The Pragati: AI for Impact Convening, co-hosted by Meta and The/Nudge Institute on August 26, 2025, in New Delhi, brought together over 150 stakeholders from government, startups, corporates, nonprofits, and social enterprises to advance India's inclusive AI agenda. Focused on democratizing AI access, the event highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence to transform education, healthcare, livelihoods, and governance while ensuring ethical, accessible, and community-driven solutions.
Pragati: AI for Impact Convening 2025 unites 150+ stakeholders in New Delhi.
Meta and The/Nudge Institute support nine social enterprises using AI for impact.
Focus on inclusive, ethical AI to empower marginalized communities in India.
India's AI mission emphasizes open-source, trust, and accessibility.
Cohort showcase highlights AI innovations in education, health, and livelihoods.
Event underscores AI as a public good for last-mile empowerment.
The convening builds on the Pragati: AI for Impact initiative, launched in March 2025 by Meta and The/Nudge Institute, to support early-stage social entrepreneurs. "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," said Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President, Meta India & Southeast Asia. The event emphasized India's unique position to lead globally in AI through its open-source-first approach and robust digital infrastructure.
The current cohort includes nine pioneering organizations—Adalat AI, Farmers4Forests, I-Stem, NavGurukul, Open Links Foundation, Rightwalk Foundation, Saarthi Education, Telehealth Innovation, and The Apprentice Project. These enterprises leverage AI to address challenges in disability inclusion, education, public health, legal empowerment, and agriculture. Supported by funding, mentorship, and access to policy experts, these organizations are driving scalable solutions that prioritize underserved communities, showcasing AI's potential to create equitable opportunities.
Abhishek Singh, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India, emphasized during a fireside chat with Sandhya Devanathan that India's AI mission aims to make technology a public good. "India's AI mission is designed to make technology a true public good," Singh stated, highlighting the focus on breaking barriers of language, literacy, and accessibility. By embedding trust, affordability, and scale into AI systems, India seeks to empower farmers, students, entrepreneurs, and public servants, ensuring last-mile impact.
The convening underscored the need for ethical AI design and grassroots participation. 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." Discussions emphasized open infrastructure to ensure AI reaches marginalized communities effectively.
Two key panels shaped the event's discourse. The first, 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). It highlighted the importance of open ecosystems for democratizing AI. The second, Voices from the Fringes: Addressing the AI Divide, included Tarun Dua (E2E), Sidharth Madaan (Boston Consulting Group), Prateek Maheshwari (PhysicsWallah), and Jayant Rastogi (Magic Bus), moderated by Divya Khemani Wadhera (Meta India), focusing on solutions for marginalized communities.
A highlight of the convening was the cohort showcase, demonstrating innovations from the nine social enterprises. These organizations are applying AI to create livelihoods through initiatives in education, public health, legal empowerment, and support for smallholder farmers. The showcase illustrated how AI can unlock public value at scale, aligning with India's vision to lead in ethical and inclusive AI development.
The Pragati: AI for Impact Convening 2025 solidified India's commitment to leveraging AI as a tool for equitable development. By fostering collaboration among stakeholders and supporting innovative social enterprises, the event sets a precedent for building an inclusive AI ecosystem that empowers all citizens and positions India as a global leader in AI for social good.
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