Unique ID number for residents of India, based on their biometric and demographic data
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Dr. Pramod Varma, chief architect of Aadhaar, UPI, and the India Stack, and co-founder of Networks for Humanity, joins host Tushar Shetty to discuss the design philosophy and the next stages of India's Digital Public Infrastructure.We discuss the core principles that distinguish the India Stack from platform models like Alipay and PayPal, the Account Aggregator framework's consent architecture and its relationship to data protection regimes like the GDPR, the extension of DPI logic to business identity and flow-based lending through the Unified Lending Interface, the role of AI as both a driver of demand for DPI foundations and an opportunity for, the case for DPI as a replicable global model for the democratization of technology.For more in-depth analysis on South Asia, subscribe to the Beyond the Indus podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or follow us on YouTube for video episodes.
India's UPI moment changed how money moves.But that may only be the first chapter.As millions of Indians become comfortable with digital payments, a bigger question is beginning to emerge: how will they save, invest, and build wealth over the next decade?In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Amit Somani speaks with Ambarish Kenghe, CEO of Angel One, about India's shift from payment adoption to wealth creation.From his journey across Google, Myntra, Google Pay, and Angel One, Ambarish has seen India's digital consumer evolve up close. In this conversation, he talks about what changed after Aadhaar, Jio and UPI, why Indian consumers remain deeply value conscious, how SIPs are becoming a default investing habit, and where the next wave of fintech opportunities may come from.The conversation also explores:• Why 2015 became a turning point for India's digital economy• How UPI changed everyday money movement for consumers and merchants• Why India's wealth creation story still has massive headroom• What is driving SIP adoption among new investors• How AI could create a personal CFO or family office like experience for more Indians• How Angel One is using AI across products, operations and customer education• Why learning, unlearning and ownership matter when building teamsFor founders building in fintech, wealth tech, AI, or consumer products in India, this episode offers a sharp view of where the market has been and where it may be headed next.
In this episode, Priya Ranjan Mohanty speaks with Manasa Rajan, Co-founder & CEO of Jupiter Meta - a deep tech startup using zero-knowledge proofs and blockchain to deliver privacy-first consumer intelligence.Manasa shares how 60% of internet traffic today comes from bots, making traditional data collection and ad targeting unreliable. Jupiter Meta's solution uses on-device Aadhaar verification (zkKYC) to prove users are real humans without ever storing their personal data. She walks us through their products - Superch (consumer app), Hercules (AI-powered brand intelligence platform), and Poseidon (deep data query tool) - and their recent MoU with the Karnataka government.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction00:33 - Manasa's Background & Entrepreneurial Journey01:33 - Why Jupiter Meta Was Born03:00 - The Data Quality Problem05:35 - 60% of Internet Traffic is Bots08:01 - How Jupiter Meta Solves This08:16 - Zero Knowledge Proof & On-Device KYC10:55 - The Superch App & User Experience13:55 - How Brands Use the Data (Hercules Platform)17:15 - Poseidon: Deep Research & Consumer Insights19:30 - Behavioral Data from Real App Usage21:37 - Is Privacy a Myth? The Decentralized Difference25:04 - Vision: Democratizing Data Access for Entrepreneurs28:08 - Closing Remarks---About ELI Podcast:ELI (Entrepreneur's Live Interviews) brings you inspiring stories from India's startup ecosystem. Real founders, real journeys, real insights.Website: https://eli-podcast.com
This interview explores how emerging FinTech infrastructure is reshaping financial inclusion in rural India, with Hitesh Kanariya of Kuberjee highlighting the rise of hyperlocal, women‑led delivery models. He explains that platforms like Aadhaar, UPI, eKYC, and Account Aggregators have made onboarding seamless, while alternative data and sachet‑sized financial products now serve farmers, SHGs, and daily‑wage earners. Structural barriers—poor connectivity, low digital literacy, limited smartphone access, and mistrust—still slow adoption, making hyperlocalisation essential. Women agents such as BC Sakhis build trust, deliver doorstep services, and bridge language and literacy gaps. Vernacular-first, mobile-native platforms further boost understanding through voice and intuitive interfaces. Kuberjee's “One Village, One Sakhi” model demonstrates a scalable, gender-inclusive blueprint for sustainable rural FinTech innovation.
First, we speak to The Indian Express' Apurva Vishwanath about a Supreme Court bench that expressed reservations about another bench's decision to deny bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, and what this means for undertrial rights under UAPA.Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Asad Rehman about Rahul Gandhi unveiling a statue of Dalit freedom fighter Veera Pasi in Raebareli, and what it reveals about how political parties are increasingly invoking Dalit icons ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections. (13:30)And in the end, we look at the case of Dolly Vadalia, a 26-year-old woman from Rajkot who holds an Aadhaar card, voter ID, PAN card, and a Master's degree from an Indian university but has no recognised nationality and cannot be issued a passport. (20:10)Hosted by Ichha Sharma Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Long before UPI, smartphones and Aadhaar transformed digital payments in India, mChek was trying to turn mobile phones into wallets.The vision was ambitious.The execution was complex.And the ecosystem was still years away from catching up.In this episode of the Prime Venture Partners Podcast, Shripati Acharya speaks with Sanjay Swamy, former CEO of mChek and Managing Partner at Prime Venture Partners, about one of India's earliest attempts at building mobile payments.They discuss what it feels like to build ahead of the market, the hidden cost of ecosystem dependency, and why timing is often the hardest variable for founders to get right.The conversation also explores:• Why being early can sometimes look exactly like being wrong• How telcos, banks and regulators shaped the mChek journey• The operational chaos of building fintech in 2006 India• Why distribution does not always lead to adoption• What changed between mChek, Paytm and the UPI era• Why products depending on too many stakeholders are harder to scale• The difference between having the right idea and having the right timingIf you are building in a market that still feels early, this episode is worth your time.
