Osama Manzar is the Founder of the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), which has connected 35+ million people through 2,000+ digital centers across India. A Senior Ashoka Fellow and Chevening Scholar, he has shaped key national digital policies and pioneered the SoochnaPreneur model, empowering rural women and marginalized communities as last-mile digital entrepreneurs. Globally recognized, he serves on boards including WiDEF, APC, GNI, and the World Summit Awards.

Aditi Namdeo is Director-Strategic Initiatives at J-PAL South Asia, leading programs on data for social impact and environmental policy. With nearly two decades of global experience in technology policy, innovation, and public–private partnerships, she has held leadership roles at the Reserve Bank of India’s Innovation Hub, World Economic Forum, PwC, Tech.

Anivar Aravind is a public interest technologist, free software advocate, and digital rights activist. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Indic Project, a civic-tech nonprofit advancing language engineering, technology standards, and digital rights for native language users. With experience in mentoring free and open-source projects and social tech start-ups, he also serves on the advisory board of SFLC. His work sits at the intersection of technology, policy, and law.

Dr. Madanmohan Rao is Research Director at YourStory Media and  A co-founder of MXR.world and MiraIndia, he has authored books on knowledge management, innovation, and digital media. With experience spanning 90+ countries, he speaks globally on organisational creativity, digital transformation, and co-creation strategies.

Dr. Mehdi Snene is a Senior Advisor to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies and a member of the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, where he leads global initiatives in AI capacity-building, digital public infrastructure, and emerging tech. He served as Chief AI Officer at HealthAI, overseeing the strategic development and deployment of AI in healthcare. 

Dr. Urvashi Aneja is a researcher, policy analyst and entrepreneur whose work seeks to drive an equitable and just distribution of technology gains. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Digital Futures Lab, a multi-disciplinary research collective studying the societal impacts of technology transitions in India and the Majority Word. Her work focuses on the ethics and governance of Artificial Intelligence. 

Eunsong Kim is a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist and Chief of the Social and Human Sciences Sector at UNESCO’s South Asia Regional Office. She leads initiatives on inclusive AI, youth empowerment, and gender-transformative governance across six countries. With a background in literary and critical digital studies, her work bridges technology, culture, and policy to advance equity and inclusion.

Nikhil Pahwa is an Indian journalist, entrepreneur, and digital rights activist. He is the Founder and Editor of MediaNama, a leading publication on India’s digital ecosystem and policy landscape. As a prominent voice on internet regulation, censorship, and digital media, he has been a key commentator shaping debates around technology, governance, and rights in India.

Rahul Bhatia is an investigative journalist whose work on technology, culture, and society has appeared in The New Yorker, The Guardian, and more. A former member of Reuters’ investigations team and staff writer at The Caravan, he also co-founded the Peepli Project, an environmental journalism startup focused on critical issues in India.

Siddhartha Malempati serves as the Directing Council-General of the Commons Collective, a global network advancing the commons as a catalyst for equity and progress.A dedicated free and open-source policy activist, he has championed campaigns on digital rights, net neutrality, and community empowerment, while leading digital education initiatives that have benefited individuals in rural India.