Varsha Shukla

Varsha Shukla is a globally recognized AI researcher, startup founder, and policy leader shaping the future of trustworthy and inclusive technology. A Ph.D. Innovation Fellow at Dartmouth College, she leads cutting-edge work at the intersection of generative AI, large language models, and international AI governance. Her research has been published in premier venues such as NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, and IEEE, and her patents and tools in AI evaluation have been adopted across industries ranging from healthcare to energy. She has held leadership roles at the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, and serves on the IEEE-USA AI Policy Committee, where she advances global standards for AI safety and accountability. Varsha has been invited to speak at leading institutions including the Harvard Kennedy School, CERAWeek, and the U.S. AI Standards Consortium. As a judge, she brings not only deep technical expertise but also a global, interdisciplinary perspective committed to identifying innovations that are both transformative and ethically grounded.