The city will host a conclave of decision-makers, academics and corporate bigwigs in the coming week aimed at shedding Bihar's image of being a backward state.

Public relations (PR) firm Advantage Group will organise the Advantage Conclave: Bihar 3.0-Umeed Ki Udaan at a city hotel on April 16. Chief minister Nitish Kumar will inaugurate the programme that draws its name from his third term in power.

Group founder Khurshid Ahmad said the daylong conclave would focus on critical issues concerning Bihar, including health and education.

"The aim of the programme is to bring Bihar under the national spotlight by breaking its stereotypical image of a backward state," said Ahmad. "Around 35 speakers are expected to participate and propose ideas to deal with the issues. We are hopeful it will bring a much-needed change in the perception of Bihar."

Apart from changing Bihar's image, the gathering will mark the PR group's silver jubilee. Not only would be the event webcast live, the agendas of discussion would be documented and presented to the state government in a book.

Among the list of speakers are education minister Ashok Choudhary, Patna High Court judge Justice Samarendra Pratap Singh, mathematician Anand Kumar, former Indian cricketer Syed Saba Karim, Wizcraft International director Sabbas Joseph, and Edumedia India managing director (MD) Syed Sultan Ahmed.

Minister Ashok who would speak on the expectations and reality of the education sector in the state said his main priority was to improve teaching from the grassroots level. "We need to improve the quality of teachers in the primary and secondary schools." he said.

Six panel discussions have been planned for the day, including Communicating for a new Bihar: challenges and opportunities.

"A state grows when jobs are created. I think Bihar genuinely needs to get in touch with the corporate world. There are a lot opportunities across sectors, and Bihar is left behind," said Edumedia's MD Syed, who would moderate three of the day's six discussions. "The event would serve as a platform for ideas and innovation by experts."

10 Biharis will also be felicitated for their achievements at the programme.

Artiste and director Roshan Abbas, who will attend the event as well, said people had to understand the advantages and Bihar's rich history. "If I talk about the entertainment world, Prakash Jha has brought so many issues on the big screen," he said. "Youngsters in Bihar have a lot of potential and they need to come up with new ideas."

The other guests who will speak at the Advantage Conclave - supported by Takshila Educational Society, Paras HMRI, Bharati Bhavan, Mahindra and Mahindra, Bihar Industries Association and Bihar Chamber of Commerce - are Asian Development Research Institute member-secretary Shaibal Gupta, Paras Hospitals managing director Dharminder Nagar, Coca Cola-India vice-president Ishteyaque Amjad, former India hockey captain Zafar Iqbal, surgeon A.A. Hai and social activist Ranjana Kumari.