Dr Dwarika Prasad Uniyal to anchor stimulating fire-side chat at OAC 2026

Joining OAC 2026 as anchor for the fireside chat, ‘Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Give an Impression!’, is Dr Dwarika Prasad Uniyal, Pro Vice Chancellor and Director, Mysuru Campus, RV University. He will lead an engaging conversation with Shripad Ashtekar, Founder and MD, Signpost India Ltd.  

A respected academic leader with more than three decades of experience spanning academia, retail, media and industry, Dwarika has taught at some of India’s leading institutions, including IIM Kashipur, MICA Ahmedabad, SPJIMR Mumbai and SP Jain School of Global Management, Dubai. He currently serves as Pro Vice Chancellor and Director of RV University’s Mysuru Campus and also heads executive education initiatives through MineRVa. 

Throughout his career, he has played a pivotal role in institution building and leadership development, having served in senior positions at FLAME University, O.P. Jindal Global University and various academic and corporate advisory boards. His experience also includes training civil servants at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), further reinforcing his expertise in leadership and communication. 

Beyond academia, Prof. Uniyal is the bestselling author of ‘Managing Retailing’, a published poet, actor and podcaster, with a keen interest in storytelling, consumer behaviour and creative communication. His unique blend of academic rigour and creative expression makes him particularly well-suited to moderate a conversation centred around perception, authenticity and leadership in contemporary business environments. 

The fireside chat with Shripad Ashtekar is expected to offer thought-provoking perspectives at OAC 2026, coming up at the Grand Hyatt, Goa on July 24 & 25 on the broad theme of ‘Do the X’.