This episode is part of our special series on the India AI Impact Summit, examining the conversations, decisions, and debates that are shaping global AI governance. The working group was designed from the start to be bottom-up rather than top-down. Rather than starting from the positions of countries already leading in AI, the agenda was shaped through consultations, bilateral discussions, and deliberate outreach beyond official channels. The concerns that emerged were consistent: uneven concentration of compute, limited access to quality data, dependence on external platforms, and the risk that much of the global south would not be able to fully participate in or benefit from AI-driven development. The two key outcomes are the Democratic Diffusion of AI Resources charter, a collective commitment to inclusive and equitable AI development adopted in the summit's final declaration, and MAITRI, a collaborative platform designed to connect governments, researchers, and institutions to the essential building blocks of AI without each country having to start from scratch. Saurabh Garg draws a direct line between these initiatives and India's own experience with layered digital public infrastructure, pointing to the principles behind Aadhaar, UPI, and the India AI Mission as exactly what informed the working group's approach. The real work, he makes clear, begins now. Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.
In this episode of In Focus podcast, London's Lady Mayor Dame Susan Langley speaks with The Hindu's Maharashtra Chief of Bureau Vinaya Deshpande about her maiden visit to India, the voices she heard from the financial and insurance service industry, and the opportunities for both the countries in view of the India – UK Free Trade Agreement. She is only the third woman to hold the Lord Mayor's Office in its 837-year history, and she is the first to go by the title of Lady Mayor. She is the global ambassador for the UK's financial and professional services. The Lady Mayor's key observation is that regulation can be simplified in India. She also highlighted that there is a lack of understanding in the UK about the potential of the Indian markets. Beyond the implementation of the FTA, she thinks there is need to lead conversations about successful case studies and real stories of businesses from both the sides, to make people invest. Terming her visit to UIDAI as one of the most interesting meetings in India, she said she was impressed with India's Aadhaar roll-out. She said that though UK wants to look at a universal ID system, she was not sure if the country will follow up on Aadhaar. Batting for diversity and inclusion in the financial services, she put the onus equally on women to step up and seek challenging roles. Guest: Dame Susan Langley, lady Mayor of London Host: Vinaya Deshpande Pandit Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Video: Aditya Shirsekar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
India is the 2nd largest user of ChatGPT in the world. We are also the largest FREE user of ChatGPT! So what are we really doing? "We're exporting our data and importing intelligence — exactly like we used to export cotton and import cloth." — Vivek Raghavan This isn't just a tech conversation. It's about whether India sits at the AI table or gets dictated to from outside.
By the time farmers in Haryana were ready to head to the anaj mandis (grain markets) to sell their Rabi harvest, the rules of entry had been revised. The Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board's March 28 directive introduced a new set of conditions for crop procurement — mandatory registration on the 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' portal, Aadhaar-based biometric verification, and vehicle number registration via the e-Kharid app. The State government says the measures are aimed at curbing fraud and improving transparency. Farmers see it as a bureaucratic maze that, whether by intent or effect, slows the procurement process to a point where the Minimum Support Price (MSP) becomes harder, and sometimes impossible, to claim.On April 11, farmers staged demonstrations across the State, calling for the compliance burden to be re-evaluated. Can digital governance work if it places the weight of reform on the farmer? When the State modernises to fix systemic fraud, who pays the price? Host: Vibha B. Madhava Guest: G.S. Mann, member of the India chapter of the Global Farmer Network and a former journalist. Producer: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Vi skal tale om det usynlige menneskelige arbejde bag de AI-systemer, vi møder overalt - fra korrekturlæsning og plantegenkendelses-apps til AI-kæreste-bots. Vi får besøg af Mikkel Flyverbom og taler om, hvordan det skjulte AI-arbejde nu også er begyndt at ramme vores del af verden. Vi følger også op på historien om Aadhaar - verdens største biometriske ID-system - og ser på de sikkerheds- og privatlivsproblemer, der gemmer sig under overfladen. Samtidig runder vi Estland, som har løst nogle af de samme udfordringer på en helt anden måde. Og så tager vi en håndfuld korte nyheder, for techverdenen buldrer derudad lige nu. Værter: Marie Høst, Tech-journalist og moderator; Henrik Moltke, Tech-journalist. Gæst: Mikkel Flyverbom, professor i digital transformation ved CBS. I redaktionen: Buster Hoff.
Verdens mest folkerige land, Indien, har bygget verdens største biometriske system, Aadhaar, til at kunne identificere sine borgere. Et system, der lover at give en identitet til dem, der aldrig har haft en - men som kritikere kalder det mest omfattende overvågningsapparat, verden nogensinde har set. Vi får besøg af Kunal Singla, stifter af COBO Consult og tidligere landechef for Dansk Industri i Indien, til at udfolde Aadhaar-systemets betydning. Så taler vi om endnu en AI-model, som potentielt kan give os og vores samfund store problemer - nemlig Mythos. Anthropics nye AI-model, Mythos, har fundet sårbarheder i alle større styresystemer og webbrowsere. Nu frygter regeringer, hvad der sker, hvis modellen havner i de forkerte hænder. Hvordan vil de - og alle andre - håndtere sikkerhedsrisikoen? Til sidst vender vi et portræt af OpenAI's Sam Altman i The New Yorker. Han skulle vist være lidt af en løgner - og så ved han i øvrigt ikke særlig meget om tech. Værter: Marie Høst, Tech-journalist og moderator; Henrik Moltke, Tech-journalist. Gæst: Kunal Singla, stifter af COBO Consult og tidligere landechef for Dansk Industri i Indien. I redaktionen: Buster Hoff.
