Connecting the Unconnected in the field of Education Excellence, Cyber Security & Rural Solutions and Women Empowerment in ICT

Atul Sinha argues that India's approach to connectivity goes beyond technical objectives and is fundamentally a developmental mission aimed at ensuring every citizen, whether in a city or remote village, has access to opportunity and dignity through digital empowerment. This vision, guided by Prime Minister Modi, positions technology as a bridge rather than a barrier. It is reflected in a wide range of digital public infrastructure initiatives.

Sinha cited India's digital public infrastructure including BharatNet, digital payments, Aadhaar-enabled services, DigiLocker, and Bhashini for language inclusion as concrete expressions of this vision . He emphasised that connectivity must reach every citizen regardless of location, ensuring access to opportunity, knowledge, services, and dignity .

Sinha highlights the Samridh Gram Initiative as a model that goes beyond providing connectivity by converting it into actual services delivered at the village level. The initiative has been recognised internationally as a WSIS Prize Global Champion under the Enabling Environment category. It demonstrates that infrastructure alone is insufficient without the delivery of meaningful services.

The Samridh Gram Initiative, also known as the Digital Village Initiative and led by the Department of Telecom, received global recognition as the WSIS Prize's 26th Global Champion under the Enabling Environment category . Through BharatNet fibre connectivity, the project delivers healthcare, education, agriculture, digital banking, e-governance, skilling, and livelihood services at the village level through Samridhi Kensa .

Bharat Bhatia points to India's leadership in digital financial transactions via UPI as evidence of the transformative power of 4G and 5G networks. He argues that the next step is to leverage 6G technology, expected within three years, to bring all 1.4 billion Indians fully online. This represents both a connectivity challenge and an opportunity for the global community.

Bhatia noted that India has the highest number of digital financial transactions in the world, with billions of dollars being transacted every day using the 4G and 5G network . He expressed the aim to replicate this success with 6G coming in the next three years and described bringing 1.4 billion Indians online as a connectivity challenge for all .

Bhatia highlights the ITU-APT Foundation of India's role as a recognised regional international organisation that actively supports participation in ITU and APT activities. The Foundation has made substantial technical contributions to global standards, particularly in next-generation mobile technologies. This work underpins broader efforts to increase regional connectivity.

Bhatia stated that the ITU-APT Foundation of India has been instrumental in bringing over 400 contributions to the ITU during the last two to three years . He also noted that he chairs the working group on 6G general aspects, which is responsible for standardisation of 6G technology, IMT 2030 .

This argument has already been captured above under Thomas Lamanauskas. It is repeated here as it appears in the arguments list under Digital Education and Skilling.

Lamanauskas stated that nearly half of the world's 6 million schools still lack internet connectivity, leaving over 500 million students without meaningful access to digital learning . The ITU-UNICEF GIGA initiative supports governments in 53 countries, has pinpointed over 2.3 million schools, and monitors real-time connectivity for over 140,000 schools across 38 countries .

This argument has already been captured above under Thomas Lamanauskas. It is repeated here as it appears in the arguments list under Digital Education and Skilling.

Lamanauskas stated that as AI transforms education, every learner must be equipped not only with connectivity but also with digital skills, AI literacy, and lifelong learning opportunities needed for their jobs tomorrow .

Arthur Carnival argues that the concept of connecting the unconnected must be broadened beyond simply expanding access to include the quality, reliability, security, affordability, and sustainability of that connectivity. True digital inclusion requires that connectivity works well for everyone, everywhere. This framing shifts the focus from quantity of connections to quality of connectivity.

Carnival stated that connecting the unconnected is not only about expanding access but about making connectivity more reliable, secure, affordable, and sustainable for everyone and every individual everywhere .

Carnival highlights the strategic importance of local internet infrastructure, particularly internet exchange points (IXPs), as a means of keeping local internet traffic within countries. This reduces costs and latency, improves network resilience, and makes online education and digital services more accessible, especially in underserved and rural communities. AFRONIC actively supports this through work with governments, regulators, and technical communities.

Carnival noted that AFRONIC supports the development of national and local internet access points, which help keep local internet traffic within countries, reducing connectivity costs and latency, improving network resilience, and making online education and digital services more accessible, especially in underserved and rural communities . AFRONIC works with governments, regulators, network operators, universities, and technical communities through training, technical assistance, and awareness programmes .

Carnival presents AFRONIC's multistakeholder approach as a practical model for building sustainable local internet infrastructure. By engaging a wide range of actors including governments, regulators, operators, and universities, AFRONIC provides training, technical assistance, and awareness programmes. This collaborative model is presented as essential for achieving inclusive and resilient connectivity.

Carnival stated that AFRONIC works with governments, regulators, network operators, universities, and technical communities through training, technical assistance, and awareness programmes . He also noted that AFRONIC supports the development of national and local internet access points to improve connectivity for underserved and rural communities .

