From Social Impact to Global Recognition: Heritage Alumnus Souvik Ghosh Features in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2026
Kolkata : The corridors of Heritage Institute of Technology echoed with pride as Souvik Ghosh, alumnus of the Department of Applied Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering, was felicitated for earning a coveted place in the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list under the Social Impact category.
The felicitation ceremony was led by Pradip Agarwal, CEO, Heritage Group of Institutions, and Prof. Basab Chaudhuri, who congratulated the young innovator for bringing global recognition to his alma mater and inspiring a new generation of engineers and changemakers.
What makes Souvik’s journey particularly inspiring is that his commitment to social impact began during his student days at Heritage Institute of Technology. An active member of the Rotaract Club of Heritage Institute of Technology, he was deeply involved in community outreach programmes, CSR initiatives and social development activities, consistently using technology as a tool to solve real-world challenges.
During his undergraduate years, Souvik developed an innovative women’s safety application that attracted widespread attention and recognition from various government and innovation platforms in India. The project reflected his early passion for leveraging technology for public welfare, a vision that continues to define his entrepreneurial journey today.
After graduating from Heritage Institute of Technology, Souvik pursued his Master’s studies at International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad, where he further deepened his expertise in technology, artificial intelligence and innovation.
Today, Souvik is the co-founder of Cognitii, an AI-driven platform transforming special education through early screening, personalized learning systems, educator support tools and policy intelligence solutions. Cognitii focuses on supporting children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other learning challenges, helping schools create more inclusive and effective learning environments.
The venture was co-founded by Souvik along with Falguni Shrivastava and Jhillika Trisal. Together, the trio has built a socially impactful startup that is gaining recognition across India and internationally.
Adding another milestone to their remarkable journey, Cognitii recently won the prestigious Unlock Her Future Prize, securing a grant of USD 100,000 from global luxury retail group The Bicester Collection. Selected from more than 2,900 applications across over 40 countries, the startup was recognized for its groundbreaking work in strengthening inclusive education systems through artificial intelligence.
Congratulating Souvik, Mr. Pradip Agarwal stated that his achievement is a powerful example of how innovation combined with empathy can create meaningful social transformation. Prof. Basab Chaudhuri remarked that Souvik’s success reflects the values of excellence, leadership and social responsibility that Heritage seeks to instill in every student.
Addressing students during the felicitation, Souvik emphasized that impactful innovation begins with understanding societal challenges. He encouraged young engineers to pursue technology not merely as a profession but as a means to create positive change in people’s lives.
From leading social initiatives as a Rotaractor at Heritage, to building award-winning technology solutions, to being recognized among Asia’s most influential young leaders by Forbes, Souvik Ghosh’s journey stands as a powerful testament to the transformative potential of purpose-driven innovation.
“Being recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list is a humbling milestone, but the journey truly began at Heritage Institute of Technology. My years at Heritage taught me that technology has its greatest value when it solves real problems for real people. From participating in social initiatives through the Rotaract Club to developing my first technology solutions for societal challenges, the foundation of my entrepreneurial journey was laid right here.” said Souvik.
