Last week, I was privileged to participate as a speaker and panellist in the DPG Tech Fusion event. Organized by the Sunbird community and Tekdi Technologies, the event brought together a diverse range of professionals passionate about Digital Public Goods (DPGs).
One of my highlights was Dr. Pramod Varma’s talk on “India’s DPI Journey.” While the technical aspects of DPIs (Digital Public Infrastructure) were familiar, Dr. Varma’s historical perspective shed light on their evolution. Learning how these seemingly disparate pieces came together to form the foundation we see today was fascinating.
Following this, a fireside chat between Dr. Varma and Parth Lawate emphasized the importance of reading and writing technical papers. This resonated deeply with me, highlighting the crucial role of research and clear communication in driving innovation.
Another notable discussion was the panel on “How, What, Why of Building DPGs.” Atul Tulshibagwale and SasiKumar Ganesan, drawing from real-world experiences, shared invaluable insights into the process of finalizing specifications and addressing challenges in DPI implementation.
Later, I had the opportunity to pitch WordPress as a potential platform for building DPGs in education. Interacting with enthusiastic hackathon participants was a rewarding experience.
Day two began with Vedant Kulkarni’s inspiring journey into open-source contribution, specifically for Sunbird. His story showed the importance of taking action, just like Dr. Verma discussed the day before.
This was followed by Dr. Anand Deshpande’s presentation on nano-entrepreneurs’ role in creating jobs and the deAsara Foundation’s efforts to empower them. His concluding call to action, urging participants to identify and solve problems faced by these entrepreneurs, resonated deeply, and Parth announced that in the next edition of the event, they will pick hackathon ideas from problems identified by the deAsra Foundation.
My highlight of day two was participating in a panel on DPG fusion. We explored ways for various open-source communities to collaborate and drive the advancement of DPI and DPG initiatives across India.
Beyond the informative sessions, the event provided a platform for networking. I enjoyed reconnecting with old friends and building new connections within the DPG ecosystem.