Professor P.B. Sharma highlights the scale of India's government-led digital education initiatives as evidence of a genuine digital revolution in learning. The Diksha platform and SWAYAM portal together reach hundreds of millions of students at different levels of education. These initiatives demonstrate how ICT and AI can be integrated into education to reach every person across the country.

Sharma cited the government of India's Diksha initiative for education, which mounts 20,000 courses and connects 282 million students . He also referenced the SWAYAM portal for higher education, currently enrolling 61 million people .

Sharma articulates an ambitious vision of rural transformation through digital education, where villages become centres of learning and skilling rather than being left behind. This requires not only connectivity but also the integration of AI advances into educational delivery. The goal is to reach every nook and corner of the country.

Sharma expressed the desire to achieve the dream of reaching out to every single nook and corner of the country and transforming rural villages into great hubs of learning and skilling . He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that connectivity and portals offer the highest security and safety for the utilisation of technology .

Dr. Lincy NL argues that universities and educational institutions are not merely passive recipients of digital transformation but agents in translating technology into tangible community benefit. Through innovation, research, and local capacity building, they can bridge the gap between technological availability and community impact. India's experience demonstrates the power of collaboration between government, academia, industry, and communities.

Dr. Lincy NL stated that educational institutions have a vital role in translating technology into community impact through innovation, research, and local capacity building . She also noted that India's experience demonstrates that when government, academia, industry, and communities collaborate, digital transformation becomes truly inclusive .

Dr. Lincy NL makes the case that physical connectivity is a necessary but insufficient condition for genuine digital inclusion. Equally important are cybersecurity awareness, digital literacy, and the development of future-ready skills among rural youth and women. Without these complementary elements, connectivity cannot translate into meaningful participation in the digital economy.

Dr. Lincy NL stated that connectivity alone is not enough and that cybersecurity awareness, digital literacy, and equipping rural youth and women with future-ready digital skills must be strengthened . She noted that India is connecting the unconnected through large-scale digital public infrastructure, expanding broadband connectivity, digital education initiatives, and AI-enabled public services .

Dr. Lincy NL presents India's collaborative model as evidence that multistakeholder cooperation is the key to achieving truly inclusive digital transformation. By bringing together government, academia, industry, and communities, India has been able to translate connectivity into broader social and economic benefits. This model is offered as a lesson for other countries.

Dr. Lincy NL stated that India's experience demonstrates that when government, academia, industry, and communities collaborate, digital transformation becomes truly inclusive . She highlighted that these efforts are transforming how citizens learn, access healthcare, receive government services, and participate in the digital economy .

Shriyance Jain describes the transformation of universities into AI-enabled institutions as a strategic imperative for preparing students to address real-world challenges. The goal is not simply to teach AI as a subject but to embed it responsibly and ethically across all aspects of university life, from teaching and learning to research and administration. This reflects a broader commitment to responsible and creative use of AI.

Jain stated that Co-University is transforming into an AI-enabled university where artificial intelligence is thoughtfully integrated into teaching, learning, research, administration, and innovation . He emphasised that the goal is not simply to teach AI but to enable every student and educator to use AI responsibly, ethically, and creatively to solve real-world challenges .

Professor Alfredo Ronchi presents the World Summit Award as a long-running initiative that has successfully bridged the gap between connected and unconnected communities by engaging young people in developing their own digital projects. Conceived alongside WSIS in Tunis in 2002, the initiative has grown to involve 175 countries and continues to operate today. It demonstrates a practical model for connecting the unconnected through shared knowledge and peer learning.

Ronchi described the World Summit Award, conceived in 2002 alongside WSIS in Tunis, which brought together young people and asked them to develop projects according to eight families of e-services and e-content, then share their experiences through collective events . He noted that 175 countries participated in this initiative and that it is still running today after some decades of hard work .

Vineet Kumar reframes the connectivity challenge, arguing that the primary issue has shifted from access to trust and safety. As people are increasingly getting connected, the more pressing concern is ensuring that the digital world they enter is secure, inclusive, and beneficial. The sharp rise in scams, deepfakes, and AI-generated disinformation makes this an urgent priority.

Kumar stated that the challenge is no longer simply connecting people as people are already getting connected, but rather ensuring the digital world is trusted, secure, inclusive, and beneficial for everyone . He noted that society is surrounded by AI and emerging technologies, yet alongside these opportunities there is a sharp rise in the misuse and abuse of these technologies, including scams, deepfakes, and AI-generated disinformation and misinformation .

Kumar argues that digital inclusion is meaningless without digital trust, and that every citizen has a right to confidence in the safety, security, and resilience of the technology they use. This framing elevates digital trust from a technical concern to a fundamental rights issue. It implies that governments and the international community have an obligation to ensure that digital access is accompanied by adequate protections.

