Applying for Asia-Pacific Digital Infrastructure Fellowship

Akshay Mulgavkar

AI Systems Engineer | Digital Infrastructure Researcher

Building AI-powered systems, digital public infrastructure, and data-driven platforms across web and mobile technologies.

Research Focus: Sustainable AI Infrastructure in Asia-Pacific

Research Interests

Exploring critical intersections of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and digital infrastructure to build inclusive and environmentally responsible technological systems.

Sustainable AI Infrastructure

Exploring energy-efficient AI systems and green computing practices to reduce the environmental footprint of machine learning operations.

Environmental Impact of AI Compute

Researching carbon emissions from AI training and inference, developing frameworks for measuring and optimizing AI sustainability.

Digital Public Infrastructure

Building scalable, accessible digital platforms that serve communities and public institutions across diverse geographical contexts.

AI Systems and Agentic Workflows

Designing intelligent agent architectures that autonomously orchestrate complex workflows and decision-making processes.

Data Systems for Social Impact

Creating robust data collection and analytics platforms that empower NGOs and community organizations with actionable insights.

AI for Public Health and Communities

Leveraging AI and data-driven approaches to address public health challenges and strengthen community health systems.

Featured Projects

Building impactful systems that bridge technology and social good, with focus on digital public infrastructure and AI-powered solutions.

iReadify Digital Library

Mobile & Web Platforms

Digital library of children's books with diverse characters and cultures—ebooks and audiobooks in many languages with authentic dialects

React
React Native
Node.js
+3

Believe It

Mobile Applications

Platform to help people unleash their full potential through goal setting, e-coaching, affirmations, and inspirational content

React Native
iOS
Android
+3

Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE)

Social Impact

Trans-led international organization advancing justice and equality for trans and gender diverse communities worldwide

Digital Platforms
Knowledge Portal
Advocacy
+1

APCOM Foundation

Social Impact

Bangkok-based organisation improving health and rights across 35 countries in Asia and the Pacific

Community Networks
Advocacy
HIV Prevention
+1

Game of Falls

Health & Wellness

Interactive app educating seniors about household fall risks with 50 fun exercises for fall prevention

Mobile App
Interactive Education
Fall Prevention
+1

Portable Restroom Trailers

Commercial Platforms

America's portable restroom trailer superstore—rental, purchase, and lease-to-own with the Smarter Restrooms mobile app

Mobile App
IoT Monitoring
E-Commerce
+1

Professional Experience

Leading development of AI-powered systems and digital infrastructure with focus on impact-driven technological solutions.

Module Lead – AI Systems Engineer

SJ InnovationGoa, India
2018 - Present

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead architecture and development of AI-powered systems integrating large language models and agentic workflows
  • Design and implement full-stack platforms spanning web and mobile technologies with focus on scalability and performance
  • Collaborate with international NGOs to build digital public infrastructure serving communities across Asia-Pacific
  • Drive technical strategy for complex data systems supporting public health and social impact initiatives

Notable Achievements

  • Architected and deployed AI customer support systems reducing operational costs by 60%
  • Led development of multi-country digital health platform used by 50+ organizations
  • Designed agentic AI workflows processing 100,000+ automated tasks monthly
  • Built mobile applications serving 25,000+ users across iOS and Android platforms

Technical Expertise

Comprehensive skill set spanning AI systems, research in digital public infrastructure, full-stack development, and mobile platforms—with a focus on building scalable, production-ready solutions for social impact.

AI & Machine Learning

LLM Integration (OpenAI, Claude)95%
AI Agents & Agentic Workflows90%
Prompt Engineering90%
AI Architecture & System Design85%
RAG & Vector Databases85%
Machine Learning Pipelines80%

Research & AI Systems

AI for Social Impact & Public Health88%
Sustainable AI & Carbon-Aware Computing82%
Digital Public Infrastructure Research85%
Technical Research & Documentation88%
Data-Driven Impact Assessment85%
AI Ethics & Responsible Deployment80%

Frontend Development

React & Next.js95%
TypeScript90%
Tailwind CSS90%
State Management (Redux, Zustand)85%
Modern UI/UX Practices85%

Backend & Infrastructure

Node.js & Express90%
MongoDB & PostgreSQL85%
DynamoDB & NoSQL85%
RESTful & GraphQL APIs90%
AWS & Cloud Architecture80%
Microservices Architecture80%

Mobile Development

React Native90%
iOS Development85%
Android Development85%
Offline-First Architecture85%
Mobile Performance Optimization80%
Impact

Social Impact Work

Partnering with NGOs and community organizations to build digital infrastructure that empowers grassroots initiatives and supports vulnerable populations.

Digital Capacity Assessment Platform

APCOM (Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health)
Asia-Pacific

Project Overview

Developed comprehensive digital infrastructure supporting community health organizations working on HIV advocacy and public health initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.

Impact & Reach

  • Deployed across 8 countries including India, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam
  • Supporting 50+ community-based organizations in their data collection and program monitoring
  • Enabled evidence-based advocacy reaching thousands of community members
  • Provided real-time analytics dashboards for program directors and stakeholders
  • Implemented offline-first architecture ensuring data collection in low-connectivity regions

Technologies

React Native
Node.js
MongoDB
AWS
Data Analytics
Mobile-First Design

Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE)

GATE
Global

Project Overview

Collaboration with GATE, a trans-led international organization advancing justice and equality for trans and gender diverse communities worldwide through human rights advocacy, health equity, and movement building.

Impact & Reach

  • Knowledge Portal providing news, articles, publications, and event resources for trans communities
  • Community spotlights supporting activists in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean
  • UN engagement at CSW70 and global events including AIDS 2026
  • Strategic planning and capacity-building for community-led initiatives

Technologies

Digital Platforms
Knowledge Portal
Advocacy
Community Building

Game of Falls

Game of Falls
Global

Project Overview

Interactive app educating seniors about household fall risks with 50 fun exercises for fall prevention. Helps older adults stay safe, self-manage, and adapt their homes through engaging gameplay and home hazard detection.

Impact & Reach

  • 50 interactive exercises teaching fall prevention in the home
  • Reduces chances of hospitalization and injury-related elderly falls
  • Creates awareness around accident-prone zones and external hazards
  • Mental exercises that sharpen the mind and support cognitive health
  • Accessible from bed, chair, or table for limited-mobility users

Technologies

Mobile App
Interactive Education
Fall Prevention
Elderly Health

IVolunteer International

IVolunteer International
Global

Project Overview

Since 2017, IVolunteer International has empowered people to take action in their local communities in real-time. Building a movement for volunteerism bolstered by individuals, with the IVolunteerNow mobile app making it easy to find opportunities, sign up instantly, and filter projects by location, distance, and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Individuals and nonprofits can host projects; volunteers can invite friends and contribute to causes they care about.

Impact & Reach

  • 6,000+ volunteers mobilized worldwide; 200,000+ people exposed to volunteerism
  • 100+ projects posted with real-time volunteer newsfeed and location-based discovery
  • 16+ global strategic alliances; $300,000+ multiplicative economic impact contributed
  • Democratizing volunteerism—free, public, no membership fees; filter by SDGs
  • Host a Project: individuals and nonprofits publish projects to connect with local volunteers
  • 180,000+ social media engagements; invite friends via Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, iMessage

Technologies

Mobile App
Location-Based Services
SDG Filtering
Real-Time Feed
Volunteer Management

Believe It App

Believe It
Global

Project Overview

The ultimate platform pairing goal setting and self-improvement with Islamic values. Built data collection systems for motivation scores and goal-related user data to help individuals achieve life goals—from quitting cigarettes and alcohol to financial milestones like buying a bike, car, flat, or house. Combines positive thinking, self-motivation, and e-coaching with SMART goal frameworks.

