TLDR: OpenAI has appointed Raghav Gupta, former Asia Pacific Managing Director at Coursera, as its Head of Education for India and the APAC region. This strategic move underscores OpenAI’s commitment to expanding AI-driven learning, marked by the launch of the India-first Learning Accelerator program, a $500,000 research grant to IIT Madras, and plans for a new office in New Delhi. The company aims to integrate AI tools into mainstream education, leveraging India’s significant student population using ChatGPT.
OpenAI, the creator of the widely popular ChatGPT, has announced the strategic appointment of Raghav Gupta, formerly the Asia Pacific Managing Director at Coursera, as its new Head of Education for India and the broader Asia-Pacific region. This move, confirmed by OpenAI Vice President Leah Belsky at the OpenAI Education Summit India in New Delhi on August 25, 2025, signals a significant intensification of the company’s focus on AI-powered education in what is already its largest international market.
Gupta brings nearly two decades of extensive experience in the education and consumer technology sectors, including an eight-year tenure at Coursera where he spearheaded operations across India and Asia-Pacific. In his new role, Gupta will be instrumental in leading OpenAI’s efforts to advance education through AI, making the company’s innovative tools more accessible to educators, students, and researchers throughout India and the APAC region.
Commenting on his appointment and the potential ahead, Gupta stated, “There is huge potential to work closely with educators and institutions across India… We now have an opportunity to truly transform education through AI, driving better learning outcomes, while supporting India’s ambitions to be a global leader in AI-enabled education.”
This key appointment coincides with a series of aggressive expansion initiatives by OpenAI in India. The company is set to open its first physical office in New Delhi later this year, reinforcing its commitment to local engagement and growth. India is notably home to the largest population of students utilizing ChatGPT worldwide, a factor that has significantly influenced OpenAI’s strategic investments.
Among the flagship initiatives launched is the ‘OpenAI Learning Accelerator,’ an India-first program developed in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Education and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). This program is designed to empower educators by training them in the effective integration of artificial intelligence for scholastic purposes, aiming to distribute 500,000 ChatGPT licenses to facilitate this integration.
Further demonstrating its commitment to educational advancement, OpenAI has awarded a substantial $500,000 research grant to the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras). This funding will support long-term studies focused on how AI can enhance learning outcomes, innovate teaching methodologies, and align with insights from cognitive neuroscience. The findings from this research are intended to be openly shared globally, informing future product development and pedagogical practices.
OpenAI Vice President Leah Belsky emphasized the company’s intent to provide access to its latest model, ChatGPT 5.0, for educators across India. These efforts are part of a broader localization strategy that also includes the recent appointment of Sheeladitya Mohanty as OpenAI’s marketing lead in India and the introduction of an India-specific subscription plan, ChatGPT Go, priced at ₹399 per month with integrated UPI payments. OpenAI founder Sam Altman is also scheduled to visit India next month, highlighting the country’s strategic importance. Altman previously noted, “AI adoption in India has been amazing to watch – ChatGPT users grew 4X in the past year – and we are excited to invest much more in India!”
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These comprehensive initiatives underscore OpenAI’s vision to not only distribute its products but also to co-develop pedagogy and policy, firmly embedding AI within India’s mainstream education systems.
