gardener's Hub) Rashmi Fernandes (Co Founder, The Coaching Collective, Leadership & Culture Transformation Coach \| Organisation Psychologist \| Doctoral Researcher)

Agenda At A Glance

The Coaching Collective™ 2026 Registration Snapshot