Digital

“Amara.ai’s solutions are designed with scalability at their core”: Vikas Kakkar

Published

2 years ago

June 3, 2024

Mumbai: Amara is an embodied chatbot powered by Artificial Intelligence. Founded in 2016 with an idea to automate HR processes, Amara began with a recruitment automation product – HireXP and served as a voice-based feature that constantly kept asking candidates relevant questions throughout their recruitment cycle. It successfully predicted which candidates would join after accepting an offer letter. Later in 2019, it was extended to employee engagement strategies when Amara was conceived as an AI chatbot.

Employees are the biggest assets for any business organisation. In this increasingly growing war for talent, every employer wants to attract, grow and retain the best industry talent. However, highly productive and engaged employees do not come easy and HRs have to invest heavily into strategic recruitment tools and processes. Considering this scenario, Amara was launched to transform the employee experience with an AI chatbot to predict, engage and nurture employees’ lifecycles to future proof the business growth.

Indiantelevision.com caught up with Amara AI co-founder & CEO Vikas Kakkar, where he shared invaluable insights into the innovative approach and impactful mission driving this company.

Edited excerpts

On the development of Amara as an AI-powered chatbot for HR processes, and its evolution since 2016

The inspiration behind the development of Amara as an AI-powered chatbot was to revolutionize the employee experience through enhanced engagement strategies. Amara has evolved into an intelligent chatbot specifically designed to boost employee engagement within organizations.

Since its inception, Amara has seen significant evolution and has proven highly successful in its purpose. Originally founded to develop an interactive AI chatbot, our HRTech company has prioritized streamlining interactions and automating tasks related to employee engagement. Amara simplifies these processes and delivers valuable real-time insights into workforce sentiment. By utilizing our chatbot, companies can gain a deep understanding of their employees’ experiences, pinpoint the root causes of disengagement, and enable proactive measures to address concerns and effectively manage employee satisfaction.

Our ultimate goal remains to support businesses in fostering a positive work environment, with Amara serving as a powerful tool in achieving this objective.

On explaining your engagagement with employees throughout their lifecycle within an organization

Amara.ai engages with employees throughout their lifecycle within an organization by facilitating continuous, personalized interactions tailored to key milestones in their workplace journey. From the moment an employee joins, Amara begins its engagement by supporting a smooth onboarding process. This includes providing essential information and promptly answering any questions to help new hires integrate seamlessly into the company culture.

As employees progress, Amara initiates scheduled check-ins at critical intervals, such as 30 days, 60 days, and beyond, to assess their adjustment and satisfaction levels. These regular interactions help in gathering valuable feedback and addressing any emerging concerns early on.

Even during the exit stage, Amara conducts thoughtful exit interviews and gathers departing feedback to ensure a smooth transition and to collect insights that drive ongoing organizational improvements. This comprehensive approach not only enriches the employee experience but also equips HR teams with crucial data to refine their engagement and retention strategies effectively.

On specific features you offer to enhance employee engagement, well-being, and diversity within the workplace

Amara.ai offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance employee engagement and well-being within the workplace. Through AI-driven personalized interactions, Amara ensures that every employee feels valued and heard from the moment they onboard. This personal touch helps in creating a welcoming and supportive work environment.

Amara conducts regular well-being assessments to monitor factors such as stress levels, job satisfaction, and work-life balance. These assessments provide HR teams with the data necessary to implement targeted initiatives aimed at improving overall employee well-being.

In terms of promoting workplace diversity, Amara analyzes engagement data across various demographics to identify any disparities. This analysis helps in understanding diverse employee experiences and shaping initiatives that support an inclusive work environment.

Additionally, Amara offers a platform for real-time feedback, enabling organizations to address employee concerns promptly and effectively, which is crucial for maintaining high levels of satisfaction and engagement.

By leveraging these features, Amara.ai not only boosts employee engagement but also supports a healthier, more inclusive workplace. This strategic approach ensures that all employees feel supported and motivated throughout their tenure at the company.

On the scalability of Amara’s solutions, particularly in catering to organizations ranging from startups to large enterprises with thousands of employees

Amara.ai’s solutions are designed with scalability at their core, making them suitable for organizations of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises with thousands of employees. For startups and small businesses, Amara offers an affordable, subscription-based model that provides access to advanced AI-powered employee engagement tools without significant upfront costs. As these organizations grow, Amara’s flexible infrastructure allows for seamless scaling, ensuring that the platform can handle increasing data volumes and user interactions efficiently. For larger enterprises, Amara’s robust analytics and customizable features cater to the complex needs of diverse and expansive workforces. The platform’s ability to integrate with existing HR systems and software ensures smooth implementation and operation, regardless of the organization’s size. Additionally, Amara’s advanced algorithms and real-time data processing capabilities enable it to provide actionable insights and personalized interactions at scale. This adaptability and scalability ensure that Amara can effectively support the engagement, well-being, and diversity initiatives of any organization, fostering a positive and productive workplace culture as they grow.

