Leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure for Urban Transformation

Session Lead: Sowmya V

Sowmya is a Senior Manager, Strategy at eGov Foundation, where she leads efforts to strengthen urban governance through the deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure. With over a decade of experience across urban development, governance, and technology, Sowmya has been instrumental in shaping and scaling the DIGIT platform across multiple states in India.

Her work lies at the intersection of system design, institutional capacity building, and digital innovation, enabling governments to deliver inclusive and citizen-centric services. Prior to eGov, Sowmya has worked with the Jana Urban Space Foundation and holds a Master’s degree in Urban Policy and Governance.

About the session

This session explored the foundational attributes of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and their role in strengthening public service delivery, particularly in the urban context. Using the example of DIGIT (Digital Infrastructure for Governance, Impact & Transformation), the session demonstrated how scalable and open-source platforms can enable efficient, inclusive, and responsive urban governance.

Key architectural principles of building Digital Public Goods (DPGs) were discussed, along with strategies for activating markets and building institutional capacity to drive digital transformation at scale. The session aimed to equip fellows with a conceptual and practical understanding of how DPIs can be leveraged to solve complex urban challenges.