OpenAI appoints Coursera's Raghav Gupta to lead education in India

OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, has appointed Raghav Gupta, the former Managing Director for Asia-Pacific at Coursera, to lead its education vertical across India and the broader APAC region, signalling an intensified push into AI-powered education in its most expansive international market. 

The news was confirmed by the company’s Vice-President for Education, Leah Belsky, during the OpenAI Education Summit India in New Delhi.

Gupta brings nearly eight years of experience at Coursera, where he most recently managed operations across India and Asia-Pacific. He left the edtech firm earlier this year. 

The appointment coincides with OpenAI’s continued localisation strategy in India, including the opening of its first office in New Delhi, the launch of local recruitment, and the listing of multiple job openings. Currently, OpenAI’s India operations are limited to a single employee — Pragya Misra, who heads public policy and partnerships.

At the summit, Belsky highlighted collaborations with high-profile Indian institutions. OpenAI has launched an India-first Learning Accelerator programme, co-developed with the Ministry of Education, AICTE and IIT-Madras, designed to train educators in integrating AI into classrooms.

Additionally, the company has awarded a $500,000 research grant to IIT-Madras to study how AI can enhance learning outcomes and teaching practices.

Gupta remarked on the initiative’s potential, stating: “There is huge potential to work closely with educators and institutions across India… We (now) have an opportunity to truly transform education through AI, driving better learning outcomes, while supporting India’s ambitions to be a global leader in AI-enabled education.”

These developments complement OpenAI’s broader educational offerings in India. These include:

• The OpenAI Academy for India, an AI literacy programme launched with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
  
  

• ChatGPT Study Mode, which offers personalised guidance, interactive questioning, and step-by-step instruction for learners.
  
  

• ChatGPT Go, an India-specific subscription plan priced at ₹399 per month, integrating UPI payments for accessibility.
  
  

• Collaboration under the India AI Mission, aimed at nurturing tech talent and engaging developers nationwide.
  
  

These moves come as OpenAI prepares for CEO Sam Altman's planned visit to India next month and hunts for further partnerships across the public and private sectors.

Context and Significance

OpenAI’s initiative reflects its strategic bet on India — not merely as a destination for product distribution but as a co-development hub for pedagogy and policy. The appointment of Raghav Gupta—well-versed in both regional edtech and global digital education trends—signals OpenAI’s determination to localise products and curricula effectively.

Amid rising AI adoption, the Learning Accelerator and the IIT-Madras grant promise to anchor AI within mainstream education systems. Training educators, promoting responsible AI usage, and tailoring tools like ChatGPT to Indian contexts suggest a holistic approach to edtech deployment.

Moreover, the launch of affordable subscription plans and AI-powered study tools underscores a twin goal: scaling both reach and utility while fostering trustworthy usage models — particularly critical in a diverse and rapidly evolving market.

However, challenges remain. India’s vast educational ecosystem entails varied access levels, infrastructural disparities, and scepticism over AI’s pedagogical efficacy. Whether Gupta and the local team can foster trust, equitable access, and transformative outcomes will be key.