When it comes to shaping India’s technological trajectory, few voices stand out as powerfully as that of Kris Gopalakrishnan. Known worldwide as the co-founder of Infosys, a visionary Indian entrepreneur, and a committed philanthropist, he recently made a compelling call for a tech model rooted in empathy, inclusivity, and India’s unique socio-economic realities. At a time when artificial intelligence, automation, and digital disruption are accelerating, his message offers a humane and future-oriented lens on progress.

In this comprehensive blog, we explore why Kris Gopalakrishnan believes empathy must guide India’s tech evolution, how his background from Infosys co-founder to deep-tech and brain research advocate shapes this vision, and what India must do to build a technology ecosystem that works for everyone.

Who is Kris Gopalakrishnan A Snapshot of His Profile and Legacy

Understanding his appeal and moral authority demands a look at the Kris Gopalakrishnan biography and the journey that shaped him into one of India’s most respected tech leaders.

• Born as one of the founding engineers of Infosys, he helped build the company from scratch, transforming it into a global IT powerhouse.
• He served as CEO and Managing Director, and later as Vice Chairman, guiding Infosys through strategic growth, global expansion and establishing its reputation for ethics and innovation.
• As an Indian entrepreneur and Indian tech leader, he combines deep technical knowledge (he studied physics/computer science) with business acumen and a people-first philosophy.
• Beyond Infosys, he has committed himself to scientific research, especially brain science — founding and supporting institutions like the Centre for Brain Research (CBR) at premier institutions.
• His philanthropic efforts reflect his belief that technology and research should benefit humanity, not just markets.

Thus, the Kris Gopalakrishnan profile is not just of a tech entrepreneur, but also a thoughtful leader bridging business, research, and social purpose.

Why Empathy Matters in India’s Tech Future  The Core of His Call

In a recent address, Kris Gopalakrishnan urged that as India embraces AI and advanced technology, the nation must ensure that progress is “anchored in empathy and inclusive growth.”

Here’s why this appeal has deep resonance and urgency:

• Technology as a tool, not the end goal: According to him, AI and advanced tech should not be pursued for their own sake innovation must translate into real societal benefit.
• Human-plus-technology paradigm: He emphasized that the best future is where humans and technology work together not where machines replace humans without care.
• Affordable technology for India’s context: He noted that global subscription models (for example, an AI tool costing $20 per month) may not make sense for most Indians. Instead, any technology model must account for affordability and India’s socio-economic diversity.
• Inclusive growth and social safety nets: Recognizing that AI will likely cause job displacements, he argued India must plan humane transitions: retraining programs, social safety nets, and time for workers to adjust.
• Value Indian identity and uniqueness: He reminded that India doesn’t need to blindly copy the West. Instead, India must craft its own tech model rooted in Indian values, culture, affordability, and local challenges.
• Inclusivity for all including women and informal sectors: He specifically pointed out that many women working in informal sectors remain invisible and unpaid. Technology and growth must be inclusive, recognizing and compensating all kinds of work.

Clearly, his call for an empathetic approach is not just idealistic it is deeply pragmatic, recognizing that India’s diversity, economic constraints and social realities demand thoughtful, human-centric technology policy and deployment.

How Kris Gopalakrishnan’s Career and Work Reflect This Vision

Kris Gopalakrishnan’s own journey from building a global tech firm to investing in research and social good  reflects how he practices what he preaches. His career demonstrates a consistent alignment between innovation, social purpose and human values.

From Infosys Co-Founder to Visionary Leader

As an Infosys co-founder, he helped build an institution that not only offered technology services globally but also maintained a culture of ethics, transparency, and responsibility. This foundation as a business leader shaped his belief that technology must serve larger societal goals not just profit.

After stepping down from executive roles, he didn’t retreat from influence; instead, he expanded his scope to deep-tech, research, philanthropy, and policy advocacy aiming to shape India’s future beyond corporate success.

Championing Brain Research and Scientific Innovation

As part of his commitment to societal welfare, Kris Gopalakrishnan has significantly supported brain research and neuroscience. For instance:

• Through the Centre for Brain Research and related institutions, he is helping build a world-class research ecosystem studying aging, neurodegenerative diseases, human brain mapping and related fields.
• In an earlier interview, he committed to donating over ₹1,500 crore in the next decade to fight neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s reflecting his commitment to long-term impact and public health.
• He believes that such deep-tech research when combined with AI and modern computation can place India on the global map of scientific innovation, thus contributing not only to national pride but to real health and human well-being.

Through this work, the Kris Gopalakrishnan brain research mission embodies empathy: caring for the most vulnerable the aging, the diseased, the often-ignored populations and using technology as a force for healing.

Supporting Startups, Innovation and Inclusive Growth

Beyond research, Kris Gopalakrishnan fosters innovation and entrepreneurship through mentorship, funding and strategic support. His belief is that India’s tech future should not be limited to big corporations, but must also include startups, deep-tech ventures, and socially-oriented enterprises.

