This IIIT-B workshop honestly feels like one of those discussions which sounds technical from outside,but actually affects daily life more than people realise . At International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B),workshop titled ‘Scaling DPI: From Identity to Actionable Data’ brought policymakers,researchers and industry leaders together to talk about where India’s Digital Public Infrastructure is going next .
And that shift is interesting ah,because DPI is no longer only about identity verification or payments . India has already built big digital systems,but now question is different: are these systems actually helping people in healthcare,finance,governance and public services in measurable way?
Workshop was co-chaired by S. Rajagopalan,a professor at IIIT-B,and Ganesh Mani from Carnegie Mellon University . Their focus seemed to be on moving from just building digital systems to making sure those systems create real social impact.
And honestly,this is where conversation becomes more serious . Deepika Mogilishetty,Chief Policy and Partnerships at EkStep Foundation,said digital infrastructure should be judged by opportunities it creates,not only by transaction volumes . That point makes sense,because high numbers look impressive,but if common people are not getting better access,then what is actual value?
Few things stood out clearly from discussion:
- DPI should show measurable benefits in public services.
- Industries,academia and governance need sustained collaboration.
- AI can improve digital accessibility and service delivery.
Participants also discussed how artificial intelligence can support healthcare delivery,especially for frontline workers . Last-mile service issues are always messy in India,so if AI can actually help workers reach people better and reduce gaps,that could become meaningful beyond just tech talk .
In finance,the Unified Lending Interface came up as one example of how digital platforms may simplify credit access and reduce operational costs . For small borrowers and smaller institutions,this kind of system can matter a lot,if implementation does not become complicated again.
But privacy and governance were also big themes,and rightly so . Srinath Srinivasa and Shalabh Jain discussed development of consent management framework which brings privacy,consent and security into trust-building measures . Because without trust,people may use digital systems but still feel watched,confused or powerless.
India has definitely moved fast in creating digital infrastructure . But next challenge is tougher only: making sure these systems deliver long-lasting public value,not just dashboards,numbers and big announcements…
