AI is Inevitable: Akhil Lalit Chandna’s Journey and Mission to Build in Mumbai 🇮🇳
Shuwei Guo
Thu, 11 Dec 2025 07:54:46 GMT
<p>Mumbai, India, is buzzing with a new kind of energy - the sound of builders creating the future of Artificial Intelligence. Leading the charge is <strong>Akhil Lalit Chandna</strong>, a Product Manager by trade and a community builder by passion.</p><p>In this article, we profile Akhil, a Build Club City Lead, building an accessible local AI community driven by his conviction that “AI is inevitable.” Akhil focuses on combating AI ignorance via tailored learning on Build Club’s e-learning campus. His work directs Mumbai’s entrepreneurial spirit, shifting AI enthusiasts from curiosity to creation.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{"url":"https://buildclub.substack.com/subscribe?","text":"Subscribe","language":"en"}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Build Club Wrapped! 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eukO!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ff4ce5e-168d-42a4-b680-4dba0893e146_887x1002.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eukO!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ff4ce5e-168d-42a4-b680-4dba0893e146_887x1002.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eukO!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ff4ce5e-168d-42a4-b680-4dba0893e146_887x1002.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eukO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ff4ce5e-168d-42a4-b680-4dba0893e146_887x1002.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img 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0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h2><strong>A Personal Calling: The Inevitable Future</strong></h2><p>Akhil’s deep involvement with AI was less about a career pivot and more about profound personal conviction. For him, the decision to build a community was a <strong>necessity</strong> - a natural progression driven by his belief in the technology’s trajectory. This excitement for the field is the core of his work:</p><blockquote><p>“AI is inevitable. That single thought makes me want to get up every single day and work my hardest. I’m lucky to be privileged enough to know as deeply about it as I’m able to, which is when Build Club came along, it became a natural progression.”</p></blockquote><p>This conviction channels the city’s famous hustle into a singular, powerful mission: to create a space where AI enthusiasts can move from curiosity to creation. He now serves as the City Lead, using this platform to share his excitement and drive the mission forward.The Challenge and the Win: Imparting Knowledge</p><p>Akhil notes that the primary hurdle in his journey has been the <strong>“lack of awareness for understanding the technology better,”</strong> a challenge that has shaped his personal commitment to education and empowerment.</p><p>The greatest measure of success for Akhil is making a tangible impact on individuals’ lives through AI education. When asked about his proudest moment, his answer is a testament to this dedication: <strong>“Imparting knowledge to 100+ learners to date.”</strong> This achievement underscores the value of providing accessible, high-quality AI education that turns passive observers into active builders - a key motivation in his AI journey.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg" width="1456" height="819" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":819,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":null,"alt":"","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Igz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07758c9d-d108-4cc9-ab3a-b49f2a2423dd_1600x900.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" style="height:20px;width:20px" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Ankil hosting the first <a href="https://buildclub.ai/">Build Club </a>Mumbai session!</figcaption></figure></div><h2><strong>Tailoring the Experience & The Power of Partnerships</strong></h2><p>Translating personal excitement into a thriving community requires a thoughtful, adaptive strategy. Akhil and his team have developed a method to ensure every learning experience delivers maximum value:</p><blockquote><p><strong>Tailored Experiences:</strong> “There’s a method which is a combination of typical process and a dynamic learning rubric. The dynamic learning rubric has helped us create experiences tailored to the participants.” This helps overcome the initial barrier of “lack of awareness” by making complex topics digestible and practical.</p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote><p><strong>Securing Support:</strong> The ability to secure meaningful partnerships is crucial. Akhil’s strategy has leveraged the power of professional networking: “LinkedIn outreach has been very helpful. Many of our partner network is via LinkedIn.” This ensures sponsors are genuine partners who believe in the mission.</p></blockquote><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg" width="1200" height="1075" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1075,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":271549,"alt":"","title":null,"type":"image/jpeg","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null,"isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BQJg!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e8d3d96-d0c6-4343-b13a-736a8a1ee62d_1200x1075.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" style="height:20px;width:20px" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h2><strong>Setting the Bar High: What’s Next</strong></h2><p>Looking ahead, Akhil is particularly excited about the shift from AI as a tool to AI as infrastructure - what he calls “Phase 2 AI.” His vision centers on practical, sustainable automation that transforms how businesses operate fundamentally rather than just adding features.</p><p>With a strong foundation built on personal conviction, education, and tailored experiences, Akhil is looking to scale his impact dramatically. He has set an ambitious goal for the community’s future:</p><blockquote><p><strong>“50+ events in 2026 is what we want to do!”</strong></p></blockquote><p>This commitment to frequent, high-impact events signals a major expansion, cementing his role as a central figure for AI innovation and learning in India.Advice for the AI Builder</p><p>For anyone looking to get involved in the AI revolution, Akhil offers a simple, timely piece of advice that captures the current moment:</p><blockquote><p><strong>“Now is the time people would be happy to see you and join!”</strong></p></blockquote><p>With the AI landscape evolving at a breakneck pace, the opportunity to build a community and shape the future is now. Akhil Lalit Chandna is proving that with passion, a clear mission, and a focus on the builder, the inevitable future of AI is being built today<br><br>👉 Connect with <strong>Akhil Lalit Chandna</strong> on<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/aecee/"> LinkedIn</a> and keep an eye out for more Mumbai events!</p><h2><strong>Community Events</strong></h2><p>Want to get in on the action our city leads are running?, Build Club has launched in several new cities around the world, including: Singapore, New York, San Francisco, Wollongong, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.</p><p>Explore our global events calendar: <a href="https://lu.ma/buildercommunityanz">https://lu.ma/buildercommunityanz</a></p><h2><strong>Get access to our platform</strong></h2><p>We have begun to take 100 people off our waitlist every week. You can bypass this by joining here as a newsletter subscriber if you are not in the waitlist ;)</p><p>See you next time!</p><p>Build Club Team!</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{"url":"https://buildclub.substack.com/subscribe?","text":"Subscribe","language":"en"}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Build Club Wrapped! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email…" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>