Impact & Reach

  • Collected motivation and goal-related data from users to personalize e-coaching and track progress
  • Helped users achieve diverse goals: quitting cigarettes, alcohol, financial targets (bike, car, flat, house), career growth, spiritual development
  • Motivation Score assessment developed with psychiatrists and certified coaches for real-time motivation tracking
  • 65+ predetermined goals, 500+ affirmations, 500+ quotes—approved by medical professionals and Sheikhs
  • Connect & Achieve: users with similar goals support each other and exchange ideas
  • E-coaching delivers accountability and daily recommendations based on goal motivation score

Technologies

React Native
Goal Tracking
Motivation Analytics
E-Coaching
SMART Goals
Research & Insights

Latest thinking

AI infrastructure, sustainable computing, and digital public goods—practical insights from building at scale.

Internet Infrastructure
Routing Security
Cloud Systems

BGP Prefix Validation and Route Origin Security

Implementing RPKI and prefix filtering to secure BGP routing and mitigate prefix hijacking in regional networks.

Jun 15, 202410 min read
Read article
Digital Public Infrastructure
Interoperability
Cloud Systems

Designing APIs for Consent-Based Data Exchange

Technical patterns for building interoperable data APIs with OAuth, consent receipts, and versioning for cross-border systems.

May 22, 20249 min read
Read article
AI Infrastructure
Cloud Systems
Sustainable AI

Optimizing Machine Learning Inference for Edge Devices

Practical techniques for deploying ML models on resource-constrained devices while maintaining performance and efficiency.

Nov 22, 202412 min read
Read article
Speaking & Engagement

Events, Talks & Field Engagements

Sharing knowledge and building connections through conferences, workshops, and field research across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

App Launch Event — Thailand Visit (Community Summit Program)
Featured

App Launch Event — Thailand Visit (Community Summit Program)

Thailand
November 2026

Community summit and app launch during a Thailand visit, connecting with regional partners and showcasing product impact in the field.

Technical Presenter
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Guest Lecturer — Converge 3.0 Academia Industry Summit
Featured

Guest Lecturer — Converge 3.0 Academia Industry Summit

India
February 2026

Delivered a guest lecture at Converge 3.0, bridging academia and industry on building production-ready software and research-driven innovation.

Speaker
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Judging Panel — BCA Program

Judging Panel — BCA Program

India
January 2026

Served on the judging panel for a BCA program event, evaluating student projects on technical merit, innovation, and presentation.

Panelist
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Seminar — Innovative Python Projects Using AI

Seminar — Innovative Python Projects Using AI

India
September 2025

Led a seminar on using Python to build innovative AI-powered projects, from prototypes to patterns students can ship.

Speaker
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Seminar — Navigating the Web Tech Industry

Seminar — Navigating the Web Tech Industry

India
February 2025

Seminar for students and early-career developers on navigating careers in web tech: stacks, interviews, and continuous learning.

Speaker
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Seminar — MES College

Seminar — MES College

Goa, India
April 2025

Seminar at MES College with students on technology trends, software careers, and applying classroom concepts to real projects.

Speaker
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React India Global Event
Featured

React India Global Event

India
January 2024

Participated in React India’s global gathering—sessions on the React ecosystem, performance, and modern full-stack patterns.

Attendee
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Webinar — AI Adoption Made Fun

Webinar — AI Adoption Made Fun

Virtual
November 2023

Webinar demystifying AI adoption for teams and individuals—practical entry points, guardrails, and hands-on examples.

Speaker
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Guest Lecturer — Induction Program

Guest Lecturer — Induction Program

India
August 2022

Guest lecture during a new-student induction program—orientation to computing, ethics, and what to expect in a tech degree.

Speaker
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Education

Academic foundation in computer science and software engineering.

Master of Computer Applications (MCA)

Goa University
Goa, India

Specialized in advanced software engineering, distributed systems, and data structures.

2015 - 2018

Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)

MES College
Goa, India

Foundation in computer science fundamentals, programming paradigms, and database systems.

2012 - 2015

Contact

Open to collaborations, research conversations, and opportunities. Reach out by email or connect on social.