NPCI’s CHRO on building a future-ready workforce for the digital economy

The digital payment industry is growing exponentially in India and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has been at the center of a remarkable journey in revolutionising the digital payment ecosystem. It has made significant efforts to build an open and secure digital ecosystem, leading to a paradigm shift in delivering digital payment solutions to the masses. India’s digital economy is expected to grow almost twice as fast as the overall economy, contributing to nearly one-fifth of national income by 2030.
In India, where the digital payment ecosystem is poised for growth, NPCI is actively seeking to acquire Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, RUST, Golang, and Quantum Computing, with a focus on Cryptography, Fraud Risk, and Cybersecurity as some of the top-tier deep tech talent in 2025 and beyond.
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“To support the organisation’s growth, we are expanding our core functions, including Risk, Fraud, Information Security, AI Product Specialisation, and Statistics,” says Nishith Chaturvedi, Chief Human Resource, NPCI.
To attract top talents, NPCI Group is extensively participating in several tech events across the industry and campuses.
They also organise hackathons and coding challenges and help the workforce prepare with targeted boot camps to support employees in learning and continuous development. “NPCI Group collaborates with prominent technology communities, including Rustacian, Go Developer Community, Open Source Community, and RiskSphere India, to connect with specialised talent pools in deep technology domains,” shares Chaturvedi.
HR strategy for 2025
At NPCI, says Chaturvedi they are focussed on embracing global disruption in deep tech through innovation, capability building, and challenging the status quo. “Our approach is focused on attracting and retaining top tech talent. We nurture them by leveraging our core values — Pride, Purpose, and Promise.”
According to him, their key priority is to make meaningful investments in R&D, labs, market innovations, and upskilling on the right skills. “NPCI offers long-term growth to individuals while providing them with a curated learning platform that has individual development plans to contribute to new-age technology areas.”
Also, by providing flexible career progression and product-oriented delivery (POD) frameworks, NPCI strengthens Centre of Excellence (COEs), enabling employees to contribute across business functions based on their skills and interests. “We prioritise continuous learning, unlearning, and relearning, ensuring that technical skills are recognised and rewarded. Also, to help drive in-house development and own more patents, we are making a strategic shift making operational transformations to boost technological innovation,” he explains.
Upskilling and reskilling employees
NPCI strongly believes in learning for all, says Chaturvedi. “It is one of their key employee value propositions, wherein they promise to provide best-in-class learning opportunities to all. This facilitates us to build capability for the future and stay relevant for our current needs.”
From day one, employees can leverage an Individual Development Plan that includes certifications, sponsored by NPCI.
“Through our in-house learning platform, AI tools are leveraged to recommend personalied learning paths based on employees’ needs, interests, and past learning experiences. Employees are empowered to choose their preferred learning methods— online, blended, instructor-led, or bite-sized learning through short videos.”
Additionally, NPCI also regularly conduct Deep Tech Talk sessions, where industry experts are invited to share insights with team about technology and management. “To further encourage them to continue their learning journey, our “Learn While You Earn” Higher Education Program supports our employees to pursue degrees or certifications like MTech, MBA, eMasters, or Postgraduate certifications from leading institutes without the need for a sabbatical,” notes Chaturvedi.
Prioritising employee engagement and experience in 2025
In 2025, NPCI reaffirms its commitment to fostering innovation and sustainable growth by prioritising Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). “The organisation aims to enhance the representation of women at all levels and promote inclusion. Initiatives like the ‘Returnity Program’ empower women to restart their careers, leveraging underrepresented talent pools and creating opportunities for impactful contributions.”
Aligning with the value proposition, the focus remains on offering meaningful roles in deep tech, driving employee development, and strengthening internal camaraderie. “Organisation 's goal is to cultivate a culture centered on growth, development, wellbeing, and inclusion,” concludes Chaturvedi.