Scaling Social Impact with Technology: A Conversation with Infosys CTO Mohammed Rafee Tarafdar

Infosys has not only remained at the forefront of technological advancements but has also championed a mission of ‘TechForGood’—leveraging technology to drive meaningful societal change across e-governance, healthcare, and education. From simplifying tax processes for millions to democratizing eye care through mobile innovations, Infosys has consistently redefined what it means to use technology for public good. In this exclusive interaction, Mohammed Rafee Tarafdar, Chief Technology Officer, Infosys shares insights into Infosys’ groundbreaking initiatives that are empowering communities, advancing digital literacy, and setting benchmarks for sustainable and scalable solutions. He also delves into the convergence of emerging technologies like AI and blockchain, the balance between profitability and responsibility, and the company’s unwavering commitment to its ESG goals.

Some edited excerpts:

Infosys has a strong commitment to the ‘TechForGood’ mission. Could you share specific examples of how technology has transformed public services and healthcare through Infosys’ work with various governments?
Infosys’ ‘TechForGood’ program focuses on e-governance, healthcare and education. On e-governance, Infosys has designed, developed and contributed eSignet module, android registration client and related services as open-source projects to Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP) at IIITB. MOSIP helps governments implement a digital foundational identity in a vendor-neutral, interoperable and cost-effective manner and is currently being adopted by 10+ countries. Infosys has also designed and implemented the population scale platforms for tax collection in India, that have simplified the tax filing and refund process for citizens.

For healthcare, Infosys Foundation partnered with LV Prasad Eye Institute to conceptualize, design and rollout SightConnect earlier this year. SightConnect is a free mobile app that can be used by anyone to self-assess their eyes, providing early alerts for potential eye conditions and facilitating prompt intervention. The app supports various Indian languages, ensuring accessibility for all and it has been used by more than 1 lakh users so far.

For education, Infosys launched Infosys Springboard platform in 2021, which aims to provide digital skilling for all the learners in the country and worldwide by enabling anytime, anywhere learning across any device, any language, and for digital & AI skillsets. We have reached almost 12 million people through our digital skilling initiatives.

With ambitious goals to empower 80 million lives by 2025, what are some of the most significant milestones Infosys has achieved so far in e-governance, healthcare, and education? How have these efforts impacted communities?
Infosys has empowered more than 119 million lives across the world using these ‘TechForGood’ program initiatives in e-governance, healthcare, and education. These initiatives have helped improve digital literacy across the country.
With launch of SightConnect, citizens in smaller towns and villages are able to perform eye checks from the convenience of their homes and proactively diagnose eye issues. 34% of eye checks on the app were diagnosed for further medical intervention and preventive measures.

Given the rapid convergence of technologies like AI, blockchain, and genomics, how is Infosys leveraging these innovations to create sustainable social impact? Are there unique technologies or solutions you’ve introduced that stand out?
Infosys is constantly bringing in all the latest technology developments into the ‘TechForGood’ initiatives. AI and generative AI is already used in our e-governance, education and healthcare initiatives today and we will continue to do so.

In SightConnect, AI is used for triaging, visual acuity test, accessibility across Indian languages, cataract, red eye detection and to determine the distance between the smartphone camera and the eye.

In the Infosys Springboard platform, AI is used to provide personalized recommendations to learners, keep track of their progress and give a detailed visual view of the telemetry. The certification exams are proctored through an AI engine making the evaluations accurate and consistent. The AI knowledge assistant helps learners with their queries. AI is also used to create and provide engaging content.

The Infosys Innovation Fund and Aarohan Social Innovation Awards are commendable initiatives driving societal innovation. Could you discuss the approach and criteria Infosys uses to identify and support early-stage start-ups that align with your mission?
The Aarohan Social Innovation Awards was launched by Infosys Foundation in 2018 to showcase unique, technology-driven solutions, to catalyze progress in the social sector at a scalable level. The award focuses on solutions that are not only impactful but also scalable, maximizing their reach to underprivileged communities.
The approach we take to evaluate and select the winners is based on their applicability to solve real-world problems on the ground, innovative use of technology, originality, ease of use, ability to scale and potential social impact that can be created.

So far, three editions of the Aarohan Social Innovation Awards have been conducted. The latest edition was in 2023, with a total winning purse of INR 2 crore. In this edition, from 2,400 applicants, eight diverse solutions across three main categories, namely healthcare, education, and women empowerment, were awarded. Three winners received INR 50 lakh each for their outstanding innovation. Additionally, five more projects received INR 10 lakh each as part of the Jury’s Special Awards.

Technology has the potential to bridge critical gaps in healthcare and education for under-resourced communities. How does Infosys tailor its tech solutions to address the specific needs of these communities?
All the ‘TechForGood’ initiatives are designed and rolled out keeping in mind the needs and environment of the target user base, communities. The digital platforms are designed to be available anytime, anywhere and on any device, have light weight memory footprint, supports vernacular languages and multiple modes – visual, audio and text, are checked against the accessibility and inclusivity guidelines and operate in offline and online model.

In what ways is Infosys helping to build a culture of innovation and digital fluency in the communities it serves? Are there initiatives aimed at empowering people with digital skills or resources to foster grassroots innovation?
Infosys Springboard aims at providing a level playing field to all the learners in the country. Maker labs – both the physical and the mobile versions – aim to foster innovation among the rural community students by giving them an exposure to industry 4.0 and its applications to solve the real-world problems.

For the higher education section, skill-building courses, capstone projects and internships provide the students with a platform to explore technology and apply it to a real problem fostering innovation. They get to interact with and be mentored by experts, fostering innovation and fluency in digital/emerging technologies.

Infosys also recently announced that the ‘Pragati: Path to Future’ program attached to Infosys Springboard, which focuses on empowering women, will be extended to more than 10,000 female learners across India, every year, to provide them with critical skills for career growth in the digital economy.
These are some examples of our flagship initiatives with which we aim to foster innovation at the grass root level.

With the growing emphasis on using tech for positive societal change, how does Infosys balance profitability and social responsibility in its projects? Could you share any guiding principles or frameworks that Infosys follows to maintain this balance?
At Infosys, we are driven by the ESG Vision as a catalyst for positive change in the world. Our purpose – “To amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses, and communities” reflects our commitment to building a more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable society. We believe that by embedding ESG practices in our core business, we can enhance our long-term value creation and resilience. For us, the next horizon is the next opportunity to grow sustainably.

Looking ahead, what emerging technologies do you see having the greatest potential to drive further impact in your ‘TechForGood’ programs? How does Infosys plan to stay ahead and continue innovating in these areas?
Infosys is focusing and investing on seven Applied Research Areas that we believe are critical for the next one to three years. These areas are Advanced AI, New Interaction Models, Platforms & Protocols, Autonomous Machines, Cybersecurity, Quantum Computing and evolving spaces like space tech, semiconductor, crypto etc. The significant developments from these areas will be embedded into our platforms, offerings and ‘TechForGood’ program.

For organizations and startups inspired by Infosys’ mission, what advice would you give on designing and scaling impactful technology solutions that truly benefit communities and create sustainable change?
I would advise to develop a bold vision to deliver aspirational goals but implement them through a series of micro changes rolled out every few weeks to constantly learn, improvise, measure and scale in areas where the impact will be highest.