IIT Madras Professor Mitesh Khapra Named Among TIME’s 100 Most Influential in AI
Who is Mitesh Khapra?
Mitesh Khapra is an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Madras. Unlike many others featured in the TIME list, he does not run an AI company. Instead, his influence comes from his pioneering research in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, which has shaped academic and applied AI in India.
Why did TIME recognize him?
TIME magazine praised Khapra as someone whose work “reshapes his nation’s academic research” in AI. His impact goes beyond academia, as his contributions have inspired countless IIT graduates who now work at top global AI firms. Most notably, his research provides the foundation for AI development in Indian languages, making technology more inclusive for millions.
What is AI4Bharat and why is it important?
Khapra co-founded AI4Bharat, an initiative dedicated to building open-source datasets and tools for Indian languages. Since its inception in 2019, the project has gathered speech data from hundreds of districts across India, creating essential resources that reduce the dominance of English-based AI. These datasets have become crucial for AI systems to work effectively in local languages like Hindi, Marathi, and Tamil.
How has AI4Bharat influenced government projects?
AI4Bharat is a key contributor to India’s Bhashini mission, which aims to make digital services accessible in all major Indian languages. Reports suggest that AI4Bharat has supplied most of the data powering Bhashini. Even global tech giants may use these datasets to strengthen their AI models, indirectly benefiting India’s linguistic diversity.
How has the tech community reacted?
Following the announcement, social media buzzed with congratulatory messages. A senior Google research scientist shared that working with Khapra was “a blessing,” while many others hailed him as the “GOAT” — Greatest of All Time. His recognition alongside global AI leaders like Fei-Fei Li, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Jeff Dean has been celebrated as a proud moment for India.
Who else is featured in TIME’s 100 AI list?
The list highlights researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers driving the global AI revolution. This year’s edition includes Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng, among others, placing Khapra in the company of the world’s top AI minds.
