At the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF), our mission to secure open source software is global—and nowhere is this more vital than in India, home to one of the largest and fastest-growing developer populations in the world. As open source contributions surge across the subcontinent, so too must awareness of secure development practices. That’s why we’re proud to support a dedicated India Initiative, led by OpenSSF’s community representative Ram Iyengar.
Join us in Hyderabad! We’re hosting OpenSSF Community Day India on August 4, 2025, alongside Open Source Summit India and KubeCon + CloudNativeCon India. This day-long event will bring together open source maintainers, developers, security experts, and community leaders to focus on what matters most: building a culture of secure open source software development in India.
👉 Register now – Limited spots available!
Why India, Why Now?
India is rapidly climbing the charts in terms of volume of open source contributions. But as Ram notes, “They were doing all of this with zero awareness of security.” There’s a pressing need to equip this incredible developer force with the tools, knowledge, and mindset to secure what they build—especially in an age of rapid innovation across AI, containers, and cloud-native development.
“When you have what some estimates say will be the largest developer population in the world, you really need to help them focus on security. And that’s what OpenSSF is here to help with.”
— Ram Iyengar, What’s in the SOSS? Podcast Episode #35
In this episode, Ram shares his personal journey—from professor to developer advocate—and outlines the challenges and opportunities in evangelizing security to India’s vibrant open source scene. It’s an inspiring listen packed with humor, insight, and motivation.
Bringing the Message Home
At this year’s OpenSSF Community Day North America, Ram took the stage to share a deeply personal and powerful talk titled “Evangelizing Security in India: Fears, Tears, and a Billion Deaf Ears.” With humor and honesty, he captured the uphill journey of trying to make security a priority in a community driven by speed and innovation.
“There was no trusting, collective space for engineers to gather around security… It left me in fear of what was going to happen if the community did not come together.”
— Ram Iyengar, OpenSSF Community Day NA 2025
🎥 Watch Ram’s talk on YouTube.
Building Together
Thanks to ongoing support from the Linux Foundation, the CNCF, and partners across academia, industry, and government, LF India is gaining traction. From online video series to local meetups and major regional events, Ram and the OpenSSF are working to foster a stronger, more informed community—one focused on security as a shared responsibility.
If you’re in or near India this August, don’t miss this chance to connect with the growing security-minded open source community in the region.
🎟️ Secure your spot at OpenSSF Community Day India📍 August 4, 2025 | Hyderabad, India