The Life Sciences Sector Skill Development Council (LSSSDC) hosted SkillVerse 2026, a national skill summit for the life sciences sector in Hyderabad, bringing together more than 100 senior leaders and stakeholders from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and broader life sciences ecosystem.

Held under the theme “Shaping the Skilled Future of Life Sciences,” the summit focused on addressing emerging skill gaps, strengthening training ecosystems and building an industry-aligned workforce capable of meeting the evolving needs of India’s rapidly expanding life sciences sector.

The event brought together representatives from the Central and State Governments, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, academia, skill development organisations, policymakers and industry associations.

Gautam Bhattacharya, CEO, LSSSDC, delivered the welcome address, while Shri Anil Matai, Chairman, LSSSDC and Director General, OPPI, shared his perspectives through a video message.

The summit also featured addresses by Aman Sharma, IAS, Department of Pharmaceuticals; Chakravarthi AVPS, LSSSDC Board Member; Nidhi Satiija, ISS, Director, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Dr. K. Narendran, Deputy Drugs Controller, CDSCO; Dr. Sarvesh Singh, CEO, Telangana Life Sciences; and Prof. Shailendra Saraf, Director, NIPER Hyderabad, among other speakers.

The industry participation included senior representatives from companies such as Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Sun Pharma, Cadila, Biological E, Aurobindo Pharma, Hetero Labs, Granules India, Natco Pharma, MSN Laboratories, Eisai Pharmaceuticals India, Sahajanand Medical Technologies, Alkem Laboratories, Cohance Life Sciences, Agappe Diagnostics, Sandoz, Aragen Life Sciences, Bharat Biotech, Biozeen, Sai Life Sciences, Gland Pharma, Vimta Labs and Sai Parenterals. 

Government and institutional participation included the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, National Skill Development Corporation, CDSCO, Telangana Life Sciences, TASK, Department of Employment and Training, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Technical Education, Regional Directorate of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council, Department of Pharmaceuticals and TICEL Bio Park.

Academic and research institutions including IIT Hyderabad, NIPER, CSIR, GITAM, SRM, Punjab Biotech Incubator, PAGE and VIPER also participated, alongside industry associations and ecosystem bodies.

Discussions at the summit focused on identifying current and future skill requirements across the life sciences sector. A panel on “Identifying Skill Gaps in Life Sciences Sector” examined changing industry requirements and the need to ensure that graduates and trainees are job-ready.

Another session on “NeeV Initiatives – Industry-led Models for Strengthening Skill Development Centres”explored ways to increase industry participation in training infrastructure and develop outcome-oriented skilling programmes. 

Government-led skilling initiatives and their alignment with industry requirements were discussed in another session, while the panel on “Future-Ready Workforce for Life Sciences – Preparing for Industry 5.0” examined emerging technologies, digital transformation, innovation and the human capabilities required for the next phase of the sector. 

The summit also saw the announcement of new partnerships. LSSSDC and Biological E Limited exchanged an MoU for a CSR-supported Skill Development Initiative for FY 2026–27.

LSSSDC also entered into an understanding with Medical Devices Park for multiple skill development initiatives, while Oxygen Pharmatech Private Limited joined as a Knowledge Partner.

The summit positioned SkillVerse 2026 as a platform for collaboration around four key priorities: bridging skill gaps, strengthening training ecosystems, driving innovation and developing future-ready talent capable of supporting India's ambitions as a competitive global life sciences workforce.