Nikhil Kulkarni speaking on stage

Hi, I'm Nikhil.

Nice to meet you.


I create impact at the intersection of technology, community, and creativity.

I'm passionate about using technology for positive impact. I bring nearly two decades of technology leadership experience across Australia and India, with senior roles at Atlassian in Australia and Flipkart in India. Most recently, as founding Product Lead in Atlassian's Central AI team, I played a key role in launching Rovo, Atlassian's AI product, and taking it to enterprise customers at scale. With AI in particular, I think deeply about where it creates genuine value and how to keep the human element strong.

I strongly believe in paying it forward and bring impactful community leadership experience, currently bridging Australia and India across technology, talent, and culture. My work has been recognised through awards and leadership programs in both countries. I am an Ambassador of The LBW Trust, a cricket-based charity, and a former part-time Fellow at iSPIRT, the think tank behind India's Digital Public Infrastructure.

A curious creative at heart, my creative pursuits energise me as much as my professional ones. My book, My Summer of Cricket, has received widespread coverage and acclaim across the cricketing world. My opinion pieces on sport, technology, and culture have appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, and other major outlets. I enjoy trivia and have been on prestigious quiz shows like Mastermind and University Challenge.

Recent highlights

Update
Asian Australian Voices

Graduation Address, Asian Australian Voices

I completed the inaugural Asian Australian Voices programme, run by Asia Society Australia and supported by DFAT — and was honoured to speak on behalf of the cohort, reflecting on Care, Calibre, and Conviction.

In the Media
Frontlist

Author interview: what makes a true cricket fan?

Frontlist interviewed me about My Summer of Cricket — we talked cricket fandom, the magic of Test matches, the IPL's impact, and why the game captivates across generations.

Published
Sydney Morning Herald

The debate about Indian Australians has got it wrong

India is now Australia's largest migrant source — one of its most educated and economically productive communities. I wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald about why the current debate is fundamentally incoherent.

Speaking
Asia Society Australia & Ananta Aspen Centre

Speaking at the Australia-India Track 1.5 Strategic Dialogue

I was invited to speak at the Australia-India Strategic and Technology Track 1.5 Dialogue on Digital Public Infrastructure and AI — sharing three concrete use cases for deeper cooperation between our two countries.