PRNewswire
New Delhi [India], August 26: At a time when artificial intelligence is poised to reshape how India learns, earns, heals and governs, the Pragati: AI for Impact Convening- co-hosted by Meta and The/Nudge Institute- brought together over 150 stakeholders from across government and start-up ecosystem, including leaders across corporates, nonprofits, social enterprises and policy experts. The convening created a platform for urgent and actionable dialogues around democratizing access to AI, marking a critical step in shaping AI that is open, inclusive, and designed for impact- anchored in India’s realities and aspirations.
– The ‘Pragati: AI for Impact’ convening saw the participation of 150+ key stakeholders from corporates, civil society, policymakers and social enterprises
– Meta and The/Nudge Institute launched the ‘Pragati: AI for Impact’ initiative in March 2025 to support early-stage social entrepreneurs harnessing AI to create livelihoods at the last mile.
– As AI becomes foundational to India’s development journey, the convening emphasized the need for intentional design, open infrastructure, and grassroots participation to ensure technology truly serves the last mile
The convening builds on the AI for Impact initiative launched by Meta and The/Nudge Institute in March 2025 to support early-stage social entrepreneurs harnessing AI to create livelihoods at the last mile. The current cohort includes nine pioneering social enterprises, including organizations such as Adalat AI, Farmers4Forests, I-Stem, NavGurukul, Open Links Foundation, Rightwalk Foundation, Saarthi Education, Telehealth Innovation and The Apprentice Project. Under the program, participating organizations get real-time access to funds, donors, government and policy experts, legal advisors, technology and knowledge partners, and the opportunity to be mentored by an esteemed group of leaders from markets, civil society, and policy.
Expanding on AI as a strong tool for an equalizer, Abhishek Singh, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India, emphasized during his fireside chat with Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President, Meta India & Southeast Asia, that India’s AI mission is designed to make technology a true public good. He noted that with its deep digital infrastructure, strong talent base, and an open-source-first approach, India is uniquely positioned to build AI that is inclusive and globally relevant. The mission, he highlighted, focuses on breaking barriers of language, literacy and accessibility, ensuring that AI empowers every citizen, from farmers and students to entrepreneurs and public servants, to participate fully in the digital economy. At its core, the vision is to embed trust, affordability and scale into AI so that it becomes not just a driver of efficiency, but a catalyst for last-mile empowerment.
The convening reflected a growing consensus: if AI is to serve as an engine of development, it must be embedded with empathy, accessibility, and co-creation from the start. This ethos shaped conversations across the day, spotlighting the need for open infrastructure, ethical design, and grassroots participation to ensure that AI reaches and empowers those at the margins.
Emphasizing the need for leveraging AI for Bharat, Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President, Meta India & Southeast Asia, added, “Meta believes in the transformative power of AI- but true transformation must be inclusive and empower everyone. Through Pragati: AI for Impact, we are supporting a new generation of organizations building locally relevant, scalable solutions rooted in social good- because AI should not only serve Bharat, it must be co-created with Bharat.”
Adding further to this, Atul Satija, Founder & CEO, The/Nudge Institute, said, “AI must not only be intelligent, but also just. Pragati: AI for Impact is built on the belief that technology should be equitable and serve the needs of communities and not exclude them. Inclusion must be built into the code, the data, the design, and the distribution, so that AI doesn’t become a gatekeeper, but a powerful equalizer.”
The convening centered on India’s opportunity to lead the world in demonstrating how AI can be a public good, a tool to solve real problems at the grassroots, not just a driver of commercial efficiency. It concluded with two powerful panel discussions. Transparency in Transformation: Open Source in the Age of AI featured Amitabh Nag (Bhashini), Chetna Gala Sinha (Mann Deshi Foundation), Shalini Kapoor (EkStep Foundation), and Sunil Abraham (Meta India), moderated by Ravi Trivedi (Piramal Foundation), highlighting why open ecosystems are key to democratizing AI. This was followed by Voices from the Fringes: Addressing the AI Divide with Tarun Dua (E2E), Sidharth Madaan (Boston Consulting Group), Prateek Maheshwari (PhysicsWallah) and Jayant Rastogi (Magic Bus), moderated by Divya Khemani Wadhera (Meta India), which emphasized the urgency of building AI solutions that reach marginalized communities.
A highlight of the convening was the ‘Pragati: AI for Impact’ cohort showcase, featuring innovations from the current cohort. These early-stage organizations are applying AI to create livelihoods through disability inclusion, education, public health, legal empowerment, smallholder farmers, etc.- illustrating how AI can unlock public value at scale.
About The/Nudge Institute
The/Nudge is an action institute building resilient livelihoods to alleviate poverty. We work with social entrepreneurs, women, farmers, tribals and youth on rural development, agriculture, skilling and economic inclusion, along with 15 central and state government partners. Set up with support from 100+ eminent philanthropists, 40+ corporates and 15+ foundations, The/Nudge is contributing towards a “poverty-free India, within our lifetime”.
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