Unlocking Insights for All with Data Commons - Feb, 2026

In partnership with Google.org, this session explored how data commons can democratise access to insights and unlock AI-driven public good. Gaurav Godhwani, Executive Director & Co-founder, CivicDataLab shared grounded perspectives on building open, equitable data ecosystems for real-world impact.

The session was moderated by Prem Ramaswami, Head of Data Commons, Google and brought together leaders working at the intersection of AI deployment and public data systems: Aparajita Choudhury, Lead Data and AI Solutions, people+ai, EkStep Foundation; Srinath Srinivasa, Head of Web Science Lab & Dean (R&D), International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore; and Rohit Bhardwaj, Deputy Director General, Data Informatics & Innovation Division, MOSPI.

During the discussion, Gaurav spoke about how many Indian languages remain primarily oral, with valuable linguistic knowledge scattered across archives, communities, and informal formats. Referencing Project Bhashini, supported by the Gates Foundation (with implementation support from CivicDataLab) through the Dataset Onboarding Supporting Team (DOST) initiative, he emphasised the need to build inclusive data ecosystems by working closely with civil society organisations and community leaders to ensure language digitisation is participatory and equitable.

The conversation concluded with a shared reflection: while India possesses vast public datasets, their true value lies not in collection alone, but in making data usable, trustworthy, and accessible - shifting the focus from data accumulation to meaningful interpretation and real-world impact.