In this episode of the Shift AI Podcast, Ajay Patel, Head of World ID at Tools for Humanity, joins host Boaz Ashkenazy for a timely and wide-ranging conversation on the identity crisis facing the internet in the age of AI agents.Ajay shares his career journey from hardware engineering to product and sales, through years at Google leading payments identity infrastructure managing how legal identity, verification, and payment data move across the entire company globally and ultimately to Tools for Humanity, where he saw the chance to tackle the root-level problem that his work at Google kept circling: if you don't know who you're dealing with, everything downstream breaks.The conversation digs into why the entire internet was built with the assumption that users are human and why that assumption is now collapsing as AI agents multiply. Ajay walks through the founding principles of World ID: privacy-preserving proof of humanity, uniqueness without revealing identity, and an open-source, decentralized architecture designed to have no single point of failure. He covers the challenge of making this system easy enough for non-technical users while still being cryptographically robust, and why inclusivity ensuring the billion people without legal identity can still participate is a core design constraint, not an afterthought.Boaz and Ajay explore the partnership with Coinbase and Cloudflare, how agent delegation will work in practice, what agentic commerce means for coupon fraud and chargebacks, and what a world with a hundred agents acting on your behalf could actually look like. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on new builders, mobile-first parallels, and why the certainty World ID brings to online interaction will unlock things we can't yet imagine.This episode is essential listening for anyone thinking about identity, trust, agentic systems, and what the infrastructure of the next internet needs to look like.Chapters[00:00] Introduction: Ajay's Journey from Hardware Engineer to World ID[02:02] The Identity Problem at the Heart of Google Payments[05:15] What Led Ajay to Tools for Humanity[07:33] The World ID Origin Story and Sam Altman's Vision[08:17] Why Every Internet System Assumes You're Human and Why That's Breaking[10:46] What World ID Is and How the Real Human Network Works[12:18] Open Source, Decentralized, and the Principles Behind the Architecture[13:37] Privacy, Security, Performance, and Inclusivity as Design Constraints[14:08] The Billion People Without Legal Identity[15:03] The Aadhaar and UPI Example: What Identity Unlocks at Scale[16:11] World ID 4.0 and the New Architecture for Key Management[17:56] Coupon Fraud, Free Trial Abuse, and Why This Is the Baseline Problem[19:50] How Agents Should Interface Differently Than Humans[21:00] The Coinbase and Cloudflare Partnership: Micro-Payments and Bot Rate-Limiting[21:48] Agent Delegation: Which Human Is Behind These Hundred Bots?[24:37] Government Use Cases, Polling, and Community Verification[25:13] Tinder, Gaming, Dating, and the Places Certainty Changes Everything[27:18] Painting the Picture: What Life Looks Like with 100 Agents Working for You[29:17] Mobile-First Parallels and What AI Natives Will Look Like[31:14] The Downside Is Real But the Upside Is Bigger[33:36] The Future in Two Words: Builders and Abundance[35:20] How to Learn More and Connect with AjayConnect with Ajay PatelLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajayppatel/Wesite: https://www.world.orgConnect with Boaz AshkenazyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boazashkenazy/Email: info@shiftai.fm
This week we're speaking to Professor Edgar Whitley - an expert on the design and implementation of ID systems. Links- More about Edgar: https://www.lse.ac.uk/people/edgar-whitley- More about the London School of Economics and ID: https://www.lse.ac.uk/research/research-impact-case-studies/scrapping-costly-controversial-proposals-identity-cards- Gus and Edgar's joint publications: - Global challenges for identity policies: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Global_Challenges_for_Identity_Policies.html?id=P7hsCwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y - Global Identity Policies and Technology:Do we Understand the Question? An open access paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1758-5899.2010.00028.x - Book chapter on Aadhaar: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/90490/- Edgar's report on Women and ID: https://silkstart.s3.amazonaws.com/1967006c-a430-414e-9982-75e204478d6e.pdf- More information on Aadhaar in India: https://privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/819/aadhaar-scheme-faq- The Indian Supreme Court decision: https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/2299/initial-analysis-indian-supreme-court-decision-aadhaar and https://www.scobserver.in/cases/beghar-foundation-ks-puttaswamy-aadhaar-review-case-background/- The Windrush scandal: https://jcwi.org.uk/reportsbriefings/windrush-scandal-explained/- Interview with people in Kenya who had been double registered: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz3h0TjXz7gXB4xg4WNdg9_8JyBftx_kP- Yes Minister TV show: https://archive.org/details/yes-minister-1980-1984 including the famous Big Brother episode: https://archive.org/details/yes-minister-1980-1984/Yes+Minister+-+S01E04+-+Big+Brother.mp4- The Clarkson toothpick incident: https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/nationals/jeremy-clarkson-victim-of-id-fraud-after-publishing-bank-details/- The Washington Post raid: https://theintercept.com/2026/01/30/washington-post-hannah-natanson-fbi-biometrics-unlock-phone/Previous podcasts:- Double Registration - The trouble with Identity in Kenya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65VVbcXVK_0&feature=youtu.be
Sandeep Gupta, CFA sits down with Siddharth Shetty - the mind behind India's Account Aggregator framework, a key architect of UPI, and now the visionary building a universal financial internet, to reveal what's next.Debunk tokenization myths, shifting from bank-held to user-owned programmable ledgers that rewire finance, from real estate fractionalization to seamless cross-border investing.Explore India's DPI edge (UPI, Aadhaar) unlocking frozen assets, real-time collateral, automatic audits, and a 20–24 month roadmap to production with live users.Unfiltered 5-year view: Mainstream tokenized economy by 2030 or perpetual pilot?If you work in finance, investments, or fintech, this is the conversation you can't afford to miss. _______________________________________________________________________________________DISCLAIMER :This podcast represents the views and opinions of the originally featured speaker and is posted with their express consent. All statements and expressions in the podcast are personal views of the speaker and are meant for educational purposes only and should not be construed as research, recommendation, solicitation, or investment advice. CFA Society India* is a non-profit for member benefit and does not endorse any person, content, product, organization or securities, opinions or recommendations and makes no representation or warranty, guarantee, claim of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, appropriateness, suitability, or completeness of the information mentioned in the podcast. Viewers/readers shouldn't copy, transcribe, adapt, publish, license, distribute, perform and display the content including speech and any/all accompanying materials (including handouts and slides) without prior permission of CFA Society India for any use.CFA SOCIETY INDIA EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.* CFA Society India is a registered trademark of CFA Institute licensed to be used by the Indian Association of Investment Professionals._________________________________________________________________________________The Indian Association of Investment Professionals (IAIP), the India Society of CFA Institute, was established in Apr 2005 as an association of local investment professionals consisting of portfolio managers, security analysts, investment advisors and other financial professionals.As one of the over 160 CFA Institute member societies, the IAIP connects local CFA Institute members to a global network of investment professionals. For the continuing up-gradation of knowledge and skills of members, IAIP conducts speaker events, workshops led by leading finance professionals.
