The Pranava Institute
The Pranava Institute is an independent policy research organisation working at the intersection of emerging technology, public policy, and society, from an India-first perspective. It helps governments, institutions, and civil society organisations make sense of fast-moving tech developments through research, strategic insight, and capacity-building. The Institute takes a distinctly emic approach, grounded in Indian realities, not borrowed frameworks.
The Institute's work is organised across two broad areas:
Digital Economy, Technology and Geopolitics: Research and policy work on semiconductors, critical minerals, rare earth supply chains, India-EU tech cooperation, responsible AI in the public sector, and governance of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs).
Technology, Society and Design: Projects that look at how technology shapes human behaviour, culture, and social systems. This includes toolkits for digital literacy, research on ethical UI/UX design, participatory work with young people, and policy on AI systems that simulate emotions.
Notable Projects
- Unboxing Tech Toolkit: A multi-module resource to help young people build a healthier relationship with technology. Available in multiple languages with facilitator guides.
- Design Beyond Deception: A practical manual for UI/UX designers on ethical design principles to combat dark patterns. Used across India and internationally.
- Feeling Automated: A report and policy project on the ethical development of emotional and interactive AI systems, covering risks, regulatory pathways, and societal impact.
- Youth Digital Cultures Lab: A participatory research initiative exploring how young Indians experience digital environments, with a focus on joy, diversity, and inclusion.
Partners: UNESCO, University of Leeds, University of Utrecht, Notre Dame, APNIC, Tactical Tech, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, among others
The Pranava Institute is a small, intellectually rigorous team working on questions that genuinely matter: how AI is governed, how technology shapes culture, how India engages with global tech geopolitics. It is a good fit for people with a background in policy, research, or the social sciences who want to work on emerging technology issues from an Indian lens. Roles tend to suit those who can write well, think independently, and work across disciplines.
