In a landmark recognition for India’s civil services and technology leadership, Abhishek Singh, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Nagaland cadre, has been featured in the TIME100 AI 2025 list by Time magazine. Singh currently serves as the Director General of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and CEO of the IndiaAI Mission, a flagship initiative to accelerate India’s global leadership in artificial intelligence.
Approved by the Union Cabinet in 2024, the IndiaAI Mission is one of the country’s most ambitious digital programmes, designed to build a robust AI ecosystem. Singh has been central to its execution, focusing on strengthening compute infrastructure, nurturing startups, expanding AI talent, and ensuring ethical deployment of AI tools. Under his leadership, the mission has already supported innovative applications in agriculture, healthcare, climate resilience, and education—demonstrating AI’s potential in solving real-world challenges.
Time magazine praised Singh’s vision and speed of execution, highlighting his efforts to democratize AI access through voice-based services for rural citizens. One of his stated goals is to empower farmers to access AI-powered advisories through simple toll-free numbers, making advanced technology inclusive and practical.
Singh has also been instrumental in forging industry and philanthropic partnerships, securing large-scale compute resources, and collaborating with global foundations such as the Gates Foundation and the Wadhwani Foundation to accelerate mission goals. He has described the mission’s pace as unprecedented in his three decades of public service.
Looking ahead, Singh remains optimistic about India’s trajectory in AI, especially as New Delhi prepares to host a major global AI summit in 2026. His recognition in TIME100 AI underscores not only his personal leadership but also India’s growing influence in shaping the future of artificial intelligence worldwide.