Ketan Mohitkar
Ketan Mohitkar is an Indian social entrepreneur, educationist, startup mentor, and Change Maker known for his contributions to innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship development, technical education, and citizen-driven governance initiatives in India. He currently serves as the Member Secretary of the Indian Council for Technical Research and Development and is associated with several startup, incubation, and educational initiatives based in Nagpur.
Mohitkar is recognized for organizing innovation-focused initiatives such as Nagpur Startup Fest, Innovators Meet, Citizen Hackathon, and ICTRD Round Table Forums, which aim to strengthen collaboration among academia, industry, government institutions, and startups. He is also known for promoting the concept of “Sociotechnical” development, advocating the ethical and inclusive use of technology for social welfare and grassroots empowerment.
Early Life and Background
Ketan Mohitkar was born on 27 October 1984 in Yavatmal. He was raised in a family associated with administration and public service. His father, Dr. Pandharinath Mohitkar, served as a Class-I
government officer, while his mother, Alka Mohitkar, is a homemaker.
He is married to Vidya Mohitkar, who is associated with the National Academy of Defence Productions under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
Mohitkar is also the great-grandson of former Wani MLA Vitthalrao Gohokar, popularly known as Nanasaheb Gohokar. According to biographical accounts, he was exposed to political and public-policy discussions from an early age through interactions with leaders including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sudhakarrao Naik and veteran leader Jawaharlal Darda.
Education
Ketan Mohitkar pursued higher education in management, information technology, and socio-technical studies. His academic qualifications include:
Doctorate in Information Technology and Socio-Technical Studies
Project Management Professional Program from Indian Institute of Management Indore
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Computer Applications (MCA) from Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University
Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) from RTM Nagpur University
C-DAC Certification from Rajarambapu Institute of Technology
Career
Ketan Mohitkar began his professional journey in the field of information technology and entrepreneurship by establishing India Active Software at the IT Park in Nagpur. During the early phase of his career, he worked on software development, digital solutions, and technology-driven business initiatives. Alongside his entrepreneurial activities, he actively contributed to strengthening the regional IT ecosystem by connecting technology professionals, startups, and local software companies through collaborative initiatives and networking platforms.
His organizational and strategic abilities later brought him into political and public outreach activities. The Bharatiya Janata Party appointed him as the President of the BJP IT Cell for the South-West Nagpur Assembly constituency, represented at the time by Devendra Fadnavis. Mohitkar and his associates formally joined the party during an induction event attended by Fadnavis.
Following his work in digital campaign management and organizational outreach, Mohitkar was later elevated as the City President of the BJP IT Cell in Nagpur. During this period, he worked closely with Nitin Gadkari and became associated with intellectual, professional, and innovation-oriented gatherings across the city.
He developed networks among IT professionals, startup founders, youth entrepreneurs, academicians, and civic stakeholders, becoming known for promoting technology-led innovation and entrepreneurship discussions. His involvement in election strategy, digital coordination, public communication, and technology-enabled outreach strengthened his reputation as an organizer and strategist.
Mohitkar later transitioned toward institution-building and innovation ecosystem development through his role as Member Secretary of the Indian Council for Technical Research and Development. Under his leadership and involvement, ICTRD expanded activities across India in areas such as technical education, startup ecosystem development, citizen innovation, research collaborations, entrepreneurship promotion, and skill development initiatives.
Positions Held
Member Secretary – Indian Council for Technical Research and Development
Director – Confederation of Indian Innovators and Incubators (CIII)
Founder – India Active Software
Innovation and Public Initiatives
Nagpur Startup Fest
Ketan Mohitkar gained recognition as the Convenor of Nagpur Startup Fest, regarded as one of the major startup and innovation initiatives in Central India. The event was designed to connect startups, investors, incubators, government institutions, students, and entrepreneurs within a unified innovation ecosystem.
The festival hosted startup exhibitions, investor networking sessions, mentoring programs, technology showcases, entrepreneurship workshops, and panel discussions. Participants represented sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, fintech, education, technology, and social entrepreneurship.
The initiative contributed toward positioning Nagpur as an emerging startup and innovation hub.
Innovators Meet
Innovators Meet was conceptualized to create direct engagement between grassroots innovators, startup founders, policymakers, and researchers. Through this initiative, innovators were provided opportunities to present ideas and discuss policy-related challenges directly with senior government leadership, including the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
The platform focused on innovation adoption, startup collaboration, and policy dialogue between public institutions and emerging entrepreneurs.