By supporting this broad spectrum, he ensures that growth is inclusive providing opportunities to a diverse set of innovators, including those from non-traditional backgrounds. This reflects his conviction that technology should democratize opportunity, not concentrate it.

What an Empathy-Driven Tech Model Looks Like: Vision & Principles

Based on the ideas of Kris Gopalakrishnan and the challenges India faces, an empathy-driven tech model would embody the following principles:

1. Technology for People: Not Profit Alone

• Tech projects should prioritize social good — healthcare, education, inclusion, accessibility.
• Affordability must guide design — making tools accessible to the broader population, not just premium users.
• Tech solutions should acknowledge local contexts — languages, economic capacity, rural vs urban divides, cultural values.

2. Human-Centric Transition in Automation / AI Adoption

• Recognize job displacement due to AI as a real challenge.
• Ensure retraining, reskilling, and social safety nets for workers affected.
• Encourage “humans plus technology” — enable humans to collaborate with AI rather than be replaced.

3. Inclusivity & Equity: Across Gender, Region, Socio-economic Status

• Recognize informal work (especially of women) and ensure fair compensation.
• Provide access to digital tools, education, and support for marginalized communities.
• Build mechanisms to measure and value invisible or informal labor.

4. Invest in Deep Research & Long-Term Scientific Infrastructure

• Support neuroscience, health research, and AI-driven science to benefit public health.
• Build domestic scientific capabilities so India becomes a creator of technologies — not just a consumer.
• Encourage academia-industry collaboration and fund long-term research projects.

5. Maintain Indian Identity, Context & Value Systems

• Resist blind copying of Western models; instead, build solutions aligned with India’s realities — affordability, language diversity, social values.
• Promote local craftsmanship, artisanal work, and hybrid models that blend technology with tradition. (As Kris noted, imperfections add uniqueness; standardization should not eliminate diversity.)

6. Ethical AI & Responsible Innovation

• Promote transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI deployment.
• Ensure data governance, privacy and protection for vulnerable populations.
• Prioritize purpose-driven innovation over hype-driven or profit-driven tech development.

Together, these principles form the foundation of a tech ecosystem that is not only advanced and cutting-edge but also humane, inclusive, and rooted in India’s identity.

Why India Needs This Approach: Context & Urgency

As India hurtles toward a future dominated by AI, automation, and global tech competition, the traditional “service-led” IT model may no longer be sufficient. Some of the factors that make an empathy-driven model essential:

• Massive demographic diversity — wide differences in income, language, access, education across regions and communities.
• High population — including rural, informal workers, women, elders — many of whom could be left behind if tech growth doesn’t account for inclusion.
• Potential for disruption and job displacement — AI and automation threaten to displace jobs, especially in services and manual/administrative roles. Without supportive transition plans, many lives could be adversely affected.
• Healthcare and social challenges — aging population, rising health issues, neurological diseases demanding research, preventive care, and affordable healthcare access.
• Global inequality and dependency — If India relies only on foreign technologies and platforms, we risk losing control over data, digital sovereignty, and the ability to innovate for local problems.

Therefore, building a tech model grounded in empathy, belonging, equity, and social purpose is not optional  it is necessary for sustainable, inclusive growth.

How Kris Gopalakrishnan’s Past Demonstrates Feasibility

Critics might argue that combining empathy with advanced technology is idealistic. But Kris Gopalakrishnan’s track record shows it is achievable:

• As a co-founder of Infosys, he balanced rapid growth with a people-first, ethical corporate culture.
• Through his philanthropy and research investments, especially in brain science, he has already committed substantial resources toward long-term impact rather than short-term gains.
• His support for startups and entrepreneurs through accelerators and funding means India can nurture its own innovation ecosystem — not depend solely on global players.
• His persistent advocacy — public speeches like the one at the 2025 Devi Awards — shows his voice is not just symbolic but actively influencing discourse among technology, policy, and social sectors.

In short, the empathy-driven model he champions is not hypothetical — it builds on real work already underway.

What Can Different Stakeholders Do: A Roadmap Ahead

To translate Kris Gopalakrishnan’s vision into reality, different stakeholders government, private sector, startups, academia, and civil society need to take proactive steps.

For Government and Policymakers

• Encourage domestic R&D in deep-tech, neuroscience, AI tailored for Indian needs.
• Provide subsidies or incentives for tech solutions built around affordability and inclusion.
• Establish social policies for workforce transition: retraining programs, social safety nets, support for displaced workers.
• Promote digital infrastructure in rural and under-served areas.

For Tech Companies & Startups

• Focus on building inclusive, accessible solutions rather than premium-only products.
• Prioritize ethics, transparency, data privacy, and societal benefit in AI deployment.
• Consider social impact and long-term value over short-term profits.
• Collaborate with academia, research institutions and civil society groups to understand real needs.