On planning to utilize the company’s current revenue and headcount growth to drive future market penetration

We plan to leverage Amara.ai’s current revenue and headcount growth to drive future market penetration through several strategic initiatives. Firstly, we will invest in advanced research and development to enhance our AI capabilities and introduce innovative features that meet the evolving needs of our clients. This continuous innovation will help us stay ahead in the competitive HR technology landscape. Secondly, we aim to expand our sales and marketing teams to reach new markets and increase brand awareness. By building a strong global presence, we can attract a diverse range of customers and establish Amara.ai as a leader in employee engagement solutions. Additionally, we will focus on forging strategic partnerships with key players in the HR and technology sectors, allowing us to integrate our solutions into a broader ecosystem and offer added value to our clients. Lastly, we will prioritize customer success by expanding our support and service teams, ensuring that our clients receive exceptional assistance and derive maximum benefit from our platform. By aligning our growth strategies with these key areas, we are confident in our ability to drive market penetration and achieve sustained success in the global market.

On the key priorities and milestones that Amara aims to achieve in the upcoming fiscal year

In the upcoming fiscal year, Amara is excited to introduce several innovative features designed to enhance user experience and drive employee engagement. Among these new features are advanced AI-powered analytics that provides deeper insights into employee sentiment, customizable dashboards for tailored reporting, and enhanced web app functionality to ensure seamless access on the go. Additionally, we are thrilled to announce our strategic expansion into the African market. Recognizing the immense potential and dynamic growth of this region, we aim to bring our cutting-edge employee engagement solutions to businesses across Africa, helping them to foster a more engaged and productive workforce. Our commitment to innovation and global expansion underscores our dedication to sustaining Amara’s rapid growth and delivering exceptional value to our clients worldwide

Digital

Bartronics India unveils AI-powered voice app to scale agritech platform

Published

3 weeks ago

February 6, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

HYDERABAD: Bartronics India Limited is stepping up its agritech ambitions with plans to launch a voice-first, multilingual AI-powered application in March, following a successful pilot across Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

The pilot phase saw strong engagement from farmers, supported by assured produce off-take through partnerships with SNN and Origo Commodities. Drawing on on-ground feedback, the company is now upgrading the platform to enable deeper interaction, data-driven intelligence and scalable adoption across rural markets.

At the heart of the revamp is AI-enabled voice interaction in major regional languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu and Kannada. The voice recognition and conversational agent framework is being developed by Ampivo Smart Technologies, aimed at transforming the app into an intuitive digital assistant for farmers.

Once launched, the platform will offer voice navigation, real-time alerts, contextual advisories, educational tools and interactive knowledge support, designed to improve decision-making across the agricultural value chain.

The application will also capture consent-led farmer data to connect users with electronic mandis and wider marketplaces, while enabling participation in sustainability-linked initiatives such as carbon credit programmes.

Bartronics India managing director Vidhya Sagar Reddy, said the voice-first approach reflects how rural communities naturally engage with technology and forms the foundation of a broader rural intelligence layer under Project Avio Agritech. The company aims to onboard 20 million farmers over the next three years.

Bartronics India currently operates across nearly 5,000 villages, delivering last-mile banking and digital financial services, and is expanding into integrated agritech and agri-trade solutions through its Project Avio platform.

Digital

Messi magic kicks off in India as immersive football experience lands

Published

3 weeks ago

February 5, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When football dreams need a passport, Lionel Messi is ready to stamp it. The Messi Experience – A Dream Come True, the internationally touring immersive exhibition dedicated to one of sport’s most influential figures, is heading to India this March as part of its 2026 world tour. After successful runs across Buenos Aires, Puerto Rico, Panama, Beijing, Chicago, Mexico City, Miami, Los Angeles and São Paulo, the exhibition will make its India debut in Mumbai on March 20, 2026, before moving to Bengaluru from June 19, 2026. The shows will be staged at Century Mills in Lower Parel, Mumbai, and Bhartiya City Mall in Bengaluru.

Produced and promoted by Bookmyshow Live, the experience promises to pull fans inside Messi’s journey, not just his match highlights. “I am thrilled to see this project come to life and bring fans even closer to me both on and off the field,” Messi said, adding that the exhibition would allow Indian fans to relive the most unforgettable moments of his career.

Designed as a 75-minute, multi-sensory walkthrough, the exhibition unfolds across nine themed zones, blending artificial intelligence, immersive environments and exclusive content. Visitors can train like Messi, step into recreated match moments and explore personal stories that shaped his rise from his early days in Rosario to lifting the World Cup trophy in Qatar.

