Ravi Kumar S, CEO of Cognizant, expressed his vision for India as a global office hub. He received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2025 from President Droupadi Murmu. Ravi emphasised that Cognizant’s future is largely India-centric, with a significant workforce based in the country. He highlighted the company’s shift from major cities to smaller ones, such as Indore, to expand its operations.

Ravi Kumar S shared his thoughts on artificial intelligence, describing it as a transformative technology. “It’s a general purpose technology, which is going to be very pervasive,” he noted. He believes AI will spread rapidly due to its natural language interface, making it accessible and impactful across various sectors.

India’s Role in Cognizant’s Future

During an interaction, Ravi reiterated India’s pivotal role in Cognizant’s strategy. “Our future is predominantly India-based. We do believe that India is going to be the office of the world, the technology hub of the world for the next decade,” he stated. He aims to leverage Indian talent to drive Cognizant’s global narrative.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award ceremony took place during the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Bhubaneswar. President Droupadi Murmu presented this honour to 27 individuals, including Ravi and Christine Kangaloo, President of Trinidad and Tobago. This award recognises overseas Indians for their contributions and efforts in enhancing India’s global image.

Recognition and Gratitude

Expressing gratitude for receiving the award, Ravi said, “I’m very, very humbled and very honoured about the award. It’s special for me because I received it in Odisha where I was born and brought up.” The award holds personal significance for him due to his roots in Odisha’s Ganjam district.

Cognizant employs around 250,000 people in India, making it a significant player in the country’s job market. The company has expanded its presence beyond large cities to smaller ones like Indore. This move aligns with its strategy to tap into diverse talent pools across India.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is awarded by the Indian government to acknowledge overseas Indians’ achievements in their respective fields. It also honours their role in promoting India’s image on the international stage.