India’s Technological Progress

Few days ago, India placed 36 satellites in space simultaneously. This success was achieved just a day before Diwali, in a way, it is a special Diwali gift from our youth to the country. With this launching, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Kohima, in the whole country, digital connectivity will be further strengthened.

With the help of this, even the remotest areas will be more easily connected with the rest of the country. When the country is self-reliant, it reaches new heights of success – this is also an example of this.

While talking to you, I also remember those old days, when India was denied the Cryogenic Rocket Technology. But the scientists of India not only developed indigenous technology, but today with the help of it, dozens of satellites are being sent to space simultaneously.

With this launching, India has emerged as a strong player in the global commercial market…with this, new doors of opportunities have also opened up for India.

Friends, our country, which is moving with the resolve of a developed India, can achieve its goals only with the efforts of everyone. Earlier in India, the space sector was confined within the purview of government systems. Since, the space sector was opened for India’s youth and revolutionary changes have started coming in it. Indian industries and start-ups are engaged in bringing new innovations and new technologies in this field. In particular, the collaboration of IN-SPACe is going to make a big difference in this area.

Non-government companies are also getting the facility to launch their payloads and satellites through IN-SPACe. I would urge more and more Start-ups and Innovators to take full advantage of these huge opportunities being created in India in the space sector.

My dear countrymen, when it comes to students, youth power, leadership power, so many outdated stereotypes have become ingrained in our minds. Many times we see that when student power is referred to, its scope is limited by linking it with the student union elections. But the scope of student power is very big, very vast.

Student power is the basis of making India powerful. After all, it’s the youth of today, who will take care today will take India till 2047. When India celebrates her centenary, this power of youth, their hard work, their sweat, their talent, will take India to the heights that the country is resolving today. The way our youth of today are working for the country, and have joined nation building, makes me filled with confidence. The way our youth solve problems in hackathons, stay awake all night and work for hours, is very inspiring. A hackathon held in recent years, with lakhs of youth of the country, together have solved many challenges; have given new solutions to the country.

Friends, you may remember, I had called for ‘Jai Anusandhan’ from the Red Fort. I had also talked about making this decade the Techade of India. I loved seeing this; our IIT’s students have also taken over its command. On 14-15 October, all 23 IITs came on one platform for the first time to showcase their innovations and research projects. In this fair, students and researchers who came from all over the country, displayed more than 75 best projects.

Healthcare, Agriculture, Robotics, Semiconductors, 5G Communications, these projects were made on many such themes. Although all these projects were one better than the other, I want to draw your attention to some projects.

For example, a team from IIT Bhubaneswar has developed a portable ventilator for new born babies. It runs on battery and can be used easily in remote areas. This can prove to be very helpful in saving the lives of babies who are born prematurely.

Be it electric mobility, drone technology, 5G, many of our students are engaged in developing new technology related to them. Several IITs are also working together on a multilingual project that makes learning local languages easier. This project will help the new National Education Policy a lot in achieving those goals as well.

You will also be happy to know that IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur have played a leading role in preparing India’s indigenous 5G testbed. This is certainly a great start. I hope to see many more such efforts in the times to come. I also hope that taking inspiration from IITs, other institutions will also step up their R&D activities.

(Excerpts from PM’s address in the 94th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on 30.10.2022)