Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), under NITI Aayog, played a prominent role at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 by showcasing how artificial intelligence work is advancing at both grassroots and policy levels. The AI Tinkerpreneur Showcase brought together 50 student teams from Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the country to present AI driven innovations that address healthcare, agriculture, climate resilience, accessibility, education and public service delivery. The presentations illustrated increasing alignment between school level innovation and India’s national priorities.

AI Tinkerpreneur is a flagship initiative implemented in collaboration with Intel and is designed to strengthen AI competencies, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking among school students. The programme encourages young innovators to identify real world challenges and develop scalable technology driven solutions using AI tools and methodologies. This year the initiative saw participation from over 12,000 student teams nationwide and a rigorous multi stage evaluation selected the top 50 teams to present at the Summit.

A special segment, AI by HER, highlighted girl innovators from ATLs who presented projects that addressed food security and safety, accessible and affordable healthcare and localised innovation. The innovators recounted journeys of overcoming barriers and emerging as contributors to India’s AI ecosystem. A defining moment came when an ATL student took a pledge alongside the Prime Minister, symbolising youth commitment to responsible AI innovation and nation building.

Alongside student engagement, AIM also participated in high level policy and ecosystem dialogues at the Summit. Deepak Bagla, Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission at NITI Aayog, took part in two strategic panel discussions on leadership for technology, energy and security transitions and on investing in regional AI hubs for inclusive growth. He argued that India’s strength in AI would come from connected ecosystems that build bridges between startups and mentors, innovators and investors and policy and practice, enabling AI to serve national development goals. The overall participation of ATLs at the Summit demonstrated alignment between grassroots innovation and the country’s broader AI vision and the active contribution of young innovators to the national innovation journey.