Bookmyshow chief business officer for live events Naman Pugalia said the India debut marks a milestone for football fandom in the country. He described Messi as a global cultural icon whose story transcends sport, adding that the exhibition reflects the company’s ambition to bring world-class immersive entertainment to Indian audiences.

Beyond the storytelling, the experience also features an official merchandise store and an activation zone, extending engagement beyond the exhibition halls. Whether for lifelong fans or first-time followers, The Messi Experience aims to turn football history into a walk-in memory, one that lets India play along with a living legend.

Digital

Work stress tops India’s mental health talk, not heartbreak or headlines

Published

3 weeks ago

February 5, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When India opens up about mental health, the conversation keeps clocking in at work. A new conversation analysis by Consuma, an AI-native consumer insights platform, shows that workplace pressures are the most frequently discussed trigger in online conversations around mental health awareness in India. The study analysed 136,695 public conversations across Twitter, Reddit, Youtube and Instagram between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Within a focused subset of 20,272 conversations that explicitly discussed what triggers mental health awareness, nearly half 49.72 per cent pointed to work-related stressors, making employment the single largest trigger category online.

The findings echo concerns flagged at the policy level. India’s Economic Survey 2024–25 has already warned that hostile work environments and long working hours can hurt mental wellbeing and productivity. Online conversations suggest employees are feeling the strain long before policy catches up.

Among work-related triggers, poor work–life balance dominates the discussion at 24.37 per cent, followed by general workplace stress at 21.85 per cent and toxic work culture at 15.90 per cent. Long working hours account for 9.57 per cent of mentions, while job insecurity features in 7.50 per cent.

The numbers are backed by sharp, candid commentary. One user writes, “Most Indian employers overcomplicate employee wellness. Let people work async. Let them go for a run in the afternoon. Let them sleep in when their body needs it.”

Consuma notes that these findings apply only to conversations that explicitly discuss triggers for mental health awareness, not the entire universe of mental health discussions online.

The data shows that mental health discourse in India is overwhelmingly driven by adults in their prime working years. People aged 25–34 contribute 50.51 per cent of conversations, while those aged 35–44 account for 34.35 per cent. Together, they represent 84.86 per cent of the discussion.

Work stress, however, is not acting alone. Societal and educational pressures make up 33.98 per cent of trigger conversations, including societal expectations (14.42 per cent), academic pressure (13.92 per cent) and parental pressure (6.09 per cent). One widely echoed sentiment reads, “Indian parents will raise you with a roof over your head, food in your stomach, and shame in your soul.”

Taken together, the data points to a compounding “pressure stack” faced by working-age Indians balancing career demands alongside cultural expectations, education-linked anxiety and family pressure, all while chasing conventional life milestones.

Interestingly, the conversation is not limited to venting. Of the 26,311 conversations analysed for broader mental health themes, discussion is almost evenly split between core challenges (48.05 per cent) and solutions or support systems (43.81 per cent).

Mental health crises dominate the challenge cluster at 32.58 per cent, followed by stigma and lack of awareness at 20.27 per cent. On the solutions side, people lean towards culturally familiar, self-directed approaches rather than institutional pathways. Holistic practices such as music therapy and spiritual wisdom account for 17.34 per cent, practical stress management for 13.72 per cent, celebrity-led awareness for 7.64 per cent and government initiatives for 6.51 per cent.

The shift suggests that people are not only asking “what’s wrong?” but increasingly “what can I do?”even if the answers remain personal and decentralised.

Consuma’s analysis also zooms in on women’s health conversations, where mental wellbeing outweighs physical health topics. Among 1,934 women’s health conversations analysed, mental health accounts for 51.14 per cent, surpassing reproductive and gynaecological health at 37.07 per cent.

Younger adults dominate this space, with 18–44-year-olds contributing over 81 per cent of the discussion. In women’s health awareness triggers (3,489 conversations), societal factors lead at 45.2 per cent, closely followed by mental health drivers at 41.7 per cent.

Healthcare-related challenges appear less frequently at 7.4 per cent, but the tone is striking. Misdiagnosis and medical gaslighting recur as trust-breaking themes. One user notes: “Going to doctors is useless in India as a woman. First, they tell you to lose weight… Then they tell you that you are imagining it or that you are sensitive.”

The report was generated using Consuma’s AI-powered Rapid Research Platform. The dataset was cleaned for noise and duplicates and classified using a multi-coding methodology. Source-wise, the conversations came from Youtube (77,544), Twitter (41,121), Reddit (9,283) and Instagram (8,747).

In a digital space often crowded with noise, the findings paint a consistent picture, for India’s online audience, mental health conversations begin not in therapy rooms or hospitals, but at the workplace and the clock is still ticking.