Mumbai, 14 July (HS):

Padmabhushan Raghunath Mashelkar emphasised effective use of deep-tech innovation,

Artificial Intelligence and inclusive technologies to realise the dream of

Viksit Bharat 2047, with a focus on creating affordable, globally competitive

solutions that benefits millions rather than a privileged few.

Padma Vibhushan Dr Raghunath Mashelkar

who is Fellow of Royal Society and Former Director of FCCI (Federation of

Chamber of Commerce of India) and former Director of CSIR, was delivering a

lecture on ‘Winning through innovation: Lessons for industry and society’, in

Mumbai.

Dr Mashelkar said

India must transform from being a consumer of global technologies to a creator

of the innovations through deep science, AI and public-private collaboration.

Speaking about his globally acclaimed philosophy ‘More

from less for more’ Dr Mashelkar said, India’s greatest op[pertunity lises in

creating world-class products and technologies that deliver superior

performance with fewer resources while making them affordable to millions of

people. Innovations should be measured by its ability to solve society’s

problems.

India has demonstrated that breakthrough innovations can emerge despite limited

resources, from affordable healthcare technologies and digital public infrastructure

to AI-enabled diagnostics and deep-tech Startups, which are globally

competitive low cost innovations, Dr Mashelkar said. He quoted examples of

AI-powered tuberculosis detection through smartphones, affordable breast cancer

screening, digital maternal care and non-invasive anaemia detection all of

which embodied in the ‘More from less for more’ philosophy.

Dr Mashelkar called upon Indian industry to move become

creator of ‘Next Practices’ than following global best practices. India’s

digital transformation, affordable data revolution, deep-tech entrepreneurship

and green hydrogen initiative are examples of its ability to lead global innovation.

AI should not serve as a co-pilot and never an autopilot ensuring that human

judgement, ethics and compassion remain at the centre of technological progress.

He urged that the government actively supports

high-risk research and disruptive technologies because of which innovation

flourishes. If India wants to become a developed nation by 2047, it must invest

in grand challenges, deep science and technologies that can transform the

society than merely buying the cheapest available solutioms, he added.

R V Kanoria, Past President, FICCI and

CMD of Kanoria Chemicals and Industries Ltd said, “Innovation is no longer

confined to laboratories or research institutions. It is defining force that

will determine India’s economic competitiveness, technological leadership and

inclusive growth in the decades ahead. The challenges before the industry is

not simply to grow bigger, but to create solutions that generate greater values

while benefiting a large section of the society.

Dr Mashelkar’s philosophy of ‘More from less for more’ provides a powerful

roadmap for achieving sustainable, inclusive and globally competitive growth,

he added.

Ankit Mehta, Co-Chair, FICCI Drones Committee and Co-founder and CEO of

ideaForge emphasised strnger collaboration between industries. Academia,

Dtartups, research institutions and government for achieving the dream of Viksit

Bharat 2047.

The session held under the FICCI

Legend Series brought together leading industrialists, policy makers,

scientists, entrepreneurs, Startup founders, researchers and members of

business community to deliberate on how innovation can drive Indian economic

transformation

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar