Priya Paul

A pioneering Indian activist who empowered rural women through technology education

About Priya Paul

Priya Paul (b.1978) is an Indian social entrepreneur and founder of TechSakhi, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the digital divide for rural women in India. Born in a small village in Rajasthan, Paul witnessed firsthand how limited access to education and technology restricted opportunities for women in her community. After completing her engineering degree from IIT Roorkee and working in tech sectors in the US, she returned to India in 2003 to launch TechSakhi with a mission to empower 1 million women by 2030.

Through innovative programs like Digital Literacy Camps and Tech Sisters Initiative, Paul has trained over 50,000 women across 18 states in computer literacy, mobile app development, and e-commerce skills. Her organization's Women Tech Leaders program has produced 800+ female entrepreneurs who now run tech-based businesses in agriculture, healthcare, and education sectors. Paul's work has been recognized by UN Women and the Clinton Foundation, and inspired similar initiatives in Bangladesh and Nepal.

In 2015, she pioneered India's first rural women's hackathon, leading to the development of apps like Aahaar (nutrition tracking) and Gram Udyog (handicraft marketplace). Her 2020 study in Computers in Human Behavior demonstrated how tech education increased women's participation in local governance by 40% in project areas.

Paul currently serves on the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Gender and Technology and advises UNESCO's AI ethics initiatives. Her TED Talk has over 2 million views, making her a global advocate for inclusive technology education.