Bridging Academia & Industry Practice: ICX2026 – International Conference on Customer Experience

Bridging Academia & Industry Practice in a First-of-its-Kind CX Summit

Hyderabad, 14 March 2026: The University of Hyderabad today hosted ICX2026 – the International Conference on Customer Experience, a landmark academic–industry conclave organised jointly by the CXPA Asia Regional Council and the School of Management Studies (SMS), University of Hyderabad. Themed “Bridging Academia & Industry Practice,” the day-long conference brought together CX leaders, corporate practitioners, academicians, and research scholars from across India and the Asia–Pacific region under one roof.

Inaugural Session

The conference was formally inaugurated by Prof. Anuradha (Jonnlagadda) Tadakamalla, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor (In-Charge), University of Hyderabad, who lit the ceremonial lamp and delivered the inaugural address. In her remarks, Prof. Jonnalagadda emphasised the University’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between management academia and evolving industry practices, particularly in the field of Customer Experience.

On the occasion, the Vice Chancellor released a draft White Paper on Customer Experience, prepared collaboratively by the conference organisers, marking an important step towards building an India-specific body of CX knowledge. The Conference Proceedings were also formally released during the inaugural ceremony.

Prof. GVRK Acharyulu, Dean, School of Management Studies, addressed the gathering and underscored the relevance of customer-centric thinking in management education and research.

Prof. DV Srinivas Kumar, Conference Chair (Academic) and Professor at SMS, University of Hyderabad, delivered the welcome address and set the academic context for the conference. Prof. Srinivas Kumar also chaired the closing session and presented a paper on “CX Strategy in the India/Asia Context,” drawing on his deep academic expertise in management studies.

Pranav Kumar, Chief Experience Designer, Praakamya CX Designers, Hyderabad, and Conference Chair (Industry), presented the vision and purpose of ICX2026. Speaking on behalf of the CXPA Asia Regional Council, he outlined the conference’s mission to create a platform where academic rigour meets industry reality. Mr. Kumar also delivered the morning keynote address on “The Strategic Imperative of Customer Experience,” highlighting how CX is fast emerging as a board-level strategic priority for organisations across Asia.

Global Connect

In a special live address from CXPA Global Headquarters in the United States, Mr. Greg Melia, CEO – CXPA, conveyed his greetings and affirmed CXPA’s support for the growing CX community in India and the Asia–Pacific region. Ms. Jayalakshmi Sudarshan, CCXP, Chair – CXPA Board, spoke on CXPA’s role in driving CX as a formal business discipline.

Conference Highlights

The full-day programme featured presentations by distinguished CX practitioners from India, Sri Lanka, and beyond. The morning sessions, chaired by Prof. Chetan Srivastava, included keynote addresses on CX in the era of Artificial Intelligence by Mr. Pankaj Singh (former Director, Customer Experience, Amazon India), the customer advocacy flywheel by Mr. Praveen Sridhar (Netcore Cloud), organisational culture and change management for CX by Ms. Sandra De Zoysa, CCXP (former Group Chief Customer Officer, Dialog Axiata, Colombo), and building ROI-backed experience strategies by Mr. Ashutosh Karandikar, CCXP (KretruTosh Consulting, Pune).

The afternoon sessions, chaired by Prof. Sapna Singh, featured industry presentations on Customer Journey Mapping by Mr. Vinay Pushpakaran (Miyagi Learning Solutions) and Mr. Manuel DSouza (A.P. Moller – Maersk), converting Voice of Customer into business growth by Mr. Hemant Raj Singh (FMC India) and Prof.D.V.Srinivas Kumar on CX in the Indian context.

Panel Discussion

A stimulating panel discussion on “The Future of CX: Trends & Opportunities” was moderated by Mr. Naveen Temkar, CCXP (Material). The panel comprised Mr. Raju Kotagal, CCXP (Fivetran), Mr. Krishna Gautam (Vertex Group), Mr. Saravanan Vijayakumar (Squaircle), and Mr. Amit Bhatia (Global CX Consultant). The discussion explored emerging CX trends, the impact of digital transformation, and opportunities for India’s CX ecosystem.

Research & Poster Presentations

A parallel session of Digital Poster Presentations was held during the lunch break, showcasing research from scholars at the Central University of Kerala, SGVU Jaipur, the National Institute of Fashion Technology, and the CXPA Asia Research Committee. The posters reflected the growing academic interest in customer experience as a cross-disciplinary research domain.

Cultural Programme & Commemorative Event

The conference concluded with a Special Commemorative Event marking the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, presented by Bharat Bharati. Dr. Meenakshi Padmanabhan and Mr. Jagannath Kunjbihari led the event, which also commemorated 150 years of Vande Mataram. In a moving display of national spirit, the entire gathering of delegates, speakers, and students joined in a chorus rendition of Vande Mataram.

The cultural segment, also organised by Bharat Bharati, featured spirited dance performances by university students and Divyang (differently-abled) children, whose performances were greeted with a standing ovation by the audience, lending a deeply inclusive and humane dimension to the academic proceedings.

Valedictory & Closing

The Valedictory and Closing Ceremony included the announcement of Poster Presentation Awards and distribution of certificates to all presenters, speakers, panel members, moderators, session chairs, and volunteers. Mr. Prasana Kumar Parthasarathy, Chair – CXPA Asia Regional Council, delivered the Vote of Thanks, acknowledging the University of Hyderabad’s institutional partnership, the support of CXPA Global, and the contribution of all speakers, delegates, and volunteers who made ICX2026 a success.

All delegates at the conference earned 6 CCXP Recertification Credits, while speakers earned 9 CCXP Recertification Credits, underscoring the conference’s standing as a globally recognised professional development platform.

About the Conference: ICX2026 is the inaugural edition of the International Conference on Customer Experience, conceived as a platform to bridge the gap between CX academia and industry practice. Organised by the CXPA Asia Regional Council in partnership with the School of Management Studies, University of Hyderabad, the conference aims to establish Hyderabad as a hub for CX thought leadership in the Asia–Pacific region.