For Academia & Research Institutions

• Invest in interdisciplinary research combine technology with social sciences, health, public policy.
• Promote brain research, aging and health-focused studies as national priority.
• Build open-access datasets, collaborate globally but tailored to India’s demographics.

For Civil Society, NGOs & Community Groups

• Advocate for inclusive digital access and equitable technology deployment.
• Help raise awareness of the social impact of tech job displacement, data privacy, access inequality.
• Engage in community-level initiatives for digital literacy, reskilling, and social support.

For Individuals and Citizens

• Stay informed about digital rights, data privacy, ethical AI.
• Support and use tech tools that prioritize accessibility, social benefit, and inclusion.
• Encourage discussion about what “progress” should mean — more than profits: social welfare, equality, sustainability.

If these stakeholders act together, India can build a technology future that is both advanced and humane as envisioned by Kris Gopalakrishnan.

Kris Gopalakrishnan Achievements & Credentials Supporting This Vision

To appreciate why his voice matters, consider some of the Kris Gopalakrishnan achievements and credentials that make him ideally placed to advocate for such a vision:

• Co-founded Infosys, launching India’s global IT presence.
• Guided Infosys during major growth years — building both scale and a culture of ethics.
• Committed to deep-tech and brain research — via initiatives like the Centre for Brain Research, investments in neuroscience, and funding large-scale health research.
• Actively supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and startup ecosystem through mentoring and funding.
• Known for a leadership philosophy blending innovation with humanity, long-term thinking with social purpose — unique in the Indian tech world.

These combined Kris Gopalakrishnan career, profile, leadership, and philanthropist identity give him both moral credibility and practical understanding of what India’s tech path must be.

Challenges & Criticisms: What to Watch Out For

No vision is perfect, and an empathy-driven tech model comes with its own challenges. But acknowledging them helps make the vision stronger:

• Balancing profit and empathy: In a competitive global market, companies may prioritize profit over social good; balancing both requires discipline and likely incentives.
• Scale vs affordability tension: Designing affordable tech solutions (e.g. subscription at ₹50/month instead of global premium rates) may impact business margins or require innovation in cost structure.
• Addressing inequality and access gaps: India’s socio-economic and infrastructural diversity makes equitable tech access complex; urban–rural, rich–poor, educated–uneducated divides may persist.
• Sustainability of social models: Social safety nets, retraining mechanisms, inclusive growth — these need sustained commitment from government, industry and civil society; otherwise efforts may be piecemeal or short-lived.
• Ethical and governance challenges: Data privacy, misuse of AI, bias, corporate accountability — without strong regulation and transparency, empathy-driven rhetoric may turn hollow.

Nevertheless, with leaders like Kris Gopalakrishnan championing change, and with collective will, these challenges can be addressed.

Conclusion: Why Empathy in Tech Is Not Optional, But Essential

Kris Gopalakrishnan’s call for an empathetic approach to India’s tech future is not mere idealism. Rather, it is a deeply pragmatic and morally grounded vision for sustainable, inclusive, and human-centric progress.

As India stands at the cusp of a massive digital and AI-driven transformation, the choices made now about what to build, how to build, for whom to build will shape not just markets, but lives. By demanding empathy, inclusion, access, fairness, social purpose and respect for India’s unique context, Kris Gopalakrishnan offers a blueprint for technology that serves people first, not just profits.

If India embraces this path across government, industry, startups, research institutions and society the country can not only become a global tech leader, but also a model for responsible, compassionate innovation.

FAQs

1. Who is Kris Gopalakrishnan?

Kris Gopalakrishnan is an Indian entrepreneur, co-founder of Infosys, technology leader, philanthropist and advocate for research and inclusive growth.

2. Why does Kris Gopalakrishnan emphasize empathy in technology?

He believes that technology and AI should benefit all not just the privileged and acknowledges India’s socio-economic diversity, affordability constraints, and need for social safety nets.

3. What does an empathy-driven tech model mean for India?

It means building affordable, accessible, inclusive technology that factors in human needs, social welfare, local context, and long-term sustainable growth rather than only profit.

4. What are Kris Gopalakrishnan’s contributions beyond Infosys?

He has significantly invested in brain research, supported startups and deep-tech ventures, promoted scientific research infrastructure, and championed social causes and inclusive innovation.

5. How can India implement this empathetic tech vision?

Through government policies, corporate responsibility, research funding, public–private collaboration, inclusive startups, community outreach, and citizen awareness about ethical technology.

6. What are potential challenges in implementing such a model?

Balancing economics with empathy, ensuring equitable access across diverse populations, sustaining social welfare efforts, and building strong data governance and ethical safeguards.

7. Why is Kris Gopalakrishnan’s voice significant for India’s tech future?

Because his unique combination of technical expertise, business leadership, research commitment, and social consciousness gives him both credibility and insight to envision a future where technology serves humanity.