The hackathon highlighted Harvard’s commitment to AI for Digital Inclusion, ensuring emerging technologies serve the global public good

A team of Indian professionals has won first place at Harvard Kennedy School’s prestigious Kennedy AI for Good Hackathon with their voice-first AI solution called MEGHA (Meghalaya E-Governance Human-centered Assistance).

MEGHA is designed as a toll-free service that enables rural citizens in India to access government schemes using basic mobile phones, addressing digital literacy barriers in underserved communities. The solution delivers guidance in conversational language while grounding responses in verified official documents.

The winning team includes Manish Maheshwari, former Head of Twitter India and current Mason Fellow at Harvard; Aarushi Jain, Policy Director at Bharti Institute of Public Policy; Mohammed Y Safirulla K, an IAS officer; Manudev Jain, an IRS officer; and Ashish Tiwari, an IPS officer and Fulbright Scholar.

Following the announcement, Maheshwari emphasized that AI’s true power lies in “thoughtfully connecting proven technologies to urgent human needs” rather than creating “something flashy.” He joined Harvard in May 2024 to focus on AI’s potential for public impact in emerging economies.

The hackathon highlighted Harvard’s commitment to AI for Digital Inclusion, ensuring emerging technologies serve the global public good. MEGHA’s approach aligns with India’s Digital India initiative and the “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” policy framework.

The project represents a practical implementation of AI for governance that could help bridge information gaps for millions of citizens seeking access to government services across India.

Published on April 28, 2025