I am excited to have Shankar Maruwada, Co-Founder and CEO of EkStep Foundation, a pioneering non-profit working to improve learning outcomes for millions of children in India through technology and learner-centric platforms. Shankar has been featured in MIT Sloan Management Review India’s ‘Policy 50’, a definitive list of the 50 leaders who are steering and shaping India’s digital economy.

In this conversation, Shankar Maruwada shares his journey from corporate leadership to social impact through the Ekstep Foundation. He discusses the importance of digital infrastructure in education, the lessons learned from the Aadhaar initiative, and the role of innovation and inclusivity in scaling educational solutions. Shankar emphasizes the transformative potential of AI in India and the need for a socio-economic architecture that supports digital public infrastructure. He also reflects on the responsibilities that come with influence and the balance between structure and chaos in organizations.

Timestamps

06:03 Building Digital Infrastructure for Education

12:04 Innovations in Education: The Role of Technology

18:07 Designing for Scale and Inclusivity

21:09 Lessons from India's Digital Initiatives

21:39 Building Shared Digital Infrastructure

25:39 Adoption and Usability of Digital Services

27:11 Adapting Digital Models Globally

30:25 Integrating AI with Digital Public Infrastructure

34:28 The Future of AI in Agriculture and Healthcare

35:14 Challenges and Opportunities for AI Startups

39:41 Advice for Future Generations in Tech

43:48 Influence and Impact in the Digital Age

46:00 Scaling Startups and Organizational Structure

48:33 Reflections and Lessons Learned

Shankar’s Links 

LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/shankarmaruwada

Website – https://ekstep.org/