Launch of
TechnologyPolicyGovernance
Bridging
Technology, Policy & Governance
for a better tomorrow
- Date
- August 11, 2026
- Time
- 5:00 - 6:00 PM
- Venue
- Jasubhai Memorial Auditorium
We warmly invite you to join us for the launch event
Policy Research and Analytics for Governance (PRAG) Initiative
As India seeks to improve the quality of life for its citizens; technology, policy, and governance must converge to address complex public challenges. PRAG (प्राग) at IIT Gandhinagar is an interdisciplinary platform that brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students to generate evidence, foster innovation, and translate ideas into actionable solutions for more inclusive, effective, and sustainable public systems. Bridging Technology, Policy & Governance for a better tomorrow
Vision
To build an interdisciplinary platform that advances research, education, and policy engagement for sustainable solutions through the intersection of technology, governance, and society.
Mission and Objectives
The PRAG Initiative aims to:
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1.
Provide intellectual foundation and critical strength to comprehend policy and governance challenges relevant to India and the Global South.
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2.
Develop demonstrable sustainable solutions through start ups and public-academia partnership to 100 policy and governance challenges.
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3.
Develop curricula for new courses for public policy and governance for IIT students
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4.
Develop short programs and activities for external outreach and collaborations
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5.
Contribute to evidence-informed policymaking through research outputs, policy briefs, field studies, and stakeholder consultations.
Background and Rationale
The Indian Institutes of Technology were established with the vision of nurturing leaders in science, technology, and innovation who contribute meaningfully to national development. While this vision has historically focused on advancing industrial and technological capabilities, contemporary societal and national challenges increasingly require the integration of technology with governance, public systems, and policy design.
Rapid urbanization, climate change, environmental stress, digital transformation, public health challenges, and rising expectations from public institutions have made governance more complex and data intensive. Developmental interventions today must not only be technologically robust, but also socially responsive, economically viable, institutionally implementable, and environmentally sustainable. These evolving realities call for interdisciplinary approaches that combine engineering, analytics, design, social sciences, and public policy.
With its strong academic foundations, culture of interdisciplinary inquiry, and commitment to societal engagement, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar is uniquely positioned to contribute to this emerging interface between technology and governance with the help of experienced persons from top echelons of government.
Against this backdrop, the proposed Policy Research and Analytics for Governance (PRAG, प्राग) Initiative seeks to establish a platform for research, teaching, policy engagement, and institutional collaboration in the domain of public policy and governance. The initiative aims to bring together faculty, students, practitioners, government institutions, civil society organizations, and industry partners to address real-world governance challenges through evidence-based and implementation-oriented approaches. It seeks to combine real life experiences with sound theoretical framework.
Institutional Significance
The PRAG Initiative aligns strongly with IIT Gandhinagar’s broader commitment to interdisciplinary education, societal engagement, and public impact. The initiative will:
Strengthen the institute’s engagement with governance and development challenges,
Provide students exposure to public systems and institutional processes,
Encourage socially relevant, pragmatic, and policy-oriented research,
Build partnerships with government and public institutions, and
Position IITGN as a leading center for technology-informed public policy and governance studies.
We warmly invite you to join us for the launch event
- DateAugust 11, 2026
- Time5:00 - 6:00 PM
- VenueJasubhai Memorial Auditorium
TechnologyPolicyGovernance
Planned Event
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August 11, 2026
Launch
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August-September, 2026
Faculty caucus and deliberations
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October, 2026
Outreach event outside IITGN
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January 2027
Gandhinagar Policy Dialogues
coordinated by
supported by
As PRAG is envisioned as a collaborative, institute-wide initiative, we also invite faculty members who are interested in contributing through research, teaching, policy engagement, student mentoring, outreach, or collaborations to express their interest by filling out the accompanying Google Form.