Smriti Parsheera is a lawyer and digital policy researcher studying the governance of digital technologies and their interaction with society. Her research focuses on digital access, privacy, data governance, digital public infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. She is also the editor of the book Private and Controversial, which explores the intersection of public health and privacy.

Ambassador Project

Smriti’s research project, Pinging Paradise, studied the lived experiences of digital and financial inclusion in the remote Himalayan district of Lahaul-Spiti in northern India.

In addition to this research, she worked with the Interledger team to design and execute their inaugural Call for Papers initiative, helping create opportunities for more researchers to contribute perspectives on digital financial inclusion.

What Inspired Her Work

"Understanding how different communities, particularly marginalized groups, access and engage with digital financial services is an important piece of the puzzle."

Her project was motivated by a desire to deepen knowledge about digital inclusion among India’s tribal populations, using her native region of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh as a case study.

Vision for the Future

"The future of financial inclusion must be rooted in an awareness of the diverse financial needs and digital capabilities of individuals belonging to different population groups."

Her research highlights the importance of grounding financial inclusion efforts in the lived realities and local practices of the communities they aim to serve.

Read her contributions

https://community.interledger.org/smrpar