The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) organised a Curtain Raiser event on 23 October 2025 to build momentum for its participation in the Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025. The session, themed ‘Artificial Intelligence for Social Impact’, highlighted India’s commitment to advancing responsible, scalable, and people-centric artificial intelligence as a driver of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The event was chaired by S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, in the presence of Dr Ganesh Ramakrishnan, Institute Chair Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay, and Kavita Bhatia, Scientist G and Group Coordinator, AI & Emerging Technologies Division, MeitY.
Speaking at the Curtain Raiser, S. Krishnan said:
“If India is to become a developed nation, we must ride the wave of technology, and AI is perhaps the most crucial technology driving that transformation. To achieve this, we need inclusive mechanisms that ensure people can access and benefit from AI in meaningful ways. In that context, this event is especially significant, and its theme, ‘Artificial Intelligence for Social Impact’, is aptly chosen. It reflects our focus on how AI can make a real difference in society and influence how we perceive and use technology. India’s intent is clear – we must view AI as a force for good and approach it in a positive, transformative way.”
Kavita Bhatia, Scientist G and Group Coordinator, AI & Emerging Technologies Division, MeitY, emphasised:
“AI is a kinetic enabler, empowering us to leapfrog traditional development barriers and catalyse large-scale socio-economic transformation. Our approach has been guided by the Prime Minister’s philosophy of inclusive development, rooted in the ethos of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, aur Sabka Prayaas, placing ‘AI for All’ at its very core.”
Dr Ganesh Ramakrishnan, Institute Chair Professor, IIT Bombay, remarked:
“India has a unique advantage because of its diversity and strong digital public infrastructure. Aadhaar, UPI, and other platforms have provided the backbone for scalable AI solutions. Remarkable initiatives such as Bhashini and the National Sovereign AI Ecosystem, BharatGen, demonstrate our commitment to building context-aware, multilingual, and multimodal AI rooted in India. It is equally important to ensure these technologies reach the last mile, addressing access for the underserved and enabling Indian industry and startups to harness AI’s full potential.”
The Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 will be held from 3 to 5 November 2025 at Bharat Mandapam. Organised by the Department of Science and Technology under the guidance of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, the conclave will showcase cutting-edge developments shaping India’s innovation-led growth and advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Further details are available on the official website: https://estic.dst.gov.in/index.html.
As part of ESTIC 2025, MeitY will host a dedicated session on Artificial Intelligence for Social Impact on 4 November 2025. The session will focus on developing India-centric, resource-efficient AI solutions that address real-world challenges and deliver measurable social impact. It will bring together leaders from government, academia, research, and industry to discuss pathways for advancing India’s AI and emerging technology ecosystem.
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr Sridhar Vembu, Founder and Chief Scientist, Zoho. Other distinguished speakers include Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY; Dr Sriram Raghavan, Vice President, IBM Research for AI; Dr Geetha Manjunath, Founder and CEO, Niramai; Amit Sheth, Founding Director, AI Institute, University of South Carolina; Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Co-founder, DeepTech for Bharat Foundation and former CEO, Prasar Bharati; Dr Harrick Mayank Vin, Chief Technology Officer, Tata Consultancy Services; Professor Balaraman Ravindran, Head, Department of DSAI, IIT Madras; Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog; Dr Rimjhim Agrawal, Co-founder and CTO, BrainSightAI; Dr P. Venkat Rangan, Vice-Chancellor, Amrita University; and Alpan Raval, Chief Scientist, AI/ML, Wadhwani AI.
Building on the vision presented at ESTIC 2025, MeitY will host the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 on 19–20 February 2026 in New Delhi. The summit will spotlight the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in driving inclusive development, sustainability, and equitable growth, anchored around three core sutras – People, Planet, and Progress.