India Today Group announces 1st Edition of India Today Conclave - South 2017 in Chennai

Power presents itself in many faces and forms; be it political, monetary, agenda-driven or even stealing the hearts and minds of the people. The first edition of India Today Conclave, South promises to be a power packed one with Chief Ministers and top ministers from the south, legends of cinema and southern heartthrobs, all on one platform.

With every passing year, the India Today Conclave has gotten bigger and better. Taking it down south was only logical. The two day conclave, scheduledon January, 9 and 10, 2017 will be held at ITC Grand Chola. Ready to set a new gold standard in summits, it is going to explore areas of politics, business, art, culture and sports.

What can you expect? Insightful sessions, networking lunches and gala dinners with politicians, business leaders, movie stars and some of south India’s finest minds. The conclave proposes to push forward the potential of the southern states in India and portray its successes and indispensible role in nation building. As a forum, it aspires to unite the common voice of these states and push their causes that promote culture, polity, entertainment and investment growth, in line with the states’ and centre’s socio-economic development agendas.

The Conclave will be inaugurated by VK Sasikala, General Secretary, AIADMK, by lighting a lamp. She will also launch a photographic tribute to the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. The impressive line-up of the distinguished stalwarts coming together will include Chief Ministers of the Southern States, O Paneerselvam, Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu; Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister, Kerala; Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister, Karnataka; N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh and V Narayanasamy, Chief Minister, Puducherry. Other political leaders include, M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information and Broadcasting; K Pandiarajan, Minister for School and Sports and Youth Welfare, Tamil Nadu; Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan, DMK MLA, Madurai Central (DMK); Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Sabha MP, former Union minister, economist; Oommen Chandy, former Chief Minister of Kerala; Dr Ambumani Ramadoss, Lok Sabha MP, former Union Minister; MK Stalin, former Deputy Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu; RV Deshpande, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, Karnataka; Thiru MC Sampath, Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu; MM Pallam Raju, Former Union Minister; Priyank M Kharge, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Information Technology and Tourism, Karnataka; Kadakampilly Surendran, Minister for Cooperation, Tourism and Devaswoms, Kerala.

The stars speaking at the event include the legend of cinema, Kamal Haasan and southern stars Tamannaah Bhatia, Amyra Dastur, Shriya Saran, and Manju Warrier. Other celebrity speakers include singer, Benny Dayal; playback singer, Chinmayi Sripada; retired Indian Police Service officer, social activist, and current Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Kiran Bedi; and actor and activist Khushboo Sundar.