Meet Tejas Sudarshan, entrepreneur who pitched to Modi in 90-seconds
What's the story
Tejas Parthasarathi Sudarshan, the founder of Winsen Labs, an applied artificial intelligence start-up, recently got a chance to pitch two ideas on AI application in India to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opportunity came during a Chennai Metro ride. Sudarshan was one of 17 founders selected by SPI Chennai for an interaction with Modi and other dignitaries, during their journey from the airport to Poonamallee Metro station and back.
Pitch
Integrating real-world problem-solving into education
Sudarshan's roughly 90-second interaction with PM Modi focused on the use of AI in education and public service delivery.
His first idea was to make students more adept at working with AI by integrating real-world problem-solving into their education.
He proposed that government departments could work with universities and students, giving them real-world projects and problems to solve, thus making them accountable for their outcomes.
Service innovation
A unified government service desk powered by AI
Sudarshan's second proposal was for a unified government service desk across departments, powered by AI.
He envisioned a system where citizens could file their cases and upload documents once, instead of going to multiple departments separately.
An AI agent could then track requests and route them to the relevant departments for further action.
Background
Professional background and education
Sudarshan, who has previously worked with KPMG India and founded another company Fanpit, studied commerce at the University of Madras.
He completed his bachelor's degree in business and commerce from 2018 to 2021.
He also pursued Chartered Accountancy through the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India from 2018 to 2022.
In a video recounting his experience, he said he thought he missed his chance to speak when the train reached airport station just as his turn came.
Feedback
Sudarshan's reflection on the interaction
When Sudarshan shared his ideas with Modi, the latter listened intently and asked questions before his time was up.
The other founders selected for the interaction were working on a range of areas, including airport logistics, green propulsion systems for rockets, and chip design.
In a separate LinkedIn post, Sudarshan reflected on how his interest in technology and education had evolved over the years.