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What Priyanka Chopra delivered at Harvard Business School on February 17, 2026, was more than a keynote—it was a deeply personal and moving moment.
The global actress, producer, and entrepreneur took the stage alongside her longtime friend and business partner, Anjula Acharia, to deliver the closing fireside keynote for Harvard Business School’s annual India Week. The theme, “The India We Imagine,” quickly became a heartfelt reflection on Chopra’s own journey and the future she envisions.
Chopra admitted on social media that she began the day with nerves. “I was supposed to give a fireside keynote with one of my closest friends to conclude India Week… no big deal, I thought. You can do this, Priyanka,” she shared with her characteristic warmth.
However, the moment became profoundly emotional once she looked out at the audience. Seeing students in traditional attire, including sarees and kurtas, she wrote: “To see an auditorium full of students from my community at one of the best schools in the world made my heart burst with pride. You are the future I dreamed to see.”
Chopra also shared her early experiences of moving to the United States at the age of 12, attending high school first in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and later Newton North High School in Massachusetts during the mid-1990s. She reflected on how few students resembled her and how that shaped her independence and resilience.
“Your life is a sum of choices and experiences,” she told the audience. “Moving to the US at a young age was defining—it shaped me into the person I am today.” Her story resonated with students, turning the keynote into a poignant reminder of ambition, identity, and cultural pride.
