What does it take to make digital transformation truly inclusive?
On this episode of Unmute with Ganesh Natarajan, Ganesh Natarajan is joined by Osama Manzar, Founder & Director of the Digital Empowerment Foundation, for a conversation spanning technology, access, entrepreneurship, policy and social impact.
Osama has spent decades working at the intersection of “Access to Rights” and “Rights to Access,” building models that bring digital literacy, information and essential services to communities often left behind by technology. His work through DEF has reached 35 million people across 10,000+ villages, while his SoochnaPreneur model has placed local communities—especially women—at the centre of digital empowerment.
In this conversation, Ganesh and Osama explore the bigger questions behind India's digital transformation: Who gets access? Who gets left behind? And how do we build a digital future that is equitable, ethical and community-led?
In this episode, we explore:

• The evolution of India's digital inclusion story
• Why access to technology must go beyond connectivity
• Grassroots entrepreneurship and the SoochnaPreneur model
• Digital literacy, misinformation and the changing information ecosystem
• The role of policy in shaping India's digital future
• What inclusive digital transformation could mean for the next generation

A conversation about technology with a human lens—and India's digital future through the voices of its communities.
🎙️ Host: Ganesh Natarajan
🎧 Guest: Osama Manzar, Founder & Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation
Watch the full episode of Unmute with Ganesh Natarajan.