Mr. Suresh Babu Lakshmanan is an accomplished education, skill development and strategic partnerships professional serving as Associate Vice President – Corporate Initiatives at ICT Academy, an institution established under the public-private partnership model with the Government of India, State Governments and industry. With over two decades of experience in the education and skilling sector, he has built a career around strengthening industry–academia collaboration, developing innovative skill-development models and creating opportunities for young people to become employable in an increasingly technology-driven economy. His professional mission is centred on bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements, with particular emphasis on empowering youth, improving access to emerging technology skills and creating inclusive pathways to employment.

At ICT Academy, Mr. Lakshmanan plays an important role in developing and managing strategic partnerships with corporate organisations, government institutions and academic establishments. His responsibilities include driving corporate initiatives, conceptualising innovative training models, facilitating CSR-led programmes and ensuring effective programme implementation and regulatory compliance. His work has contributed to strengthening ICT Academy’s position as an implementation partner for industry-supported education and employability initiatives. He has also been involved in collaborations such as the Women Transformation Program, implemented with Capgemini, which provides 420 hours of advanced IT and professional skills training to women engineering students, along with mentoring, certification and placement facilitation. The programme seeks to improve women’s participation in the technology workforce, particularly among students facing financial and socioeconomic barriers.

His engagement with government-led skilling initiatives is reflected in ICT Academy’s collaborations with state institutions, including interactions with the Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence (KASE) and the Directorate of Skill Development, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, to explore opportunities for strengthening regional skill-development ecosystems. These partnerships reflect his interest in building sustainable institutional relationships that connect training opportunities with emerging industry requirements.

Driven by a passion for education, youth empowerment and inclusive economic development, Mr. Suresh Babu Lakshmanan continues to champion collaborative models that bring government, industry and academia together. His work reflects a commitment to making technology-led learning and employability opportunities more accessible, particularly for young people and women from underserved communities, while contributing to India’s broader vision of building a future-ready workforce.