Dipinder is the Cofounder of iKITES Technologies, KritiKal Solutions, and Swatantra Bharat Party (Political Party in India). His mission is to maximise value add to society, including via AI, Medical Imaging/Healthcare R&D and Governance Reforms.
Dipinder Sekhon, MPA
In 2007, as a technology entrepreneur in Delhi, I had no formal training in the social sciences, but I was increasingly concerned about India’s deep-rooted challenges: corruption, poverty and religious violence. I was searching for a path to follow. Through a Sciences Po outreach event in Delhi, I discovered public policy and the MPA, and realised it could help me understand these problems, and possibly begin solving them.
At LSE and Sciences Po, I learned that many of these ‘development’ problems are correlated, and that meaningful change often lies in governance reforms. The MPA at LSE (and Sciences Po) helped me clarify my purpose and connect key dots in my life: society’s development, business, and technology. A talk by Shantanu Bhagwat - who had served in the Indian Foreign Service before settling in London - at LSE introduced me to the Freedom Team of India (FTI). Their classical-liberal governance-reform agenda resonated deeply. I joined FTI and in 2013-14 helped found its political vehicle - Swarna Bharat Party, now – as our main vehicle for action.
The conviction in liberal principles also sharpened my entrepreneurial purpose. I view business as a way to add value to society, and profit (ethically generated) as its best measure (and even wrote an article arguing the point for Shantanu's blog while studying at LSE, entitled ). After MPA, I returned to India (Delhi) and re-joined my tech company (founded in 2002) while continuing to advance FTI’s mission. In 2010 I married my wife Ashu, and in 2011 we were blessed with our son, Kabir. So, many things happened quickly in those two years. As Ashu is also an entrepreneur and runs her interior design firm (for 20+ yrs now!) we are a business family – a change from my ‘service class’ background where my Dad was in government service and Mom was a housewife. I grew up with a negative outlook towards business .. so this has been a big change!
The two tracks - political and entrepreneurial - remain aligned around one common purpose: maximising value-added for society. Business takes most of my time at the moment, especially since I founded in 2023. KITES stands for 'Knowledge Innovation and Technology Ecosystem'. We are currently focusing on AI for Healthcare, especially Ophthalmology: Agentic AI bots, Medical Imaging, deep-tech R&D. We have European engagements and interests (including UK, Germany), so I should have greater opportunities to visit and engage with the SPP community going forward!
MPA gave clarity of purpose and has shaped the direction life has taken. I also cherish the friends I made and the time I spent in London and Paris. My MPA years are amongst the best ever, and I look forward to engaging with, contributing to and learning from the SPP community going forward as well.
Happy to connect on , email or WhatsApp! Please give me a shout if you are visiting India, especially Delhi or Bangalore!