Nalin Agrawal, Co-founder of SnapMint, is a three-time entrepreneur and IIT Bombay alumnus who has quietly built one of India's most efficient consumer financing platforms, scaling from a tiny ₹5 crore revenue to ₹350 crores while serving 7 million monthly users across 23,000 pin codes. In this candid, wide-ranging conversation with host Akshay Datt, Nalin reveals the contrarian principles behind SnapMint's success: why they have never charged a single rupee in late fees, how their data science moat achieves industry-beating credit loss rates, and why they believe India will leapfrog credit cards entirely and go straight to EMI on UPI. What you will learn in this episode:
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Hare Ram Pandey, a farmer from Jharkhand, adopted an abandoned newborn baby girl he found in a dire condition and took full responsibility for her care. Over time, he rescued and welcomed several other orphaned girls into his home, raising them as his own. Today, he is the guardian of 35 girls. Whenever abandoned children are found, people reach out to him for help. He has also registered his name on all the girls' Aadhaar cards, ensuring they receive identity, dignity and recognition. - झारखंड के किसान हरे राम पांडे ने एक बेसहारा नवजात बच्ची को गोद लिया, जिसे उन्होंने विकट परिस्थितियों में पाया। इसके बाद हरे राम ने उसकी पूरी देखभाल और पालन-पोषण की जिम्मेदारी अपने कंधों पर ले ली। समय के साथ, उन्होंने कई अन्य अनाथ लड़कियों को भी अपने घर में पनाह दी और उन्हें बड़ा किया। आज इनमें से कई लड़कियाँ नौकरी कर रही हैं। हरे राम आज भी उन बच्चों के लिए मौजूद हैं, जो उनके पास लाए जाते हैं। उन्होंने यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए कि सभी लड़कियों को पहचान, गरिमा और सम्मान मिले, उनके आधार कार्डों पर अपना नाम दर्ज करवाया है।
Hare Ram Pandey, a farmer from Jharkhand, adopted an abandoned newborn baby girl he found in a dire condition and took full responsibility for her care. Over time, he rescued and welcomed several other orphaned girls into his home, raising them as his own. Today, he is the guardian of 35 girls. Whenever abandoned children are found, people reach out to him for help. He has also registered his name on all the girls' Aadhaar cards, ensuring they receive identity, dignity and recognition.
Will We Say Goodbye to OTPs in 2026? As India enters the next authentication era, this episode of The Core Report explores whether one-time passwords are finally reaching the end of the road and what could replace them in banking, payments, and everyday digital life.In this special edition, Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Pramod Varma, Co-Founder & Chief Architect, Networks For Humanity (NFH), Co-Creator, FINTERNET & BECKN Protocol, architect behind Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, eSign, Account Aggregator, and ONDC, to unpack how India's digital public infrastructure is quietly moving beyond OTPs. From face authentication and biometrics to smartphone-based security, layered KYC, and verifiable credentials, this conversation explains why the current system feels broken and what a smarter, more inclusive model could look like by 2026.As digital scams rise and compliance burdens grow, are OTPs still the safest option or have they become a bottleneck? Why do banks still rely on paper, repeated KYC, and friction-heavy verification when India already has the technology to go fully digital? And could Aadhaar-based face authentication and app-driven cryptographic security offer a future that is both safer and easier for consumers and businesses?This episode breaks down the future of authentication in India, the shift away from OTP-based security, and what it means for financial services, digital identity, KYC reform, and ease of doing business. Essential viewing for professionals tracking fintech, policy, digital transformation, and India's evolving digital economy.Subscribe to The Core Report for conversations shaping India's business, policy, and digital economy.#OTPs #DigitalIndia #Authentication #Fintech #TheCoreReport #TheCore
China's position as the world's factory is shifting. Growth is slowing to approximately 4-5%, wages are rising, the workforce is shrinking due to an aging population, the property crisis is weighing on GDP, and Western tariffs are restricting exports. For decades, China produced goods at low cost, but a significant supply chain gap is now emerging. India is emerging as a leading contender, with a 6.4% growth forecast, production-linked incentives attracting companies such as Apple, Samsung, and Micron, and digital infrastructure like UPI and Aadhaar accelerating business. Vietnam, Mexico, and Indonesia are also competing for manufacturing investment. The key question is whether India can redefine manufacturing through scale, stability, and strong domestic demand, or if bureaucracy and inequality will impede its progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you want to know what it's like to be the architect of nations, not just platforms - you ask a man like Nandan Nilekani.In this episode of Minus One, Nandan breaks down the ideas, effort and intent behind building Aadhaar for 1.4 billion people, his next chapter in using AI to drive social impact across India, and what his vision of the future looks like. Connect with us here: Nandan Nilekani- https://x.com/NandanNilekani Aditya Agarwal- https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityaagarwal3/ South Park Commons- https://www.linkedin.com/company/southparkcommons/00:00 Trailer01:36 Introduction02:12 Curiosity and Conviction: Keys to Success15:11 AI and India's Future25:46 The Startup Boom in India27:03 Challenges and Opportunities in Ease of Business31:38 AI and Digital Public Infrastructure40:26 Future of Energy and Final Thoughts
In this episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal sits down with economist and policy thinker Neelkanth Mishra to unpack why he believes this is the true golden age of Indian entrepreneurship. They talk about:Falling cost of capital and a stronger banking system expanding access to debt and equity.Massive domestic flows via SIPs, EPFO, and insurance fueling startups and exits.Policy shifts in GST, decriminalization, and state reforms that slowly ease doing business.The next wave beyond internet startups: fintech, precision manufacturing, hardware, semiconductors, and data centers.The next wave of entrepreneurship beyond internet companies: fintech, precision manufacturing, hardware, semiconductors, data centers, and chip design.Aadhaar's evolution into a trust and KYC layer, and how lower unit costs in finance, education, and health can break vicious economic cycles.Navigating big tech power, US–China tensions, and political noise while staying focused on India's long runway from $4T to $20T GDP.If you're interested in where India's economy is really headed, how policy and infrastructure shape founder opportunities, or what it takes to build in the middle of geopolitical churn, this conversation with Neelkanth offers rare clarity, realism, and optimism.
The Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday that it is planning consultations to frame new regulations for online platforms. The Supreme Court was hearing petitions linked to a controversy related to the India's Got Latent show involving YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and comedian Samay Raina. During the hearing, the Court also suggested a few strong measures. But what exactly prompted this discussion? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we break down how India's new-age tech firms have doubled their share of the market cap, what's driving the shift, and which companies are leading the surge. We also unpack UIDAI's upcoming Aadhaar app that could change identity verification across daily life, decode the massive Microsoft–Nvidia–Anthropic partnership reshaping global AI, and look at why Indian investors bought the Bitcoin dip even as global markets panicked.
Inside today's Moneycontrol Editor's Picks: International Holding Co.'s $1-billion acquisition of Sammaan Capital hits uncertainty, Hindustan Aeronautics fast-tracks Tejas Mk1A fighter deliveries, Xiaomi grapples with frozen funds and declining market share, new age tech firms mark strong presence on stock market. Also find 15th Finance Commission chairman NK Singh's interview on what Bihar's newly elected government should prioritise and Pratim Ranjan Bose's take on Bangladesh politics.
The Election Commission is all set for a country-wide roll out of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The first phase of the process would implemented in more than 10 states, including in poll-bound Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal. This exercise comes in the wake of the controversial SIR in Bihar, which was done hurriedly. As has been widely reported, the final voter list in Bihar is riddled with inaccuracies – including excess deletions, gibberish names, and fake addresses. Now, with a pan-India SIR on the anvil, questions abound: Why is it necessary? Will the process incorporate the changes suggested by the Supreme Court in the Bihar context - especially with regard to the use of Aadhaar, publishing voter lists in searchable format, and checking of migrant names in other states before deleting their names? How serious are concerns about mass disenfranchisement on a national scale in a nation-wide SIR? Guest: Sreeparna Chakrabarty, who covers the Election Commission for The Hindu. Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Camera: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Checkout ASUS ExpertBook P Series: https://www.flipkart.com/bbd-eb-sale-at-storeGuest Suggestion Form: https://forms.gle/bnaeY3FpoFU9ZjA47Disclaimer: This video is intended solely for educational purposes and opinions shared by the guest are his personal views. We do not intent to defame or harm any person/ brand/ product/ country/ profession mentioned in the video. Our goal is to provide information to help audience make informed choices. The media used in this video are solely for informational purposes and belongs to their respective owners.Order 'Build, Don't Talk' (in English) here: https://amzn.eu/d/eCfijRuOrder 'Build Don't Talk' (in Hindi) here: https://amzn.eu/d/4wZISO0Follow Our Whatsapp Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaokF5x0bIdi3Qn9ef2JSubscribe To Our Other YouTube Channels:-https://www.youtube.com/@rajshamaniclipshttps://www.youtube.com/@RajShamani.Shorts
The Thompson Show – October 10, 2025 (WWCR 4840 kHz) Broadcasting from a cabin in the Smoky Mountains, Todd takes The Thompson Show on the road for a fiery, wide-ranging episode that ties world events to the tightening noose of digital control.
In an exclusive chat, Ashwini Vaishnaw said India's AI ambitions are set to get a boost as homegrown startup Sarvam is set to launch the country's first large language model by early next year. UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar has clarified that Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship. We also uncover Apple's big India plans despite the tariff turmoil. Meanwhile, the Centre could lose Rs 10,000-12,000 crore annually from the real money gaming ban.
In this episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal speaks with Sharad Sharma, one of the key minds behind Aadhaar and UPI. Sharad shares why he left a successful corporate career to focus on nation building, and how India can avoid becoming a trade colony of China or a tech colony of the US by doubling down on deep tech and research-driven innovation.They discuss:- The origins of India Stack and Digital Public Infrastructure.- How UPI really scaled and the lessons for entrepreneurs.- Why India must build a strong R&D and product innovation ecosystem.- The urgent need for new research institutions, mid-career researchers, and long-term thinking.- How India can carve its own path in AI through health, education, and data-driven use cases.If you want to understand India's deep-tech playbook and the roadmap to Viksit Bharat, this is a must-watch conversation.
In this Telugu podcast episode, we sit down with Madhavaneni Raghunandan Rao, Member of Parliament from Medak, lawyer by profession, and one of the most outspoken BJP leaders from Telangana. Known for his sharp arguments and fearless stand on issues. Raghunandan Rao opens up about politics, law, family, and the everyday struggles of a public leader.We begin with one of the biggest contradictions of Indian democracy: 251 of the 543 newly elected MPs face criminal cases. Can clean politics truly exist when over five crore cases are still pending in courts? Rao points out the hypocrisy of focusing on issues like Sabarimala while fundamental judicial reforms are ignored. As someone with cases against him, he speaks candidly about the personal toll and why in today's climate, survival in politics almost guarantees cases being filed.Rao's journey is also a story of patience and resilience. Expelled from TRS, defeated multiple times in Dubbaka, he never gave up. Using his now-famous dinosaur vs. giraffe metaphor of Darwin theory, he explains why adaptability and endurance matter more than instant wins.On freedom of speech, he questions why anonymous abusive content is tolerated online while citizens are arrested for criticizing politicians. From the urea controversy to the silencing of YouTubers and leaders on freedom of speech, Rao takes on an interesting toll.We also explore the unseen life of a politician: the round-the-clock demands, school admissions, medical emergencies, hospitality costs, and the stress that leaves most leaders battling BP and diabetes. He explains why cars and staff aren't luxuries but survival tools in political life.Turning to Telangana politics, he addresses whether a national party like BJP can compete with deeply rooted regional parties. He speaks on vote chori, duplication of votes, Aadhaar linking, and the flaws of the 51% majority system. He also highlights the disparity in funds: Telangana contributes ₹1.3 lakh crore in taxes but receives less than ₹20,000 crore back.The discussion covers petrol prices, infrastructure growth, and the devolution of funds, as well as allegations that BJP uses agencies like ED and CBI to “wash” leaders once they join the party. He also responds to debates on Hindu vote banks, BJP's RSS roots, and succession after Modi.As a lawyer and politician, he reflects on balancing two seemingly opposite roles; twisting words to defend a client in court while promising truth and service in politics. He recalls unforgettable cases, his reputation as a highly paid advocate, and why advocates remain among the highest taxpayers in India.Yet this episode isn't only about politics. He insists parents must discuss politics at the dinner table, teaching children values, awareness, and curiosity. He opines youth to see politics as a career while also encouraging families to support alternative professions. With examples from P.V. Sindhu, Nikhath Zareen, and Malavath Poorna, he reminds us that India needs dreamers in every field, not just engineering or medicine.From policing reforms and the role of the Election Commission to the power of social media, media bias, and even the Sansad Khel Mahotsav, Raghunandan Rao's words reveal the complexity of leadership in modern India.Direct, sharp, and often provocative, this conversation takes us inside the mind of a politician who is also a lawyer, father, and fighter. Finally, his mix of honesty and grassroots perspective makes this a must-listen for anyone who cares about democracy, politics, and India's future.
