India AI Impact Summit 2026

ai-for-inclusive-societal-development

7 min read

TRACK:Inclusion for Social Empowerment
SPEAKERS
  • Aditya Natraj, Piramal Foundation
  • Ms Arundhati Bhattacharya, Salesforce India and South Asia
  • Nikhil Kolur, Deloitte
  • NSN Murty, Deloitte
  • Romal Shetty, Deloitte South Asia
  • S. Anjani Kumar, Deloitte
  • Manisha Verma, Dept. of Skill and Employment, Govt. of Maharashtra
SESSION OVERVIEW

Advancing AI systems that are inclusive by design, empowering diverse communities and ensuring equitable representation

VIDEO RECORDING

AI for Inclusive Societal Development

Abstract

The panel explored how artificial intelligence and other frontier technologies can be deliberately designed to include India’s 490 million‑strong informal workforce. After a short video dramatizing the challenges faced by a Delhi carpenter, the participants – representing industry, development NGOs and the state government – discussed systemic roadblocks (visibility, demand, timely payment, up‑skilling, and protection), the need for digital platforms and accountable execution, how state‑level skill policies and startup ecosystems can drive inclusive growth, and the behavioural and practical levers required for technology adoption among low‑skill workers.

Detailed Summary

  • Narrative: A brief documentary‑style clip introduced Samar, a Delhi‑based carpenter, to illustrate that informal workers (carpenters, plumbers, electricians, farmers, etc.) remain on the fringes of India’s AI revolution.
  • Vision: The video imagined a future where AI provides personalized learning, verifiable digital credentials, fair loans and safer work environments, enabling “Viksit Bharat” for everyone.

2. Moderator’s Introduction & Speaker Launch

SpeakerKey Introductory Points
Arundhati BhattacharyaHighlighted her Padma Shri, Forbes and Fortune recognitions; champion of responsible AI, inclusive tech adoption, and public‑private collaboration.
Aditya NatrajDescribed the Piramal Foundation’s education‑reform work, Kaivalya Education Foundation, and his fellowships (Ashoka, Echoing Green, Aspen).
Manisha VermaOutlined her civil‑service background (IS officer, 1993 batch) and contributions to major national legislations (National Food Security Act, Forest Rights Act, etc.).
Romal ShettyOpened the panel discussion, thanking the moderator (“Roy”).

3. Systemic Roadblocks for the Informal Workforce (Arundhati Bhattacharya)

  • Five Core Barriers (derived from a Deloitte‑backed study):

    1. Discovery & Trust – Workers are invisible to potential employers.
    2. Steady Demand – Lack of a reliable marketplace for gigs.
    3. Timely, Fair Payment – Chronic delays afflict blue‑collar workers, SMEs, and even large corporates.
    4. Upskilling – Rapid technological change demands continual learning.
    5. Protection & Insurance – Limited access to social safety nets.

  • Digital‑First Solutions

    • Marketplace Platform: A centralised app where workers upload credentials, view nearby opportunities, and receive algorithmic job matches.
    • Skills Mapping & Certification: Digital pathways that issue verifiable credentials after AI‑guided training.
    • Payment Transparency: A blockchain/ledger‑based system that timestamps transactions, creating an immutable audit trail to pressure payors.

  • Accountability Gap:

    • Arundhati questioned who will execute the recommendations contained in reports. She argued for a single authority (public or private) with end‑to‑end responsibility, rather than a series of “nice‑to‑have” suggestions.

4. Maharashtra’s Skills & Innovation Architecture (Manisha Verma)

  • Department Overview (SEED) – Consolidates all vocational education under one umbrella: >1,000 ITIs, short‑term skilling programs via the Maharashtra State Skilling Society, and a State Board of Vocational Education & Training that accredits private providers.

  • Higher‑Education Bridge: Creation of Ratan Tata State Skills University, still nascent but intended to provide pathways from ITIs to degrees.

  • Innovation & Startup Support:

    • Maharashtra State Innovation Society – incu­bates startups, especially those targeting social impact.
    • Inclusive Skilling: Targeted programmes for prisoners, persons with disabilities, women, tribal communities, and other vulnerable groups.

  • Key Message: Government can catalyse, but the ecosystem must take ownership of execution – echoing the accountability concern raised earlier.

5. Productivity Gaps & the Bottom Quartile (Aditya Natraj)

  • Four‑Quartile Landscape:

    1. Top Quartile: Policy‑makers and industry leaders (present in the room).
    2. Second Quartile: Drivers, electricians, plumbers – the current growth engine.
    3. Third Quartile: “Survivors” – low‑income informal workers.
    4. Bottom Quartile: Over 200 million people living in poverty, especially in five eastern states (Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, etc.).

  • Gender‑Specific Constraints: 36 % of women in these states marry before 18, limiting their productive years to childcare.

  • Education Deficit: 40 % of families in the bottom quartile lack even six years of schooling.

  • Implication: Incremental productivity gains for the lower quartiles must focus on inclusion into the formal market, not just technology upgrades for the already‑connected.

  • Recommendation: Tailor interventions to the specific socio‑economic realities of each quartile; one‑size‑fits‑all solutions will fail.

6. Personalised, Persona‑Centric Solutions (Arundhati Bhattacharya – follow‑up)

  • No Cookie‑Cutter Model: Different personas (cultivators, artisans, textile workers, trade workers) face distinct pain points (information gaps, market access, skill deficits, income insecurity).

  • Fundamental Cross‑Cutting Issues: Basic literacy, health, and digital access must be resolved before sector‑specific tech can be layered.

