New Delhi, 19 February, 2026: JanAI, India’s rural-first AI initiative by the Head Held High Foundation, has announced a series of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with leading global and Indian institutions to advance its plan of creating the world’s first AI-Ready Villages across Bharat.
The collaborations include Project Nanda led by Prof. Ramesh Raskar of MIT, Wipro, PwC, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), OneTAC, and the Bluedot Initiative by EkStep Foundation. Together, these partnerships aim to transform 10,000 villages into decentralised AI hubs by 2030, with a focus on 200 underprivileged districts. The initiative targets generating ₹50,000 crore in socio-economic impact and reaching 50 million lives.
JanAI’s model seeks to move India’s AI journey beyond a technology consumption approach towards a grassroots ecosystem where farmers, artisans, youth and rural entrepreneurs actively use and create AI-driven solutions. The initiative positions rural communities not merely as beneficiaries of digital transformation but as participants in shaping AI applications relevant to their livelihoods.
A key development under this initiative is a multi-party alliance between JanAI, Wipro, PwC, and KDEM. The collaboration will focus on building scalable infrastructure and governance frameworks to support decentralised rural growth powered by AI. Leveraging Wipro’s systems expertise, PwC’s consulting and framework development capabilities, and KDEM’s role in bridging government and startup ecosystems, the partnership aims to establish foundational structures for rural AI adoption.
As part of the alliance, a District-Level AI Literacy & Usage Dashboard is being developed to enable data-driven tracking of AI readiness and adoption across districts. The partnership will also work on creating socially responsible technology applications tailored for rural communities. Additionally, a JanAI Ambassador Program will be introduced in schools and universities to build long-term capacity and AI awareness among youth.
Through its partnerships with academic institutions, technology firms, policy enablers and ecosystem organisations, JanAI aims to create an integrated rural AI framework that combines infrastructure, literacy, entrepreneurship and governance.
The initiative represents a coordinated effort to embed AI within local economies and public systems at scale, positioning rural India as a participant in the country’s evolving digital economy while promoting decentralised and inclusive growth.
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