Key Points

Addressing the gathering at ESYA, the tech fest of IIIT-Delhi, he invoked India’s grand legacy as a global knowledge hub.

“From Aryabhata’s zero, to advances in medical science and surgery, to Nalanda and Takshashila that drew seekers from across the world, this quest for knowledge is in our DNA. The largest library at Harvard pales in comparison to Nalanda. That spark still lies within us,” said Scindia.

Calling the Tech Fest a ‘launchpad to enact bold dreams,’ Scindia stressed that India’s rise rests on the shoulders of its youth.

On technology, the minister reiterated the role of AI, saying what IT did 40 years ago, AI will do today but the task is not just to build AI, it is to build ‘Responsible AI for All’ and it must elevate humanity, not dominate it.

The Minister highlighted India’s growing leadership in frontier technologies. The Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) has already invested in over 120 futuristic projects spanning quantum computing, terahertz communication, bio-nano systems, indigenous chipsets, and encrypted routers.

The minister reaffirmed India’s goal to emerge as a global leader in 6G and contribute at least 10 per cent of global patents by 2030 and the heart of this ambitious target lies within the students of India.

Scindia reminded students that India’s rise is anchored in its civilisational values, adding that "We are a country that has never raised war, that believes in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam."

He urged the students to build for Bharat with solutions for the farmer awaiting precision agriculture, the child in a digital classroom, the patient in a small town relying on tele-health.

Addressing the future innovators who may study abroad, the minister appealed that they may study at the best universities, work in the best labs but must come back home and bring their knowledge, their ambition, and rebuild India into the ‘Golden Bird’ it once was by turning brain drain into brain gain.

- IANS