India has emerged as one of the top applicant countries for the $1 million in Microsoft AI Innovator Global Scholarships that was launched by Women in Cloud as a part of its OPULIS, a landmark collector’s edition coffee table publication, that celebrates 50 women tech leaders, who have beeninstrumental in shaping Microsoft’s evolution over the decades into the AI era.

Microsoft AI Innovator Global Scholarships has already received more than 700 scholarship applications from 20+ countries, with the participating nations being Brazil, US, Nigeria, India, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Kenya, and Egypt. A high number of scholarship applications from India, underscores the country’s growing commitment to AI skilling, particularly among young professionals and women technologists aspiring to enter the global digital workforce.

OPULIS: Women Powering Microsoft’s Trillion-Dollar Shift, is endorsed by Microsoft and the Microsoft Alumni Network, the book chronicles leadership stories that have defined inclusive innovation at one of the world’s most influential technology companies.

In conjunction with the launch, Women in Cloud has announced $1 million worth of Microsoft AI Innovator Scholarships under its Book-to-Scholarship Model — a first-of-its-kind initiative that converts book ownership into direct career opportunities.

Commenting on the scholarship programme, Chaitra Vedullapalli, President of Women in Cloud and Executive Producer of OPULIS, said: “Electricity unlocked the industrial revolution, and AI is unlocking quantum progress. Through OPULIS, we are ensuring that access to AI careers and education isn’t limited to a few — it belongs to everyone, especially women ready to lead India’s digital future.”

By achieving 1,000 OPULIS book pre-orders, Women in Cloud successfully unlocked 100 AI Certification Scholarships, empowering learners with world-class Microsoft credentials that open doors to $70,000-per-year digital careers, creating $7 million in new annual wages and an estimated $21 million in total economic impact. “Electricity unlocked the industrial revolution and AI is unlocking quantum progress.

The ultimate goal of the OPULIS movement is to ignite 1,000 AI careers by 2030, fueled by book sponsorships, AI scholarship funds, and corporate grants proving that storytelling and access together can spark large-scale economic mobility.

By achieving 1,000 OPULIS book pre-orders globally, Women in Cloud has unlocked 100 Microsoft AI Certification Scholarships, helping learners acquire globally recognised credentials that can lead to ₹55–60 lakh per annum digital careers — generating over ₹60 crore in new economic value annually.

Five Indian women global tech leaders’ success stories and their journey has been captured in OPULIS that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Microsoft. The five Indian origin women leaders are Chaitra Vedullapalli, Monika Mital Gupta, Aparana Gupta, Sharmila Rathinam, and Nitasha Chopra — with Aparana Gupta, based in India, serving as Director of Engineering and Principal Software Engineering Manager at Microsoft.

OPULIS is available now in hardcover and digital formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and 4000 retailers worldwide. Every 10 books sold funds one AI Innovator Certification Scholarship.