IIIT Hyderabad Digital Citizen Summit focuses on inclusive digital governance
Hyderabad: The Digital Citizen Summit at the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-H) examined ways to make India’s digital public infrastructure more inclusive, accountable and accessible. The regional dialogue took place on October 28, 2026. It focused on the development of digital infrastructure and its role in governance.
The Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), IIIT Hyderabad’s Human Sciences Research Centre and Code for Good Tech (C4GT) jointly organised the summit. Representatives from government, civil society, technology organisations, research institutions and communities attended.
Discussions focused on India’s digital public infrastructure, including Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and DigiLocker. These platforms have changed how citizens access public services, financial systems and welfare benefits. However, their expanding role in governance has raised concerns about equal access and accountability. Questions have also emerged around data-driven systems and citizen participation.
Several groups still face barriers when using digital services. These include rural women, migrant workers, persons with disabilities, linguistic minorities and informal-sector workers. They may encounter biometric authentication failures, limited language options and unreliable internet connectivity. In addition, some struggle to access effective grievance-redressal systems.
Digital Citizen Summit examines barriers to digital access
The summit featured a panel discussion and a practical workshop. Both examined ways to improve digital public infrastructure (DPI) and digital public goods (DPGs). Participants considered how these systems could better address citizens’ needs. They also discussed ways to support wider participation in governance.
“If DPI is like a road, then everyone must be able to walk on it, not just those with smartphones or bandwidth,” said Osama Manzar, Founder-Director of the Digital Empowerment Foundation.
The panel examined DPI governance, accountability and grievance redressal in Telangana and beyond. It brought together government representatives, civil society members, technologists, researchers and community representatives.
The panellists included Sam Kummary, Technical Director at the Mojaloop Foundation; Aakansha Natani of HSRC, IIIT-H; and Ajitha Sindhe, Programme Coordinator at Code for Good Tech. Rakesh Dubbubu, founder of Factly, and SQ Masood of Hyderabad Urban Labs also joined the discussion.
The workshop focused on public participation in DPI development. Participants received practical training with DPI tools. They also learned about DPI code and ways to contribute to infrastructure design and development.
Through these sessions, the Digital Citizen Summit brought technology developers, policymakers, researchers and communities together. Furthermore, participants explored ways to accommodate different user experiences. They discussed how digital systems could provide more meaningful access to governance.
For IIIT Hyderabad, the regional dialogue reflected its commitment to research and innovation addressing societal challenges. The institute also sought to strengthen technology’s role in public service delivery.