The Retailers Association of India (RAI) hosted the fifth edition of the Hyderabad Retail Summit (HRS) on April 29, 2026, at Trident Hyderabad. The summit brought together key stakeholders from across the retail ecosystem to exchange insights, explore partnerships, and discuss emerging trends shaping the industry.
Driven by RAI’s guiding principle of Connect–Converse–Collaborate–Catalyse, the platform continues to serve as a hub for knowledge sharing and strategic collaboration, helping retailers unlock new growth opportunities.
Speaking about the developments in the retail industry, Kumar Rajagopalan, Executive Director and CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said,
“Telangana is one of the few states where retail policy and retail reality are actually aligned. The state has made it easier to open stores, hire, and invest, and the market is responding. Hyderabad has become a national benchmark for how a city can build a modern retail ecosystem. What we are seeing here –the convergence of physical expansion, digital adoption, and rising consumer aspiration — is the template other cities will follow. The retailers who will lead the next decade are those who treat technology not as a cost centre, but as the engine of customer relationships.”
The summit featured in-depth panel discussions covering topics such as The Regional Champion’s Advantage: Building Brands That Outlast Trends, Quick Commerce, Connected Commerce: Where Does the Store Fit Now?, and The Expansion Playbook: What Works Beyond the Metros.
Prominent industry leaders including P Jayakumar, Avnish Kumar, Priyanka Vemuluri, and others shared valuable perspectives on the evolving retail landscape.
Avnish Kumar, Managing Director, Neeru’s | Chairman, RAI Hyderabad Chapter, said,
“The Hyderabad consumer has changed faster than most retailers anticipated. Disposable incomes are up, aspirations are higher, and people are no longer willing to compromise on experience. But here is what is often missed — this is not just a Hyderabad phenomenon. What is happening in this city is a preview of what will happen in Warangal, Nizamabad, and Karimnagar in the next five years. Regional retailers who build the right capabilities today — in product, in experience, in technology — will have a significant head start when those markets mature. The window to build that advantage is right now.”
P Jayakumar, CEO Apollo Pharmacy, Vice Chairman, Hyderabad Retail Council, said,
“As pharmacy retail has evolved into an omni-channel ecosystem, the difference between a transaction and a relationship comes down to context—a one-time purchase is a sale, but understanding a customer’s needs over time is a relationship. This shift from transactional to relational engagement, powered by data, is defining this decade across industries.
With a vast network serving millions of users, the omni-channel platform enables high-frequency interactions across the healthcare retail ecosystem—from medicine deliveries and doctor consultations to diagnostic bookings at scale—creating a true continuum of care. As a single destination for all health needs, it seamlessly brings everything together in one place.
These touchpoints build a dynamic, evolving view of the consumer, enabling a shift from fulfilling needs to anticipating them—from a service people use, to a health partner that truly knows them.”
Priyanka Vemuluri, Founder & CEO, Goyaz Silver Jewellery, added,
“Building a regional brand today is genuinely harder and genuinely more exciting than it has ever been. Harder, because consumers are better informed and have more choices than ever. More exciting, because a small brand with the right product and the right use of digital tools can build a loyal customer base at a speed that simply was not possible ten years ago. What I would tell any regional retailer is this: do not wait to be big before you invest in understanding your customer. The data you collect in your first thousand transactions is more valuable than any consultant’s report. Start with that, and build from there.”
Additional speakers including Sridevi Jasti, Aishwarya Gupta, and Prasad Chalavadi also highlighted the growing importance of wellness, personalisation, and cultural relevance in modern retail.
HRS 2026 was presented by Ratnadeep Retail and powered by National Mart, with participation from leading brands and partners across the retail ecosystem.