Guest Suggestion Form: https://forms.gle/bnaeY3FpoFU9ZjA47Disclaimer: This video is intended solely for educational purposes and opinions shared by the guest are his personal views. We do not intent to defame or harm any person/ brand/ product/ country/ profession mentioned in the video. Our goal is to provide information to help audience make informed choices. The media used in this video are solely for informational purposes and belongs to their respective owners.Order 'Build, Don't Talk' (in English) here: https://amzn.eu/d/eCfijRuOrder 'Build Don't Talk' (in Hindi) here: https://amzn.eu/d/4wZISO0Follow Our Whatsapp Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaokF5x0bIdi3Qn9ef2JSubscribe To Our Other YouTube Channels:-https://www.youtube.com/@rajshamaniclipshttps://www.youtube.com/@RajShamani.Shorts
The Supreme Court, in an interim order on Thursday (August 14, 2025), directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish a booth-wise list of nearly 65 lakh electors who were excluded from the draft electoral roll released on August 1 as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered that the list must specify the precise reasons for exclusion, such as death, migration, or duplicate registration. The petitioners have argued that the poll body has failed to observe the basic principles of natural justice while carrying out the exercise. They have also questioned the “hasty” manner of its implementation. What is the constitutionality of the SIR exercise, and does it risk disenfranchising voters? What are the implications of the interim order? To what extent does the order address the contentious debate over whether Aadhaar can serve as valid proof of identity and residence in the electoral process? Guest: Shah Rukh Alam, advocate practising at the Supreme Court Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dive deep into the transformative power of AI in India's consumer app landscape. In this episode of Zero to Infinity, Avnish Bajaj, Chandrasekhar Venugopal aka CV, and Kishan Kashyap break down: ✅ Why ChatGPT is AI's MS‑DOS moment and what comes after ✅ How token costs dropped 1000x in a year (and why Sam Altman calls it the “new Moore's Law”) ✅ The Disruptor–Digitizer–Enabler framework for founders building in consumer tech ✅ Why QuickCommerce for “X” (fashion, pharma, events & more) is the next frontier ✅ And why India's rails: UPI, Aadhaar, WhatsApp—mean everything is aligned for founders After tracing India's growing consumer instinct in Part 1, this segment explores what happens when that intuition meets AI and what gets reimagined when UX, infra, and distribution evolve together, not sequentially. Whether you're an early‑stage founder, an operator, or just AI‑curious, this conversation will spark ideas on what to build next.
Hey everyone! Anupam Gupta is back with an exclusive conversation with Sandip Raichura, a key figure at PL Capital, a firm with a storied history spanning over 80 years in Indian finance. Get ready to unlock the secrets to India's burgeoning wealth creation! We're going deep into the transformative journey of India's equity culture, driven by innovations like Aadhaar and UPI. Sandip shares a candid view on the retail trading boom, the challenges of derivatives, and how SEBI is shaping a more transparent market. Discover PL Capital's unique approach to maintaining strong yields through high-value advisory, proving that quality advice is worth the premium. This episode is a goldmine for investment ideas! Sandip reveals the "Golden Decade" thesis and the specific sectors poised for exponential growth: from the thriving Financial Services space to the game-changing EMS, resilient Consumption, and foundational Infrastructure. Plus, don't miss his insights on Defense as a strategic sector. For those just starting their investment journey, Sandip offers actionable, no-nonsense advice on choosing the right partner and cultivating a long-term mindset. He also gives a direct message to aspiring Relationship Managers on what it takes to thrive at PL Capital. This is your master key to understanding and profiting from India's financial future!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We're 10 years old!!! And we’re still reelin’, reminiscing, and replaying the bangers that made our indie hearts beat faster. This week, we’re flashing back to the not so distant past - our Best of 2023 – a year that gave us Assamese jazz-pop, Urdu blues, Punjabi folk, and a Marathi abhanga with a guitar solo that’s soooo good, it deserves its own Aadhaar card. We even celebrated our 300th episode that featured a cult band from the early 2000s, and went gaga over a shoegaze dream pop band from Nepal who put across a strong case that momos from Nepal were the best EVVVAAAAAA! This re-release comes with a fresh intro by Senior Producer Ruchi — whose official review of the episode is just one word: “CHILLS.” So plug in, get comfy, and vibe out to the voices that made 2023 unforgettable. Song List: Zero - Take Me Away (04:32 - 09:32) Sampriti - Xathor (10:07 - 16:02) Sameer Rahat - Tasalli (17:37 - 23:02) Banat - Daachi Waaleya (23:38 - 27:09) Swarupa Ananth - Happy Dance (27:54 - 30:54) Abhanga Repost - Aise Kaise Zhale Bhondu (32:14 - 37:47) Nimisha Shankar - Duniya (39:32 - 42:33) Phosphenes - Are You Gonna Leave Me? (44:14 - 48:18) Come be our friend: Instagram @maedinindia Twitter @maedinindia CREDITS: Host: Mae Instagram: @maemariyam Twitter: @maebemaebe Producer: Shaun Fanthome and Meghna Gulati Sound Edited & Mastered by: Kartik Kulkarni Artwork: Alika Gupta
In this episode, Anna Rose speaks with Florent Tavernier from Self and Marek Olszewski from Self and Celo to explore how Self are bringing identity onchain using ZK, the Sybil protection that offers, and the origins of OpenPassport. The discussion covers Self's approach to supporting different forms of ID, the challenges of disparate cryptographic standards, and how government signatures can be used to bootstrap onchain identity systems. Related links: Self Protocol on X/Twitter Episode 364: AI and ZK Auditing with David Wong Episode 363: Bringing ZK to Google Wallet with Abhi and Matteo Episode 358: Building ZK Registries Onchain with Rarimo Episode 93: Light clients & ZKPs with Celo Celo ZK Email Modular Summit 3 panel (with Florent and Anna) Plumo: An Ultralight Blockchain Client 0xPARC MiniPay Map of each country's cryptography choices Aadhaar p0tion: Toolkit for Groth16 Phase 2 Trusted Setup ceremonies. Check out the latest jobs in ZK at the ZK Podcast Jobs Board. **If you like what we do:** * Find all our links here! @ZeroKnowledge | Linktree * Subscribe to our podcast
