India can never become a technology leader through celebrity endorsement or political speeches and the country’s approach lacks substance and prioritises spectacle, said investor Dilip Kumar on X Tuesday.
Kumar, who runs the podcast “The Other Side” and is one of the investors of Zerodha, a tech-driven stock broking firm, expressed his frustration about the second edition of Mumbai Tech Week (MTW) 2025, which is organised by the Maharashtra government in collaboration with the Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai (TEAM).
“A country doesn’t become a technology leader through celebrity endorsements or political speeches. India will never be a technology powerhouse if we parade technology as an accessory,” Kumar wrote on X. His post has garnered nearly 1 million views.
The event’s lineup features Bollywood celebrities, cricketers, and YouTube influencers alongside government officials and industry leaders. AI entrepreneurs such as Zepto’s Aadit Palicha, CRED’s Kunal Shah, and OYO’s Ritesh Agarwal are set to attend. But Kumar questions the inclusion of actor Suniel Shetty, filmmaker Karan Johar, former cricketer Rahul Dravid, and podcast host Raj Shamani.
The event will take place from February 28 to March 1. Touted as Asia’s largest AI event, MTW aims to position Mumbai as a global AI hub.
A tech event with few tech builders
Kumar pointed out that many of the featured speakers have no background in coding, AI research, or model deployment. “Real AI innovation doesn’t come from celebrity panels—it comes from builders. PhDs, engineers, and founders—the people who write code, build models, and deploy systems at scale,” he wrote.
His remarks come when China’s AI capabilities have taken a significant leap forward. Last week, Chinese startup DeepSeek introduced R1, a cost-efficient generative AI model that sent shockwaves through the industry, leading to a stock market crash.
Built on a modest $6 million budget, R1 has reportedly outperformed models from OpenAI, underscoring China’s growing dominance in AI research.
In response, India has ramped up its AI ambitions. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that half a dozen startups were developing a foundational AI model, set to be ready within eight to ten months. The government has acquired 18,600 high-end GPUs, including Nvidia’s latest Hoppers, to support these efforts. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced a more than tenfold increase in the budget for the National AI Mission—from Rs 173 crore to Rs 2,000 crore—with a focus on building large language models (LLMs).
Despite these initiatives, Kumar warned India risks falling behind the US and China if it continues to treat AI as an “event-driven” industry rather than a research-driven one.
“The US and China didn’t lead in AI because of influencer summits. They did it through university labs, open-source contributions, and startup founders building from first principles. We need an ecosystem that listens to builders,” he wrote.
Reports attribute DeepSeek’s success to its focus on innovative research, academic collaborations, and open-source contributions.
Kumar’s criticism highlights a broader concern about how India approaches technology. While events like MTW help raise awareness and attract investment, they do little to advance core AI research unless accompanied by substantial funding, institutional support, and a talent pipeline focused on deep tech innovation.
Amer Nizamuddin, Founder & CEO of WisdomQuant, echoed these concerns. “India needs real tech builders, not celebrities. I work in tech and see how China and the US focus on engineers and researchers. Celebrity tech events won’t help us compete globally.”
Another critic dismissed the event as mere optics. “This event will be nothing but another spectacular eye wash and fodder for more YouTube videos,” he said.
One commentator noted a growing trend of ‘Bollywoodisation’ in Indian industry discussions: “e-Bollywoodisation of all the scopes directly connected to Indian HD Indices, including sports, is a must. This should be declared government policy that these tools should never be used in any event or promotion.”
Another drew a comparison to finance coverage on television: “It reminds me of Diwali days on television when they invite a Bollywood actress to give investment advice. It’s all supply and demand…End of the day, all want crowds.”
“Technology isn’t a spectator sport,” Kumar concluded. “If India wants to lead, we must put real builders at the centre of the conversation.”
As Mumbai prepares to host MTW 2025, Kumar’s intervention raises critical questions.