Priyank Kharge

Priyank Kharge is Karnataka’s Minister for Electronics, IT & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj. A three-term legislator, he is known for fusing tech-driven governance with inclusive development. As India’s youngest IT Minister in 2016, he helped Bengaluru emerge as the world’s fourth-largest tech cluster, launching innovation-first initiatives like ELEVATE, India’s largest government-backed seed fund program for early-stage startups. A sharp policy maven, he has driven agile policymaking in AVGC, Spacetech, Cybersecurity and Biotechnology to complement dynamic business needs. In his current tenure, alongside a deep focus on emerging technologies and workforce reskilling, he is also championing rural transformation, addressing water and energy security through tech-enabled interventions and streamlining service delivery through digital governance tools. A recipient of Intel’s 'Technology Visionary Award', the only Asian politician to receive the honour, Kharge brings a unique blend of policy acumen, innovation foresight and grassroots empathy to every platform he engages with.