Nakul Jain, the co-founder of APLYD, also joins Athena Infonomics as Partner, deepening ties between the two as APLYD scales its government AI work.
Athena Infonomics today named Nakul Jain Chief Executive Officer of APLYD, which helps governments build the systems, capabilities, and governance to put AI to work across public services.Jain co-founded APLYD and also joins Athena Infonomics as a Partner.
The appointment marks the next chapter in Athena Infonomics’ sixteen-year journey of working with governments to strengthen public institutions through data, digital transformation and artificial intelligence. APLYD brings together the firm’s AI work under a dedicated identity, building on years of implementation experience across government while deepening its focus on helping governments build institutional intelligence through the responsible adoption of AI.
Nakul’s appointment comes at a time when governments are shifting their focus from exploring AI’s potential to making it work within public institutions. Success now depends less on the technology itself and more on the policies, capabilities, and delivery systems needed to use AI responsibly and at scale.
“For fifteen years I’ve worked with ministries and public institutions, and I’ve watched technology change people’s lives when it’s built to be accessible and to serve the public,” Nakul said. “At APLYD, I want AI to reach beyond early adopters to every ministry, every district, and every citizen who stands to benefit. The team has the expertise and the ambition to do it, backed by Athena Infonomics’ long record with governments. I’m looking forward to the work ahead.”
Jain brings fifteen years of experience building digital systems and AI for the public sector. He was previously CEO and Managing Director of Wadhwani AI Global, where he led the organisation’s expansion across Latin America and Africa. Before that, as Vice President of Products & Solutions for Wadhwani AI India, he oversaw more than 25+ AI deployments across India.
Vijay Bhalaki, Co-Founder, Athena Infonomics and APLYD, said, “Nakul has spent his career doing the hard part of AI, making it work inside government institutions, under real constraints and at a meaningful scale. That experience is rare, and it’s exactly what APLYD was built for. As we bring together Athena Infonomics’ AI work under APLYD, there is no one better placed to lead its next chapter.”
“For years, we’ve helped governments make better decisions with evidence and data,” added Deepa Karthykeyan, Co-Founder of Athena Infonomics and APLYD. “AI gives us the opportunity to take that work further, helping governments build the capability to use these systems independently and at scale. With Nakul leading APLYD, we’re excited to help shape that next chapter.”