'3rd class citizen': Attendee on India AI Impact Summit VIPs
Jay Gala, a Bengaluru-based researcher, called the India AI Impact Summit 2026 "disrespectful" after being blocked from attending a talk by Yann LeCun because of VIP-only entry.
He shared on X that he felt like a "third class citizen" at an event meant for people like him, and urged organizers to respect builders over VIP optics.
Gala's thread on X
Gala tried to attend LeCun's session but found the doors locked early for VIPs. After a 25-minute detour and repeated entry blocks, he still struggled to get in—echoing frustrations many attendees faced.
While Gala appreciated the launch of Sarvam at the summit, he criticized how it felt more like government PR than an inclusive community event.
PM Modi's presence led to major road closures and metro
With PM Modi attending, Delhi saw major road closures and metro stations near the venue shut down.
On Wednesday night alone, people had to walk up to 5km after police sealed roads, and police said nearly 100,000 people were at the event on Wednesday—3,500 cars in designated parking had to leave from Bhairon Marg.
Staggered VIP departures caused even more delays on Thursday evening.