Join Anupam Gupta on Paisa Vaisa for a masterclass on the future of Indian finance! Dr. HP Singh, CMD of Satin Creditcare, offers rapid-fire insights into microfinance, rural banking, and FinTech innovation. Discover how Satin, a leading NBFC, drives financial inclusion via digital lending, leveraging Aadhaar Iris verification and AI in finance for robust risk management and last-mile delivery. Dr. Singh dissects the microcredit market, tackling NPA challenges and showcasing Satin's superior asset quality. Learn about structured finance in emerging markets, MSME growth, and the strategic pivot to rural housing finance. Essential for investors, FinTech startups, digital payments enthusiasts, and anyone interested in India's economic outlook, sustainable finance, and financial wellness. Key Topics Covered: ✅ Microfinance & FinTech: Digital lending, AI, financial inclusion. ✅ Microcredit Insights: NPA, asset quality, rural housing. ✅ India's Finance Growth: MSMEs, structured finance, wellness. Get in touch with our host Anupam Gupta on social media: Twitter: ( https://twitter.com/b50 ) Instagram: ( https://www.instagram.com/b_50/ ) LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anupam9gupta/ ) You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts website at https://www.ivmpodcasts.com/ You can watch the full video episodes of PaisaVaisapodcast on the YouTube channel. Do follow IVM Podcasts on social media. We are @ivmpodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, & InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On March 18, 2025, the Election Commission of India announced that its officials will hold talks with UIDAI experts for linking the Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) with Aadhaar. This linking is supposed to be voluntary, but there is some confusion as to whether the voter will really have any choice in the matter. There are also concerns that linking EPIC with Aadhaar could lead to voter profiling, selective disenfranchisement, targeted campaigns, data privacy violations, and possibly undermine the autonomy of the Election Commission. Are these concerns valid or are they overblown? Guest: Usha Ramanathan, human rights activist who has worked extensively on Aadhaar-related exclusions and rights violations. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.
Indien zählt zu den am schnellsten wachsenden Wirtschaften der Welt. Doch eine seit Monaten anhaltende Verlustserie an den Finanzmärkten lässt erste Investoren zweifeln, ob der Wachstumskurs von Dauer sein wird. Ein Blick auf die Tech-Szene des Landes.
While discussing the headlines:Rajyasree: I read multiple news reports claiming that Saif's alleged attacker came into Bengal, but had to move to Bombay because there were no job opportunities in the state. Why is a dig being made at Bengal even when…Abhinandan: Even when you're discussing the attack on Saif? Yes. The Aadhaar card he used also apparently was from Bengal. Rajyasree: I read he had no Aadhaar card! See, at the moment, the best fiction writing is being carried on in these newsrooms. This and a whole lot of awful and awesome as Abhinandan Sekhri and Rajyasree Sen discuss the series Paatal Lok S2 and Black Warrant. Have something to say? Write to us at newslaundry.com/podcast-letters.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introductions00:01:00 - Headlines 00:05:12 - Announcements00:06:42 - Topics00:09:08 - Black Warrant 00:29:31 - Letters00:34:16 - Paatal Lok S200:46:03 - Interview with the cast of Black Warrant 01:10:04 - Closing thoughtsReferences and recommendations Subscribe to NL-TNMNL Sena - Delhi PollsAbhinandan's interview with Sunil Gupta and Sunetra ChoudharyBlack WarrantPaatal Lok S2Click here to download the Newslaundry app on Android. And here for iOS.Produced and recorded by Ashish Anand and Prashant Kumar; edited by Priyali Dhingra. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
India's leadership story is a fascinating journey full of lessons for anyone looking to make an impact.In just two years, opening up the space economy has led to over 100 new startups in aerospace, sparking innovation and fueling the dreams of a new generation of changemakers.And it doesn't stop there—India is heavily investing in future-focused areas like green hydrogen, quantum computing, and the blue economy, showing a clear vision for industries that will define tomorrow.Drawing from its rich heritage, India blends ancient wisdom with modern governance.Texts like the Arthashastra guide policies that empower people and prioritize collective welfare.Initiatives like Aadhaar and participatory governance models reflect these principles in action, bringing millions into the financial mainstream and fostering inclusive growth.Experts believe India's leadership also addresses the need for decolonization—not just in reclaiming cultural pride, but in rediscovering its intellectual confidence.This leadership model, rooted in inclusivity, resilience, and innovation, is steering India into a brighter future. In this episode of The NEON Show, Dr R. Balasubramaniam, author, member of the Capacity Building Commission (Government of Bharat), and Chairperson of the Social Stock Exchange Advisory Committee at SEBI, shares the essence of Indic leadership as explored in his book Power Within.Time stamp00:00 Intro00:12 Dr. Balu's contributions to rural service00:41 Current roles: Capacity Building Commission member & Rhodes Professor00:55 Overview of "Power Within"01:13 Journey: From physician to policymaker02:16 India's traditional wisdom in governance03:08 PM Modi's leadership focus in Balu's analysis05:24 Modi's ethos of service (Seva Bhaav)08:09 Modi's leadership during Morbi tragedy10:06 RSS philosophy: Cultural nationalism & service13:15 Overcoming colonial mindsets to restore pride17:09 Participatory governance: Janbhagidari & Mission Karmayogi23:57 Revamping civil services training26:08 Influence of Ramakrishna Mission's seva philosophy28:01 Panch Pran: Vision for a self-reliant India29:51 Chanakya Niti: Ancient leadership principles34:38 Decisive actions: Doklam, surgical strikes, Pulwama38:14 Challenges in implementing farm laws45:51 Repeal of Article 370: J&K integration50:05 India's balanced foreign policy (Russia-Ukraine, Qatar)52:03 Comparing Modi's leadership to global icons-----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-----This videoSend us a text
