Pragya Misra becomes the first employee in India at OpenAI

Pragya Misra is the first employee of OpenAI, to be appointed in India. Misra, a 39-year-old, has been brought in to oversee partnerships and public policy affairs. This calculated hire demonstrates OpenAI's efforts to promote favourable rules as governments around the world struggle to control fast developing technology.

Misra brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles at Truecaller AB and Meta Platforms Inc. Since July 2021, she has been serving as the Director of Public Affairs for Truecaller, where she liaised with government ministries, key stakeholders, investors, and media partners. Before that, she spearheaded WhatsApp’s campaign against misinformation in 2018 and held positions at Ernst & Young and the Royal Danish Embassy in New Delhi.

Misra completed her MBA from the International Management Institute in 2012 and is a commerce graduate from Delhi University. She also holds a Diploma in Bargaining and Negotiations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

OpenAI’s decision to hire Misra is seen as a strategic move to bolster its presence in India’s tech market, where it faces competition from Google’s AI model. Misra is expected to commence her duties at OpenAI by the end of this month. OpenAI is expected to expand its list of employees in India in the coming months.