Kumar proposed the guiding principle that digital inclusion without digital trust is incomplete, and that every citizen deserves not only access to technology but also confidence that it is safe, secure, resilient, and respects human rights .

Kumar proposes a four-pillar framework for achieving a trusted digital world, encompassing technical, governance, capacity, and process dimensions. Security must be built into digital systems and AI applications from the outset, not added as an afterthought. Responsible AI governance and digital capacity building must be complemented by a multi-stakeholder approach that brings together government, industry, academia, and civil society.

Kumar proposed four priorities for global cooperation: security by design in every digital system and AI application, responsible AI governance, digital capacity building, and a multi-stakeholder approach where government, industry, academia, and civil society all come together .

Raj Shah presents the cybersecurity challenge in the telecom sector through a market lens, highlighting the enormous scale of investment required and the strategic imperatives for industry players. He argues that zero trust architecture, cloud-native protection, and quantum readiness are essential for all ecosystem participants. Data-driven security operations are also identified as a critical focus area.

Shah estimated the market for telecom security at close to 50 billion dollars and the market for AI cybersecurity at around 30 billion dollars . He identified key strategic imperatives including data-driven security operations, zero trust architecture as foundational for all players, cloud-native protection, and crypto agility and quantum readiness .

Ludvig Nobel makes a philosophical argument that the central question of our technological age is not what technology can do but what it should serve. He argues that technology must remain anchored in human values, dignity, and trust, and that the failure to align intelligence with ethics and accountability risks producing systems that are powerful but fundamentally misaligned with human needs. This is framed as a civilisational challenge, not merely a technical one.

Nobel stated that technology must remain in service of humanity, protecting human dignity, strengthening trust, and supporting a future in which innovation is guided by responsibility, conscience, and wisdom . He warned that if intelligence grows without ethics, if capability advances without accountability, and if speed outruns judgement, we risk building systems that are powerful but not truly human-centred . He described this challenge as civilisational .

Dr. Pavan Duggal argues that the unconnected are not merely excluded from digital benefits but are actively at risk of being discriminated against by AI algorithms. This makes the establishment of AI rights a crucial necessity to protect the digital have-nots. The International AI Accountability Forum has responded by adopting the Universal Declaration of AI Accountability Rights.

Duggal stated that the unconnected require more respect and are going to be locked out by algorithms, and that discrimination by algorithms makes AI rights crucial for the digital have-nots in the AI ecosystem . He noted that the International AI Accountability Forum has adopted the Universal Declaration of AI Accountability Rights to address this .

Duggal highlights the systemic exclusion of the Global South from AI governance discussions and the practical consequences of this exclusion in the form of a legal vacuum. When AI systems discriminate against individuals, for example in loan applications, people in the Global South have no effective legal remedy. This vacuum is particularly dangerous given the accelerating pace of AI development.

Duggal stated that the Global South continues to be locked out of AI governance conversations, with voices few and far between . He gave the example that when AI discriminates against someone for a loan or any application, there is nowhere to go because there is a legal vacuum . He noted that harm has already begun to be caused to humans in both the Global South and Global North .

Duggal presents the Global South AI Law and Governance Dialogue as a concrete institutional response to the legal vacuum in AI governance. The dialogue has formally adopted and launched a legal architecture for AI law and governance that provides categorical steps nations can take to address algorithmic bias and discrimination. This is complemented by the New Delhi Compact on AI Law and Governance.

Duggal stated that the Global South AI Law and Governance Dialogue on 25th May 2026 formally adopted and launched the Global South's legal architecture for AI law and governance, providing categorical steps that nations can take going forward . He also referenced the New Delhi Compact on AI Law and Governance as providing categorical steps to prevent algorithmic bias and discrimination .

Duggal argues that the window for establishing effective legal guardrails for AI is closing rapidly, given the imminent arrival of artificial general intelligence and superintelligence. He frames this as a race against time, warning that superintelligence could supersede the cumulative intelligence of humanity. The urgency of establishing legal frameworks now, before these technologies arrive, is the central message.

Duggal stated that the legal vacuum will have to be addressed quickly as soon as possible, otherwise it is going to be a race against time with AGI coming in . He warned that with superintelligence coming in, which will supersede the cumulative intelligence of humanity, the time has come that legal guardrails have to be put in now and today .

Dr. Govind Pathak presents the central thesis of the co-authored book Entangled Realities, arguing that humanity is at an inflection point where the future will be determined not by any single technology but by the convergence of multiple forces including economics, governance, institutions, and human values. He draws on historical perspective to argue that it is trust, governance, and collaboration, not technology alone, that have built and sustained civilisations. This message is offered as a guiding principle for the age of AI.

Pathak stated that the future will not be shaped by individual technology alone but by the convergence of technologies, economics, governance, institutions, and human values . He argued that technology has never built civilisation; rather, trust has built civilisation, governance has sustained it, and collaboration has advanced it . He described this as the central message of Entangled Realities .

