Democratizing Justice: INK Fellow Sachin Malhan Fosters Innovation Through Collaboration and Human Connections

Sachin Malhan, co-founder of Agami (agami.in), an ecosystem fostering innovation for equitable justice in India, navigates the world with insatiable curiosity and a refusal to be pigeonholed. For Sachin, life is a journey of exploration and creation, though he distances himself from the label of a serial entrepreneur. “I try to sample life as broadly as I possibly can,” he explains.

An INK Fellow from the first cohort in 2010, Sachin does not conform to a singular path, finding value in an eclectic mix of influences and ideas. “We tend to become siloed,” he observes. “But when you extend your range of experiences and draw from many sources, it yields extraordinary results. This diversity is what drew me to INK—the kaleidoscope of innovators and experiences that INK showcases.”

Sachin’s first venture, Law School Tutorials, was a test prep platform for law schools. Precious learnings followed as he visited nearly 50 tier 1, 2, and 3 cities in the early 2000s. “So many students, especially from rural areas, dreamed of law school but lacked the resources,” he recalls. “Others needed people to believe in their potential. So this became more than a business; empowering them and being a friend to them became as integral to my work as the tutorials.”

By the time Agami was founded, Sachin had learned that solving complex problems requires collaborative effort and diverse actors working within a trusting and creative ecosystem. “A central principle of Agami is taking responsibility for the future. That’s what Agami Karma is all about—that your actions today have consequences for the future.”

Revolutionizing the Legal System

Innovation in the justice sector has been slow to come. Agami’s mission is to change this. Its Make for Justice program has created the world’s largest Online Dispute Resolution ecosystem, resolving millions of disputes efficiently. This platform has been adopted by the judiciary and government bodies, leading to a surge in ODR startups. Agami has successfully advocated for a new vision for Phase III of the e-courts policy for digital transformation. Its collaborative initiative, PUCAR, is developing solutions like virtual judges’ assistants and AI-powered chatbots. OpenNyai—a community of legal professionals, data scientists, and artists designing AI applications and promoting ethical AI design—is Agami’s mission to harness AI for Justice.

Sachin’s positivity is infectious. As an entrepreneur, his belief in the power of genuine human connection is at the core of every venture. “It is essential, as an individual and in your work, to be present and value the people around you,” he explains. For Malhan, success isn’t measured solely by financial metrics. “I’ve always wanted to do work that transforms lives,” he says. “I wish that for everyone—a sense of joy in how creative your work can be and how it impacts others.”