  • Government’s Role: Enabling ecosystem (regulatory frameworks, funding, data‑infrastructure) is pivotal for scalable impact.

7. Maharashtra’s Startup Ecosystem for Social Impact (Manisha Verma – second turn)

  • Scale: ~35,000 startups registered under DPIIT, the largest state‑wise; now every district (including remote Garchiroli) hosts at least 25 startups.

  • Catalysis Instruments:

    • Hackathons, Grant Challenges, Startup Yatras – outreach to colleges and rural innovators.
    • District‑Level Committees – led by collectors, involving ITI principals, industry officers, MSME clusters.
    • Financial Support: Reimbursements for IPR filings, quality‑testing and certification.

  • Signature Program – “Startup Week”:

    • ~3,000 entries annually; independent jury selects high‑impact startups.
    • Winners receive direct work orders up to ₹25 lakhs and connections to relevant government departments.

  • Showcase Cases:

    • Sagar Defense – marine‑surveillance tech now used by the Indian Navy.
    • Home‑diagnostic health app – tracks 30 parameters on a low‑cost phone.
    • Pad Care – sustainable menstrual‑hygiene solution with pilot deployments in Maharashtra.
    • Adaptive Wheelchair‑to‑Two‑Wheeler – mobility aid for physically‑challenged users.

  • Takeaway: Startup incentives bridge the gap between innovative prototypes and large‑scale public procurement, thereby delivering societal impact.

8. Digital Aggregation Models & the Blue‑Collar Workforce (Aditya Natraj – third turn)

  • Contrast with White‑Collar Aggregation: Historically, professional services consolidated into firms, yielding quality standards and economies of scale.

  • Current Blue‑Collar Reality: Consumers rely on informal referrals (“Wo achha karta hai”)—no standardized branding or quality assurance.

  • Three Aggregation Archetypes:

    1. Private‑Brand Model (e.g., Fab India for textiles).
    2. Co‑operative Model (e.g., Amul – farmer‑owned, profit‑sharing).
    3. Platform‑Rating Model (e.g., UrbanClap – certified providers with customer ratings).

  • Challenges for Artisans: High productivity but low market realisation due to limited design‑trend awareness and weak branding.

  • Policy Lever – NRLM / SRLM: National Rural Livelihood Mission (and the state‑level SRLM) can aggregate workers, standardise quality, and enable technology roll‑outs.

9. Persona – Hospitality Sector Insight (Arundhati Bhattacharya – final contribution)

  • Observation: Despite India’s rich cultural heritage, the hospitality/tourism sector—especially beyond Tier‑1 cities—has lagged in service quality, hygiene, and employment generation.

  • Potential: Hospitality is labor‑intensive and could create massive job opportunities, boost foreign exchange earnings, and act as a “force multiplier” for related industries (transport, food processing, crafts).

  • Call to Action: A focused study and coordinated public‑private effort are needed to uplift this sector for inclusive growth.

10. Behavioural Change Levers for Technology Adoption (Aditya Natraj – concluding remarks)

  • Case Study: ASHA Health Workers – One‑million community health workers still rely on paper registers despite a national digital health push.

  • Four User Quartiles Identified:

    1. > 50 years, no phone experience – fear of technology, rely on family members.
    2. Phone owners (feature phones only) – use only for calls, not data/SMS.
    3. Smart‑phone owners, entertainment‑only use – reluctant to apply devices for work.
    4. Young (25‑35) tech‑savvy – comfortable with digital tools.

  • Key Behavioural Insight: Adoption is not a technology issue but a skill‑and‑trust issue. Tailored training, peer‑support, and clear benefit communication are essential.

  • Strategic Recommendation: Recognise the “four India” reality; design segmented digital programmes that meet each group where they are, rather than imposing a single solution.

11. Closing Remarks

  • The moderator thanked all panelists, noted the absence of a formal Q&A due to time constraints, and expressed optimism about the collective expertise represented on the stage.

Key Takeaways

  • Inclusive AI requires a unified digital marketplace that records worker credentials, matches them to demand, and guarantees transparent, timely payment.
  • Execution accountability is missing; a single authority (public or private) must own the end‑to‑end implementation of policy recommendations.
  • Maharashtra’s SEED department showcases a comprehensive vocational‑education ecosystem (ITIs, state board, skills university, innovation society) that can serve as a replication model.
  • Productivity gaps are most acute in the bottom quartile (≈ 200 million people), especially women and tribal communities; solutions must first bring them into the formal market, not merely digitise existing informal work.
  • One‑size‑fits‑all technology will fail; persona‑centric approaches are needed to address distinct challenges of cultivators, artisans, textile workers, and trade workers.
  • Startup‑Week and other state‑led incentives effectively convert innovative prototypes into socially impactful deployments through direct work orders and procurement linkages.
  • Aggregation models (private‑brand, co‑operative, platform‑rating) are essential to standardise quality and enable scale for blue‑collar workers, mirroring the historic consolidation of white‑collar services.
  • Hospitality/tourism remains an under‑leveraged sector for inclusive job creation; targeted studies and cross‑sector collaboration could unlock significant socio‑economic benefits.
  • Behavioural adoption barriers are stratified across four user archetypes; training and trust‑building must be tailored rather than universal.
  • Policy levers such as NRLM/SRLM provide a foundational framework for aggregating informal workers, deploying technology, and ensuring quality standards.
  • Collective optimism: despite challenges, the panel’s diverse expertise signals strong momentum toward an AI‑driven, inclusive future for India’s informal workforce.

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