Citizen Hackathon
Under ICTRD’s citizen participation framework, Mohitkar promoted the Citizen Hackathon initiative to encourage collaborative solutions for civic and urban challenges.
The platform invited students, IT professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, senior citizens, and social workers to contribute ideas and technology-driven solutions related to governance, transportation, healthcare, digital access, sanitation, and urban infrastructure.
The initiative reflected Mohitkar’s belief that innovation should emerge not only from institutions but also through active citizen participation.
Social Media Fan Fest
Ketan Mohitkar also conceptualized and organized the Social Media Fan Fest, among the early large-scale creator and influencer-oriented events in Central India.
One of the major editions was held at the Mankapur Indoor Stadium and featured digital creators, performers, motivational speakers, fitness experts, and youth influencers. Participants included Ranveer Allahbadia, Gaurav Taneja, Pooja Sachdeva, Amandeep Singh, Sushant Ghadge, Kuhu Gracia, Gurashish Singh, Rakesh Tiwari, Shweta Mehta, Viraj Ghelani, Raunak Ramteke, and Shreya Jain.
The event focused on digital culture, online branding, content creation, influencer networking, and youth engagement.
Round Table Forums on Viksit Bharat 2047
Through the Indian Council for Technical Research and Development, Ketan Mohitkar organized several Round Table Forums dedicated to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
These forums brought together experts from academia, startups, healthcare, governance, law enforcement, education, and industry to discuss long-term strategies for India’s development. Discussions focused on innovation-led growth, entrepreneurship, sustainable urban development, citizen participation, and the role of Tier-II cities in India’s future economic transformation.
Educational and Social Initiatives
A major part of Mohitkar’s work has focused on educational access and skill development for underprivileged youth. Through institutional and community-driven programs, he has supported:
Digital literacy initiatives
Career counseling sessions
Entrepreneurship awareness programs
Skill development workshops
Free educational guidance for rural and economically weaker communities
His work is closely associated with his “Sociotechnical” philosophy, which emphasizes balancing technological advancement with societal welfare and inclusive development.
Political and Digital Strategy Involvement
Between 2013 and 2019, Mohitkar served as the President of the BJP Information Technology Cell in Nagpur. In this role, he worked on digital outreach, campaign strategy, volunteer coordination, election management, and technology-enabled political communication.
He was associated with digital campaign initiatives involving senior leaders including Nitin Gadkari and Devendra Fadnavis. His campaign-related work was reportedly referenced in the documentary project The Great Indian Election by National Geographic.
Sociotechnical Philosophy
Ketan Mohitkar is known for advocating the concept of “Sociotechnical” development, a philosophy centered on balancing technological advancement with social welfare and ethical responsibility.
According to Mohitkar, technological progress should not remain limited to urban or privileged communities but should be accessible to rural populations, economically weaker sections, and underserved groups. Through his initiatives in education, innovation, and entrepreneurship, he has consistently emphasized the ethical use of technology for social transformation, grassroots empowerment, and inclusive growth.
His sociotechnical approach focuses on ensuring that innovation contributes directly to community development, digital inclusion, and sustainable social progress.
Awards and Recognition
Ketan Mohitkar has received several awards and recognitions for his contributions to innovation, entrepreneurship, and education, including:
Pillars of Maharashtra Award (2022)
Mayor Innovation Award (2019)
Indian Icon for Innovation Award (2024)
He has also been felicitated by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and recognized by institutions including Indian Institute of Information Technology Nagpur and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Areas of Work
Ketan Mohitkar is associated with work related to:
Educational access and skill development
Startup mentoring and entrepreneurship promotion
Innovation ecosystem development
Technology-driven governance initiatives
Citizen participation models
Technical education reforms
Digital inclusion and social innovation
Personal Life
Ketan Mohitkar is based in Nagpur and remains actively involved in educational, startup, innovation, and civic engagement initiatives across India.
Social Media Links
Website: www.ketanmohitkar.in
Organizational website: www.ictrd.org
Instagram: @ketanmohitkarofficial
LinkedIn: Ketan Mohitkar LinkedIn Profile
X (Twitter): @KetanMohitkar
Facebook: Ketan Mohitkar Official