Feb 3: HopeWorks Foundation, in partnership with AI4India, today announced the launch of WitchHunt – Women in Technology Challenge, a landmark initiative aimed at mobilising women across India to lead the country’s next wave of AI innovation. – AI innovation to be replaced by social innovation leveraging AI.
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and societies, WITCH HUNT stands out as a call to action for inclusivity and innovation. The nationwide hackathon will bring together 5,000 women across 1,000 teams, primarily women aged 18 and above, to co-create AI-driven solutions for sustainable futures. The girls from HopeWorks Foundation don’t have access to higher education, leave alone AI and technical knowledge. For every team of 5 people, there will be 4 participants of diverse backgrounds, and 1 girl from HopeWorks. Each team will have at least 2 women members while registering for the event. This is to ensure that they not only have access to the hackathon, but a good peer group to engage with and learn from.
Set to launch in January 2026 with a grand finale in May 2026, WitchHunt, in partnership with Ai4India and Skills Cafe, will witness participation from women students and professionals across India—including those from marginalized communities and first-generation learners. This large-scale initiative seeks to ensure that the voices shaping India’s AI landscape are diverse, inclusive, and equitable.
“In a world transformed by technology, women must not just participate, they must lead,” said Chitra Gurjar, Chairperson, WitchHunt. “This is a moonshot idea at a mammoth scale. Involving girls from the most unreached segments of our population is our way of creating equitable and equal spaces in technology.”
The initiative builds on HopeWorks Foundation’s long-standing commitment to empowerment and education of the girl child. Since its inception in March 2020, the Foundation has positively impacted over 50,000 young girls from marginalized backgrounds, fostering digital literacy, leadership, and career readiness. WitchHunt also aligns with its recently launched #MissionAI, a national effort to expand AI literacy and awareness.
Behind the movement is a dynamic team led by Co-chairs Varsha Verma and Neeraja Ganesh, supported by volunteers from diverse organizations who are uniting to make this initiative a nationwide phenomenon.
Adding her perspective, Jacintha Jayachandran, Founder at HopeWorks Foundation, said,
“WitchHunt is not just about coding or AI solutions; it’s about rewriting the narrative of who gets to innovate in India. When women are equipped with the tools of tomorrow, they don’t just build technology; they build futures. This initiative is our declaration that women will not just be consumers of AI; they will be its creators.”
Through WitchHunt, HopeWorks Foundation envisions catalyzing a national movement of women technologists tackling real-world challenges using AI to build a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future for India.
