Karuna Gopal is internationally renowned Thought Leader, ^{[1] [2]} Sustainability Leader and Advisor on Smart Cities from Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Her Initiative ‘SCULPT Your CITY “ has been recognized as a National Best Practice and has been showcased at the 100 Smart Cities Mission launched by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi ^[3] She was chosen as one of the 50 most talented green leaders by the world CSR Congress. ^{[4] [5]} Recently, she represented the Union Ministry of Urban Development as a speaker at the Smart Cities Session of COP 21, 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Paris. ^{[6] [7]}

Karuna Gopal was born on August 21, 1965 in an elite family at Machlipatnam, Krishna District in Indian state of united Andhra Pradesh, India. Her father, Sri V. Narayana Rao was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. ^[8] She was a national merit scholarship holder. ^[9] She is married to Gopal Krishna and has a son, Srinivas Vikram who is Autistic but with gifted abilities of painting. ^[10]

Karuna Gopal works in the field of Smart Cities ^[11] and has contributed to the 100 Smart Cities Mission of Government of India. ^{[12] [13]} She represented her views on green cities and sustainable cities at various events held at national and international levels ^{[14] [15] [16] [17]}

She was a speaker at World Economic Forum (WEF) Roundtable on Smart Cities & Urbanization, ^[18] National Geographic Roundtable on Air Pollution, ^[19] NASSCOM Leadership Summit, ^[20] Global India Business Meet: United Kingdom. ^[-1]

She was rewarded for excellence in area of projection and development of smart cities and smart city protocols at PRCI’s 9th Global Communication Conclave 2015 in New Delhi.

^[22] She was one of the panel speakers at Great Britain-India Business Convention which was held on 10 and 11 October 2014 at Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi.

^[23] She expresses her views through her articles in leading newspapers too.

^{[24] [25] [26]}

She serves on the International Jury for Intelligent City Awards instituted by the Intelligent Community Forum, New York, ^[27] an active member of CTBUH. ^[28] She is also an Advisory Board Member of "Green World City Organization" (Australia) and Advisory Board Member of Asia Pacific CXO Forum. ^[29]

She is the president of Foundation for Futuristic Cities in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

^{[30] [31]} It is an Urban Advisory services organization with a vision to transform Indian Cities into economically and digitally vibrant cities. Presently, FFC (Foundation for Futurisitic Cities) is working towards development of a Smart City Protocol for cities across India in collaboration with Technology, Government and Corporate Partners. ^[32]

She, as an IT evangelist, is also involved in exploring application of Big Data Analytics for Sustainable or Eco-cities. ^[33]

Karuna Gopal has received various awards.

Some of them are as follows: