Sriganesh Lokanathan

Practitioner & interlocutor at the nexus of data, algorithms, policy, & development. Opinions are my own.

[The Rockefeller Foundation @RockefellerFdn]

In our newest #BellagioBreakthroughs, #BigBets Fellow @afreenundp of @ourcommonair talks about why clean air creates healthier and more prosperous futures, what it takes to turn shared understanding into actual engagement, and the power of convening to create lasting change. https://t.co/s56rEsMjhn

[Harsha Purasinghe @harshap]

#GovPay Traffic Fines – Uva Province rollout completed (Badulla/Bandarawela Police divisions). With this, 9 out of 12 provinces are now live on GovPay. Only Central, Sabaragamuwa, and Eastern provinces remain.

We would have completed nationwide rollout by now if not for the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which forced a necessary realignment of the original implementation schedule.

Despite these disruptions, progress continues steadily toward full national coverage.

🔗 Official update: https://t.co/QDNJe2hLsR

#govpay #trafficfines #lka

[UNDP in Asia and the Pacific @UNDPasiapac]

Join us for the launch of the new report, The Next Great Divergence, on 2 December. Hear from experts on how countries can ensure that AI serves inclusive and sustainable human progress. #AI4HD
Livestream link: https://t.co/Z1aKZRQyL9

[Regional Innovation & Digital in Asia-Pacific @UNDP_InnoAP]

Join @ADB_HQ @UNDPasiapac at the @GlobalDPISummit #CapeTown for an interactive session on “Shaping DPI Leadership in #AsiaPacific” with insights from senior policymakers from 🇱🇰Sri Lanka & 🇮🇩Indonesia & the launch of our #DPIStewards journey! 🗓️ 6 Nov 2025 | 1:30–3:00 PM
#GDPIS25

[CivicDataLab @CivicDatalab]

the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

October 3, 2025 | 13:00–16:00 | SEI Asia – Bangkok

🔗 Register: https://t.co/xrmpRFl1A6

@abhish18 Kavita Bhatia @OfficialINDIAai @GoI_MeitY @_DigitalIndia @sriganeshl @afreenundp @AlexOprunenco @gggodhwani #IndiaAIImpactSummit

[Regional Innovation & Digital in Asia-Pacific @UNDP_InnoAP]

🟢The deadline of our #RFP has been extended till September 1st.

🔗https://t.co/Up2fkjHj3T

#Digital strategies #DPI #AI sandboxes #Govtechinstitutions #LearningJourney

[Regional Innovation & Digital in Asia-Pacific @UNDP_InnoAP]

👋🏼If supporting #digital strategies, #DPI, #AI sandboxes, #govtechinstitutions & learning journeys for policymakers sounds like you, check out this #RFP https://t.co/Up2fkjHj3T

📧To learn more, please send a note to [email protected] to join the info call tomorrow.

[Regional Innovation & Digital in Asia-Pacific @UNDP_InnoAP]

#RFP: We are partnering with @ADB_HQ to support national #digital strategies, #DPI, #AI sandboxes, #govtech institutions & learning journeys for policymakers across Asia-Pacific to shape scalable, bankable digital transformation initiatives.

🔗 to apply: https://t.co/Up2fkjHj3T

[Peter Cihon @pcihon]

CAISI and @NIST hosted a workshop on AI agent tool use with 140 experts. The goal: develop a shared vocabulary for agent tools. Today we published the result, with two example taxonomies:

[Regional Innovation & Digital in Asia-Pacific @UNDP_InnoAP]

A simple but timely question: How can public institutions govern and shape AI—not just deploy it? In this piece, we take you through 4 principles for #responsible #AI and to illustrate, a scenario of how this could impact a community in Sri Lanka by 2040.
https://t.co/jNsFscqm70

[Sriganesh Lokanathan @sriganeshl]

4/
This piece shares the principles shaping our approach—and why trust, inclusion, and responsiveness must be built into AI systems from the start, not as afterthoughts.
🔗 https://t.co/s5FtidBG1B

#ResponsibleAI #GovTech #DigitalDevelopment #AIethics #UNDP #AsiaPacific

[Sriganesh Lokanathan @sriganeshl]

Over the past year, our team at @UNDPAsiaPac has been asking a simple but important question:

💡 How can public institutions govern and shape AI—not just deploy it?

Here’s what we’re learning from work across Asia-Pacific 👇

[Sriganesh Lokanathan @sriganeshl]

3/
With partners in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal & Malaysia, we’re supporting governments to:
• Start with real public problems
• Design with users
• Test & iterate openly
• Build internal “muscle,” not just external tools

[Kanni Wignaraja @kanniwignaraja]

What can Digital and AI Transformation do (and not do) for countries in Asia Pacific....the panel was clear that all the upsides can fast be pulled down and misused if the necessary digital public infrastructure, security measures and regulations, and peoples' capacity to absorb and access this tech as it rapidly evolves, in meaningful ways. For @UNDP at this #ADBAnnualMeeting panel today, the core message and measure put to all was - what difference does it make to our #HumanDevelopment progress? Good to hear from and work with our partners @ADB @ITU and many others here, on this goal.

[Sriganesh Lokanathan @sriganeshl]

This chapter was written a while back. It’s finally out. Since then, much has changed—and much hasn’t. The value of this kind of work is now widely accepted, but context and nuance remain more important than ever. Amid the snake-oil and hype, we can’t afford to forget that.

[LIRNEasia @LIRNEasia]

The '𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻' report, edited by @geoplace, @SannaOjanpera, and @lopezmodeler and published by @OxUniPress features @LIRNEasia as a significant case study, detailing our establishment, research, challenges, and lessons learned in leveraging big data for public good in the Global South. Through the Chapter 7 authored by @sriganeshl, @shaznazuhyle and Thavisha Perera-Gomez , the report highlights how @LIRNEasia has pioneered the use of big data across the Asia-Pacific, offering valuable real-world experiences and a critical Global South perspective on data-driven development.

Read the full report: 🔗https://t.co/PqztwGUpZZ

@OxUniPress | @geoplace | @SannaOjanpera | @lopezmodeler

#humandevelopment #bigdata #bigdataanalysis #globalsouth #digitaldivide #datadrivendevelopment #sdgs #sustainabledevelopmentgoals #policymaking #dataethics #capacitybuilding #datachallenges #dataopportunities #casestudy #realworldexperiences #publicgood #dataprivacy #algorithmicbias #LIRNEasia #bigdataforpublicgood #southperspective #asiapacific #thinktank #dataresearch #techforgood #SriLanka #mobilebigdata #datagovernance #digitaldevelopment #policymaking

[Sriganesh Lokanathan @sriganeshl]

@yudhanjaya remember Namali? :-) https://t.co/38eXdTEjtZ @namalidep

[PLGSP MOFAGA @plgspmofaga]

UNDP Regional Hub in Bangkok is introducing the Portfolio Approach to be integrated into #PLGSP. The first sense-making exercise will be held in Dhangadi on February 21st with the provincial government. #Governance @EUinNepal @UNDPNepal @UKinNepal @SwissAmbNepal @NorwayinNepal

[Regional Innovation & Digital in Asia-Pacific @UNDP_InnoAP]

If you're in Bangkok and attending #PMAC2025 tomorrow, check out this session with @deepalikhanna from @RockefellerFdn, @gggodhwani from @CivicDatalab, Boonyarat from @opencontracting, Dr @Satishve12 from Stockholm Environment Institute, @sriganeshl from @UNDPasiapac and others.

[LIRNEasia @LIRNEasia]

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮? On this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, read @gayanihurulle’s analysis on the shift from Aswesuma to Prajashakthi and the future of social protection in Sri Lanka, published in today’s Daily Mirror 🔗https://t.co/negnMrSkHY

#SocialProtection #SriLanka #EndPoverty #LIRNEasia #PolicyResearch #PovertyEradication #InclusiveDevelopment #InternationalDayForTheEradicationOfPoverty #SocialWelfare #PovertyReduction #EconomicEmpowerment #SocialPolicy #DevelopmentGoals #SocialInclusion #CrisisResponse #SocialSafety #SocialSafetyNets