Boston/Cambridge, MA – April 28, 2025: An India-focused, voice-first AI innovation has won the First Prize at the prestigious Kennedy AI for Good Hackathon by Harvard Kennedy School. The project, MEGHA (Meghalaya E-Governance Human-centered Assistance), is an AI-driven, toll-free solution that enables marginalized citizens to access government schemes easily, using any basic mobile phone — a powerful example of AI for Bharat, Responsible AI, and AI for Governance.
The winning team included highly accomplished professionals currently at Harvard:Manish Maheshwari, former Head of Twitter India, co-founder of an AI-powered startup in the creator economy, and now a Fellow at Harvard, specializing in Artificial Intelligence.
Dr. Aarushi Jain, Policy Director at Bharti Institute of Public Policy and a public policy expert.Mohammed Y Safirulla K, IAS officer and digital governance specialist.Manudev Jain, IRS officer and current Harvard student.
Ashish Tiwari, IPS officer and Fulbright Scholar at Harvard.
In a LinkedIn post following the announcement, Manish Maheshwari shared: “In today’s world, it’s not about building something flashy — it’s about solving something real.
The true power of AI lies in thoughtfully connecting proven technologies to urgent human needs. As implementation costs fall, AI’s ability to unlock dignity, opportunity, and inclusion for millions becomes one of the greatest forces for good of our time.”
Maheshwari was selected as a Fellow at Harvard University in May 2024 with a focus on how AI can drive public impact, especially in emerging economies like India.
Dr. Aarushi Jain added in her LinkedIn post:
“MEGHA is a toll-free, voice-first solution designed to bridge information asymmetry and digital-literacy barriers for rural citizens seeking government schemes. By grounding everyresponse in verified official documents, MEGHA delivers honest, concise guidance in plain
conversational language.”
The hackathon highlighted Harvard’s commitment to advancing AI for Digital Inclusion, ensuring that emerging technologies serve global public good rather than leaving vulnerable populations behind. MEGHA’s success showcases how human-centered AI solutions can play a transformative role in supporting India's flagship initiatives like Digital India and Minimum
Government, Maximum Governance.
