OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has named Raghav Gupta, former Asia-Pacific Managing Director at Coursera, to head its education operations across India and the wider APAC region. The announcement was made by Leah Belsky, VP of Education at OpenAI, during the OpenAI Education Summit India held in New Delhi.
Raghav, who spent nearly eight years at Coursera overseeing growth across India and Asia-Pacific, stepped down earlier this year. His appointment comes at a time when OpenAI is deepening its presence in India with a new Delhi office, local hiring, and job postings. Until now, the company’s on-ground presence has been led by Pragya Misra, Head of Public Policy and Partnerships.
At the summit, OpenAI launched an India-first Learning Accelerator programme, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education, AICTE, and IIT-Madras, to equip educators with AI skills for classrooms. The company has also committed a $500,000 research grant to IIT-Madras to study the role of AI in improving teaching and learning outcomes.
Raghav emphasised India’s pivotal role in AI-powered education, stating:
“There is immense scope to work with educators and institutions across India. This is an opportunity to transform learning through AI and support India’s vision of becoming a global leader in AI-driven education.”
In addition, OpenAI highlighted several initiatives already underway in India:
- OpenAI Academy for India – An AI literacy programme with the Ministry of Electronics & IT.
- ChatGPT Study Mode – Offering personalised learning and interactive guidance.
- ChatGPT Go – An India-specific subscription plan at ₹399/month with UPI integration.
- India AI Mission collaboration – Supporting developers and nurturing local AI talent.
These steps mark India as a strategic hub for OpenAI — not just for adoption but also for co-developing pedagogy, tools, and policy frameworks. The upcoming visit of CEO Sam Altman is expected to accelerate collaborations across both government and private sectors.
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While the initiatives reflect a strong commitment, experts note that infrastructure gaps, uneven access, and concerns over AI’s role in pedagogy remain challenges. The success of Raghav’s leadership will depend on building trust, ensuring inclusivity, and delivering measurable impact.