In this special episode, we hosted a very esteemed guest Dr.Pramod Varma, the Former Chief Architect Aadhaar, UPI, & India Stack, CTO EkStep Foundation, Co-Chair CDPI.dev, Co-Founder FIDE.org. He played an integral role in architecting India's digital health infrastructure, vaccination and immunization infrastructure (Co-WIN & DIVOC). He is the Co-Founder of FIDE, co-creator of the open source Beckn Protocol, the base protocol for India's new efforts such as Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC.org), Kochi Open Mobility Network, Namma Yatri, and ONEST.He is an advisor to Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), National Payment Corporation (NPCI), Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), National Health Authority (NHA), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), Turing Institute Identity Initiative in the UK. Pramod holds a Master's and Ph.D. degree in Computer Science along with a second Master's in Applied Mathematics. He is passionate about technology, science, society, and teaching.In this podcast episode we spoke about the below topics, dive in:0:00 - Journey of Aadhaar's Chief Architect10:45 - The Impact of Aadhaar on India26:45 - India's role as Global Leader in Technology35:43 - The Role of AI in India40:30 - Tips for Indian EntrepreneursEnjoyed the podcast? Please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and subscribe wherever you are listening to this.Follow Prime Venture Partners:LinkedIn: / primevp Twitter: / primevp_in This podcast is for you. Do let us know what you like about the podcast, what you don't like, the guests you'd like to have on the podcast and the topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes.Please share your feedback here: https://primevp.in/podcastfeedback
This week, how more than one billion people living in India were given a unique digital ID during the world's largest biometric project. The Aadhaar scheme was launched in 2009 but it wasn't without controversy. Our guest, digital identity expert Dr Edgar Whitley, tells us about the history of ID schemes around the world.Plus, the Spanish doctor whose pioneering surgery helped millions of people to get rid of their glasses and see more clearly. And why East Germany's thirst for caffeine in the 1980s led to an unusual collaboration with Vietnam. Also, the story behind one of the most famous royal photographs ever taken – Princess Diana sitting alone on a bench in front of the Taj Mahal in 1992. The man who took the image tells us more.And finally, how a Ghanaian athlete, Alice Annum, earned the nickname ‘Baby Jet' after her medal-winning success in the 1970 Commonwealth Games.Contributors: Nandan Nilekani - former chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India Dr Edgar Whitley - digital identity expert at the London School of Economics Dr Carmen Barraquer Coll – daughter of ophthalmologist Jose Ignacio Barraquer Moner Siegfried Kaulfuß – East German official in charge of coffee production in Vietnam Anwar Hussein – royal photographer Alice Annum – retired Ghanaian athlete(Photo: Scanning fingerprints for Aadhaar registration. Credit: David Talukdar/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In 2009, the Indian government embarked on an ambitious task to register all of the country's billion-plus citizens with a unique digital ID. Aadhaar - which means foundation in many Indian languages - became the world's largest ever biometrics project.It allowed millions of people to open bank accounts or access a mobile connection for the very first time. But the project also attracted considerable opposition from privacy advocates and civil rights groups, who brought a case that went all the way to India's Supreme Court. Dan Hardoon speaks to Nandan Nilekani, who chaired the Aadhaar project.(Photo: Aadhaar system. Credit: Getty Images)
Kevin T. Carter is an investment expert with a rich history rooted in the evolution of financial markets and a deep dive into emerging economies. Throughout our conversation, we explored Carter's journey from a fresh college graduate with a keen interest in investment, sparked by the iconic book "A Random Walk Down Wall Street," to a visionary in the field of emerging markets. His early career began in an investment bank, where a casual interview turned into the launchpad for his investment career.Carter shared the profound influence of Burton Malkiel's work on his professional outlook, notably Malkiel's revolutionary idea of index funds which laid the groundwork for Carter's own innovations in investment strategies. "It was just an idea to Burt Malkiel back then," Carter recalls, highlighting the transformative potential of indexing and ETFs which now dominate the investment landscape.The narrative then shifts to Carter's disillusionment with the mutual fund business and his pioneering work in fractional share trading and direct indexing. His collaboration with Malkiel not only refined his investment philosophy but also led to the creation of groundbreaking financial services that democratized stock market access. "We filed a patent on fractional share trading... and now almost every brokerage firm in the world offers fractional share trading," Carter proudly notes, underlining the shift towards more inclusive investment models.Carter's journey took another significant turn with his engagement with Google employees and his eventual focus on emerging markets, particularly China and India. His firsthand experiences with these economies offered him a unique perspective on their potential for growth and innovation. "China's economy was growing at over 10%," he recalls, capturing the dynamism of these regions long before they became focal points for global investors.The discussion delves into the intricacies of emerging market investments, emphasizing the consumer-driven growth in these regions. Carter's approach to investment in emerging markets is not just about recognizing their growth potential but understanding the transformative impact of technology, particularly mobile internet, on these economies. "The second wave was China, right behind us, 2005 to 2020... Now, there's still growth in China, but... the third wave is going to be giant, and it's already happening," he explains, highlighting the ongoing evolution of global market dynamics.Carter's narrative on India's transformation is richly detailed, attributing a significant part of this change to Nandan Nilekani, Infosys' co-founder, who led the Aadhaar program since its inception in 2009. This initiative was a critical move towards digitizing the nation's identity verification processes, issuing a unique twelve-digit identification number linked with biometric data to every citizen. It was a monumental step in addressing the critical lack of formal identification and laid the foundation for the India Stack, an advanced digital infrastructure that facilitated the opening of 800 million digital bank accounts and propelled the country towards financial inclusivity. Coupled with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system revolutionizing payments—showcasing an 80% shift towards digital transactions with over 12 billion monthly transactions—India's narrative underlines a nation on the cusp of a technological and economic revolution. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, a vibrant middle class, and a tech talent pool, under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the country is poised to redefine its global stance, making it a focal point for investors in technology, consumer goods, and fintech sectors.