Authors:
Dani Kalarikalayil Raju
How would you describe your current role at work?
I am a cofounder of Studio Hasi, a start-up working with nonprofit organizations and Indian communities to facilitate their participation in the design and deployment of advanced technologies.
What are you working on right now?
I am engaged in various collaborative projects with multiple universities. One of my ongoing research collaborations is with Swansea University in the U.K., where we codesign speech and voice-based interactions use cases and datasets for unwritten languages in India. This work involves traveling to and living with rural communities that primarily rely on oral traditions, as writing is not a part of their daily practice. These experiences have profoundly shaped my perspective as a designer by questioning my understanding of the role of written language, the richness of oral traditions, and how dominant languages often serve as tools of control and oppression of the voices of marginalized communities.
What inspired you to forge a career in HCI?
During my tenure as a software engineer at a multinational corporation in Bangalore, I gained experience in designing and developing digital infrastructures for institutions in developed countries. The exposure revealed a significant opportunity for a developing country like India to leapfrog in this domain using technology to address systemic challenges, alleviate poverty, and foster equitable living conditions. Motivated by this vision, I joined the IDC School of Design at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to study interaction design, where I was introduced to the field of HCI. This journey provided me with a foundation to explore innovative solutions at the intersection of design, technology, and societal impact.
How you are involved with SIGCHI and what got you into volunteering?
I currently serve as the associate chair for community support on the SIGCHI Executive Committee. I also served in the SIGCHI Chapters Committee as a member for the past three years and am currently the secretary of the Mumbai SIGCHI Chapter. I believe SIGCHI chapters offer an excellent platform to shape, build, and nurture connections within both local and global HCI communities. I am particularly passionate about creating opportunities for collaboration and learning for researchers from the Global South, recognizing that our lived realities and challenges often differ from those of other community members.
What is one thing you'd like to see happening with SIGCHI?
As a learning organization, SIGCHI should adapt itself for a wider participation in knowledge creation and actively explore innovative platforms for dissemination to foster a continuous learning experience. As a community, we must find ways to engage meaningfully with members, meeting them where they are in their journey. Building on our strong foundation of curatorship, we should collectively crystallize the values that have guided us to this point, ensuring that they remain central to our growth and evolution.
What is one thing you have gotten wrong about tech?
Not everyone is inclined to engage in the processes of technology creation. The self-efficacy of communities is often undermined by entrenched attitudes of servitude. Moreover, developing sustainable economic models to support community-centered technologies presents a far greater challenge than initially anticipated.
Is there a vision of the future that you had as a child that still persists?
As a child, inspired by sci-fi films, I often daydreamed about technologies that could make life better for the people around me. That passion remains alive today as I collaborate with others to envision and work toward a more hopeful and inclusive future.
Author
Dani Kalarikalayil Raju is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay doing HCI research in India. He is a cofounder of Studio Hasi, a start-up working with marginalized communities to facilitate their participation in the design and deployment of advanced technologies. [email protected]
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