Balance Sheets, Big Hearts: What CAs and Chimple Talked About in Bengaluru

On August 21st and 22nd, 2026, over 1,500 chartered accountants from across Karnataka gathered at White Petals, Tripura Vasini, Palace Grounds, Bengaluru, for SAMVAADA — a two-day conference organised by the Bengaluru Branch of ICAI, jointly with the Ballari, Belagavi, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, and Udupi branches.

The event opened with a heavyweight inauguration: Karnataka Chief Minister Shri D.K. Shivakumar as Chief Guest, CA Rostow Ravanan — former Mindtree CEO — as Guest of Honour, and ICAI President CA Prasanna Kumar D presiding over the programme. Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge joined the Chief Minister at the inaugural session. Over the two days, delegates earned 12 hours of CPE credit through sessions spanning AI's impact on the accounting profession, the new Income Tax Act, family offices, and dispute resolution — with one headline session titled "The AI-Ready CA: Thriving, Not Just Surviving".

Why Chimple Was in the Room

A CA conference might seem like an unlikely venue for an EdTech nonprofit — until you consider who fills the room. Chartered accountants sit at the center of corporate CSR decisions, philanthropic fund allocation, and donor advisory relationships across Karnataka. Chimple Learning set up a stall at SAMVAADA with three clear goals: opening CSR outreach conversations, building donor connections, and raising visibility for the foundational learning gap among a professional community with real influence over where corporate giving flows.

What Happened at the Stall

Over the two days, the Chimple team engaged with a steady stream of delegates at their stall — including chartered accountants curious about the app's mission and impact, as well as individuals who expressed interest as potential donors. Conversations centered on how a free, gamified learning app is helping underprivileged children aged 3 to 8 build foundational reading, writing, and numeracy skills, often with minimal adult intervention.

The Bigger Picture

Chimple's presence at SAMVAADA reflects a deliberate strategy: closing the foundational learning gap for underprivileged children isn't only an education-sector conversation — it needs allies across finance, CSR, and philanthropy to scale. Sharing a room with 1,500+ professionals whose firms and clients shape corporate giving decisions in Karnataka positioned Chimple to open doors that could translate into CSR fund direction, advisory support, or broader awareness of the cause among a network with genuine reach.