New Delhi: At the IIT2026 Global Conference on Thursday in Long Beach, California; Sadhguru, Founder of Isha Foundation, delivered a keynote addressing a global gathering of more than 2,500 leaders, entrepreneurs, technologists, and changemakers to look at India beyond the frame of a modern nation-state. Sadhguru said, “Don’t see India as a nation, see it as a civilisation. As a civilisation, we have many unique aspects, which are nowhere else.” He highlighted Bharat’s long civilisational tradition of
exploring inner dimensions of life alongside intellectual and scientific pursuits, suggesting that this legacy remains deeply relevant in shaping a more conscious and balanced future.
Speaking about the pace of change now unfolding in the world, Sadhguru noted that the coming years could compress generational shifts into just a few years, making inner stability and clarity more important than ever. He said that while machines may increasingly outperform human beings in handling memory and data, what remains essential is for human beings to explore dimensions of intelligence that go beyond information processing.
Those who are at the cutting edge of technology and external wellbeing, if we want to ride on the successes we have created, investing in inner wellbeing is no more a spiritual aspiration but a basic requirement to remain effective in just about anything we do. -Sg#IIT2026 pic.twitter.com/w5fgz6GnMQ
— Sadhguru (@SadhguruJV) April 24, 2026
In another key moment from the address, he reminded the audience that “a human being is… this mechanism is the greatest and the most sophisticated technology on this planet.” Calling for a deeper engagement with this inner technology, he suggested that human wellbeing, clarity, and capability will be crucial if society is to navigate an age of accelerating artificial intelligence and disruption.
The IIT2026 Global Conference, held from April 22 to 25 at the Long Beach Convention Center, marked 75 years of IIT excellence and featured discussions across artificial intelligence, future of innovation, health and sustainability, investment and global connection.
The conference positioned itself as a platform for bold ideas and future-focused leadership, and Sadhguru’s keynote reinforced that vision by bringing together civilisational wisdom and contemporary global challenges in a powerful reminder that the future will not be shaped by technology alone, but by the depth, balance, and consciousness with which human beings use it.