Ashok Jhunjhunwala

Ashok Jhunjhunwala has continued to play a pivotal role in nurturing India's next generation of deeptech entrepreneurs. Over the past year, he has focused on mentoring young founders building AI startups, helping them translate research into products with the potential to solve real-world problems for India and global markets. Through his leadership across IIT Madras, ITEL, and IIIT Hyderabad, he has strengthened the country's innovation ecosystem by encouraging entrepreneurship beyond traditional technology hubs.

A long-time champion of indigenous technology development, Jhunjhunwala believes India's greatest advantage lies in its vast pool of untapped talent. He believes the defining shift in India's AI landscape is its democratisation. 

He has consistently advocated for creating opportunities for aspiring innovators from across the country, arguing that world-class AI companies can emerge from well beyond India's elite institutions when given the right mentorship and support.