Dr. Urvashi Aneja is a thought leader, researcher, and policy strategist shaping the future of responsible technology and AI governance in the Global South. As the Founder and Director of Digital Futures Lab (DFL), she leads one of India’s foremost think tanks dedicated to understanding and addressing the societal impacts of emerging technologies. Her work drives evidence-based policy frameworks for equitable and sustainable digital futures.
Recognised by TechCrunch as an Influential Woman in AI (2024), Dr. Aneja is a trusted advisor to governments, international organizations, and the private sector. She serves as a Global Tech Thinker for the French President’s Office, Expert Committee Member on Responsible AI for the Government of Telangana, and Co-Chair of the United Nations Safe Digital Public Infrastructure Working Group.
A leading voice in AI ethics, policy, and governance, Dr. Aneja has driven impactful initiatives, including Responsible AI, Open Source AI, AI and Climate Action, and Public Sector AI Procurement. She designed India’s first Responsible AI Fellowship Program, empowering social impact organizations to leverage AI responsibly. Her insights have been featured in Financial Times, MIT Technology Review, Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters, and The Economic Times.
Prior to DFL, Dr. Aneja founded Tandem Research, pioneering interdisciplinary studies at the intersection of technology, society, and sustainability. She has held roles as an Associate Fellow at Chatham House, Associate Fellow at the Center for Responsible AI at IIT Madras, and Associate Professor at OP Jindal Global University, where she led the Centre for Global Governance and Policy.
Her scholarly work includes publications such as “From Code to Consequence: Interrogating and Mitigating Gender Bias in Indian Language LLMs” and “Responsible AI in Climate Action: Recommendations for Global Philanthropy.”
She regularly contributes thought leadership pieces to The Hindu, The Economic Times, Hindustan Times, Deccan Herald, and India Today.
Dr. Aneja holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Politics and International Relations from the University of Oxford, where she was awarded the Trinity College Academic Scholarship and Cyril Foster Fieldwork Grant. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA (Hons.) in Literature & Philosophy from Utrecht University.
Passionate about ethical AI and digital futures, Dr. Aneja is committed to fostering inclusive innovation, social justice, and sustainable technology ecosystems. Based in Goa, India, she enjoys trekking, Ashtanga yoga, and traveling with her husband and two dogs.