DharmaCon 2026
Real professionals, real conversations. From 2:00 to 4:00 PM, networking roundtables are organized in zones by industry - each hosted by mentors working in that field. Find your zone, pull up a chair, and ask the questions you can't ask on LinkedIn.
Eight industry zones, from medicine to finance - choose the one that matches where you're headed.
Each table is hosted by professionals already working in that field.
Rotate, meet more people, and walk out with names, not just notes.
Zone 01
Healthcare and clinical careers, from frontline care to hospital leadership.
Jaden Nicholls
Medicine
Mentors
Announcing soon
Zone 02
Law, advocacy, and compliance across firms, courts, and corporations.
Shekhar Sharma
Co-Director, DharmaCon · Personal Injury Lawyer
University of Toronto alumnus and law graduate from the University of Windsor. Practices as a personal injury lawyer in the GTA. Director, Hindu Students Council.
Mentors
Announcing soon
Zone 03
Building the technical infrastructure everything else runs on.
Megh Masiyava
Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor
Megh Masiyava is a Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor with a Bachelor's degree in Business Marketing, combining aviation expertise with a strong foundation in leadership, communication, and business. He brings a disciplined, growth-oriented mindset to his career, with a focus on continuous learning, adaptability, and professional development.
Anirudh Iyer
Global Account Manager, Cisco
Anirudh Iyer is a technology sales leader and Global Account Manager at Cisco, where he partners with major Canadian financial institutions to navigate complex digital transformations across enterprise networking, cybersecurity, and emerging AI architectures. He earned his MBA from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and brings over a decade of cross-functional experience at the intersection of business strategy and cutting-edge tech.
Zone 04
Creative and communications work, from studio to screen to campaign.
Sathish Bala
CEO of Schoolio · Founder of DESIFEST
Sathish Bala is a tech entrepreneur, founder of Schoolio, and creator of Canada's largest South Asian urban music festival, DESIFEST. Through Bala Group Inc., he mentors and invests in early-stage founders while advancing innovation, education, and inclusive entrepreneurship.
Shawn Binda
Influencer and Educator
Shawn Binda is a prominent Trinidadian-Canadian influencer and advocate behind the influential channel TheHinduLifestyle. A radiology professional in Ontario hospitals, he leverages his platform and grassroots engagement to amplify Hindu perspectives, explore media representation, and empower youth to authentically embody dharmic values online.
Ashesh Arora
Founder and Creative Director, Ashesh Arora Studios
Ashesh Arora is the founder and creative director of Ashesh Arora Studios, a GTA-based creative production house working across cultural narrative and IP creation. He also serves as Executive Producer for Podcasts and Media at Enable Accessibility Canada, a new platform being launched, producing media that puts representation and accessibility at the center of the work. A belief he holds and brings into both: "Life is curiosity at play. The more you embrace ambiguity, the more magic you get to experience."
Zone 05
Teaching, research, and the institutions that shape how we learn.
Saurabh Patel
Higher Education & Global Mobility Professional
Saurabh is a higher education professional with over a decade of experience in international student recruitment, institutional partnerships, and global mobility, supporting students and academic institutions across Canada and internationally. A University of Toronto graduate, he is also a dedicated community volunteer with over 20 years of service through BAPS Charities and Ontario Corps, advancing youth empowerment, civic engagement, and charitable initiatives.
Mentors
Announcing soon
Zone 06
Founders, operators, and the people who scale organizations.
Shivani Gupta
Director at Crown Group of Hotels and Prudent Law
Shivani Gupta is Director at Crown Group of Hotels and Prudent Law, with leadership experience spanning hospitality, business, and legal services. A University of Toronto alumna and Canada India Foundation board member, she champions entrepreneurship, community engagement, and dharmic leadership.
Sahil Gogna
Partner and Chief of Growth, Enabled Talent
Sahil Gogna is Partner and Chief of Growth at Enabled Talent, a Canadian accessibility and workforce technology company. The company connects people with disabilities to meaningful employment, training, and inclusive workplaces, and he has been central to its growth - from its early roots at BHive Brampton through to its global launch, backed by partners including UNICEF. The work reinforces the collective efforts of employers, educators, community organizations, advocates, and job seekers who believe that talent should be recognized for ability and potential, not limited by barriers.
Ritesh Malik
International Trade & Logistics Entrepreneur
Ritesh Malik is an international trade, logistics, and agri-business entrepreneur with over two decades of experience building cross-border operations between Canada, India, and global markets. As Founding Principal of OmTrans North America and a leader across logistics, fresh produce, and fintech ventures, he brings a strategic perspective on entrepreneurship, trade, and building businesses across borders.
Zone 07
Careers in government, service, and the nonprofit sector.
Dheeraj Jha
National Councillor for Ontario, Conservative Party of Canada
Dheeraj Jha is an elected National Councillor for Ontario with the Conservative Party of Canada, bringing extensive experience in political strategy, public affairs, and grassroots community engagement. He also serves as a public member on the Board of the College of Nurses of Ontario, contributing to the governance and oversight of one of Canada's largest health regulatory bodies. An engineer by training with a Master's in Engineering and Public Policy from McMaster University, Dheeraj has built his career connecting communities, government, and decision-makers across Canada.
Dipika Damerla
Mississauga Ward 7 Councillor and Mayoral Candidate
Dipika is Mississauga City Councillor for Ward 7 and former Ontario Cabinet Minister, having served as MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville for seven years. With experience in government, corporate banking, and community advocacy, she brings a strong commitment to public service and grassroots leadership.
David Sloly
Principal Consultant, DAAS Consulting
David Sloly is Principal Consultant at DAAS Consulting, which for two decades has provided strategic planning, project management, and operations support to NGOs, charitable foundations, academic institutions, and political campaigns. He has worked nomination, election, and leadership campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, including as Ontario Youth Chair of the 1990 leadership campaign of one of Canada's longest-serving prime ministers. Since 2002 he has helped organize more than fifty public policy conferences and events with Tom Axworthy's Ginger Group, the InterAction Council of Former Heads of State and Government, and the Massey College Public Policy Program. He previously served as Executive Director of the International Development and Relief Foundation, which he revived after its board suspended operations, and as Manager of Resource Development and IT at the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation. He has sat on the boards of Transforming Faces and South Asia Partnership Canada, and was recognized for that work in 2004 by the Hon. George Fernandes, then Defence Minister of India. He started out on a riding association youth executive, and tells young organizers that most of a political career comes down to showing up, being useful, and staying involved.
Bhavik Parikh
Public Service
Zone 08
Capital markets, accounting, investment, and financial advisory.
Satish Thakkar
President, Excelsior Group
Satish Thakkar, recipient of the prestigious 2012 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, is the President of Excelsior Group and a Chartered Accountant with decades of leadership in real estate, finance, and entrepreneurship. A respected community leader, he actively advances Canada-India business relations while promoting Yoga, Ayurveda, and Hindu values across the Greater Toronto Area.
Devyam Jaitly
Mentorship Coordinator · Margin Trading Analyst, OTPP
Margin Trading Analyst at OTPP. Experience spanning politics, public service, and finance. Worked on Parliament Hill and supported federal and mayoral campaigns.
Mentors
Announcing soon
Want to host a table?
