Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) will deliver the Australia India Institute’s 2026 Annual Oration on Powering Change: Women’s Leadership, Innovation and the Australia-India Partnership on Friday, 9 October.
Now in its tenth year, the prestigious Oration convenes policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and diplomats to advance strategic dialogue, foster business opportunities, and celebrate cultural exchange – strengthening both institutional and people-to-people ties between Australia and India.
Dr. Vibha Dhawan is the Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Chancellor of the TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS). A distinguished academician and researcher, she is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Consul General South Asia Partnership, Michigan State University. She also serves on the Networks Strategy Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a global initiative for the United Nations, and was the Co-Chair of the T20 Task Force 4 on “Refueling Growth: Clean Energy and Green Transitions”.
Her work in advancing dialogue and collaboration on issues of clean energy, renewables and the broader Australia-India partnership has made a deep contribution to strengthening the conversation between our two nations. The 2026 Annual Oration, delivered by Dr Dhawan, will provide a unique reflection on women’s leadership, innovation and the future of our bilateral relationship.