Ayush Singh challenges the foundational assumption of modern communication systems, namely their dependence on centralised infrastructure such as mobile towers, servers, and clouds. He illustrates the vulnerability of this model through the scenario of a natural disaster where infrastructure is destroyed but smartphones remain functional yet unable to communicate. This dependency has persisted for approximately 40 years and represents a critical bottleneck.

Singh described a scenario where a disaster has hit, mobile towers are down, internet cables are damaged, and internet is gone, but thousands of smartphones are still switched on and cannot communicate with each other . He noted that for the last 40 years, almost every communication system has depended on centralised infrastructure such as a mobile tower, a server, or a cloud .

Singh proposes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi mesh networking as a solution to the centralised infrastructure bottleneck, enabling phones to communicate directly with nearby devices and pass messages along a chain until they reach their destination. This creates a people-powered, self-healing, decentralised network that functions even when conventional internet infrastructure is unavailable. The network is created by the people carrying their phones.

Singh explained that a BLE or Wi-Fi mesh network changes the bottleneck by asking what if people themselves became a network . He described how phones can directly talk to nearby phones and pass messages to the next phone and then to the next until it reaches its destination, so that if the internet disappears, communication does not have to stop . He noted that the network is created by people carrying their phones .

Singh argues that the real innovation is not the invention of new hardware or protocols but the realisation that billions of existing smartphones already contain the hardware necessary to build a secure, self-healing, decentralised communication network. No new towers, cables, or expensive infrastructure are required. The challenge is to recognise and harness this latent capability.

Singh stated that the real innovation is not Bluetooth or Wi-Fi or mesh networks, which have existed for years, but the realisation that billions of smartphones already have the hardware needed to build a secure, self-healing, decentralised communication network, with no new towers, cables, or expensive infrastructure needed .

Singh concludes by calling for the exploration and promotion of decentralised mesh protocols as a means of connecting the unconnected without relying on centralised infrastructure. He references specific technologies such as decentralised mesh protocols that can enable communication without a centralised question for success. This represents a paradigm shift in how connectivity is conceived and delivered.

Singh stated that technologies such as decentralised mesh protocols, which can connect the unconnected without the need of a centralised infrastructure, should be explored and promoted .

Professor N.K. Goyal, as the organiser and host of the session, frames the gathering as a multistakeholder forum designed to facilitate the exchange of practical solutions across four critical pillars: education, cybersecurity, rural development, and women's empowerment. The session's diversity of speakers reflects a deliberate effort to bring together different perspectives and expertise. This is presented as a contribution to the broader global digital cooperation agenda.

Goyal welcomed all participants and introduced the session's theme of connecting the unconnected, which he described as lying at the heart of India's national digital journey . The session featured speakers from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector, covering education, cybersecurity, rural solutions, and women's empowerment in ICT .

Professor Tim Unwin, as moderator, frames his role as facilitating a diverse and inclusive conversation that gives voice to perspectives from India and the Global South. He draws on his personal connection to India, having first worked there as an academic researcher 50 years ago, to underscore the importance of inclusive and human-centred approaches to digital development. His closing remarks highlight the passion and commitment of all speakers to making a difference for the poorest and most marginalised.

Unwin noted that 50 years ago he first started working in the field as an academic researcher in some of the poorest parts of India, what was then known as South Bihar, now Jharkhand, and described India as a place where he has left a lot of his soul . In his closing remarks, he highlighted the richness of the Indian IT sector and the passion and commitment of all speakers for making a difference not least for the poorest and most marginalised .

Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum acknowledges the award he received as recognition of his work in ICT governance in Mauritius, spanning his tenure as Minister of ICT from 2010 to 2014 and his role as National Regulator. He frames this recognition as an acknowledgement of the value of sustained, long-term commitment to building ICT institutions and policy frameworks. He also credits colleagues and collaborators who supported him in reaching this level.

Pillay Chedumbrum stated that he was deeply honoured to receive the award and that it acknowledged the work he had been doing since he was Minister of ICT in Mauritius between 2010 and 2014 and also as National Regulator in Mauritius from December that year . He also thanked his friends who helped him attain that level .

Dr. Rajesh Sharma, receiving an award for excellence in innovation in the telecom sector on behalf of TCOE, expresses gratitude for the recognition from Professor Goyal and CMAI. Although his remarks were cut short due to connectivity issues, his acceptance reflects the importance of institutional innovation in advancing India's telecom ecosystem. The award itself signals the significance of applied innovation in the telecom sector as a driver of broader digital development.

Dr. Rajesh Sharma began his acceptance by thanking Professor Goyal and CMAI for the prestigious award, describing it as truly an honour to receive . His remarks were interrupted before he could elaborate further .