Do Not Compete But Complement – IIHMR University during a talk on Envisioning AatmaNirbhar Bharat
Jaipur: IIHMR University Jaipur, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and MIIC (MNIT’s Innovation and Incubation Centre) jointly conducted a talk on Envisioning AatmaNirbhar Bharat. The objective was to highlight key points such as integrated innovations, start-ups in emerging technologies, the journey of Atal Innovation Mission and from going local to global which contributed to the vision of AatmaNirbhar Bharat Campaign promoted by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. The dignitaries who presented their thoughts were, Dr. Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission & Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog, Govt of India, Dr. PR Sodani, President, IIHMR University, Prof. Jyotirmay Mathur, Head, MNIT Innovation and Incubation Centre (MIIC), MNIT Jaipur and the moderator of the talk, Prof. Puneet Sharma, Anchor, DD National.
Dr. PR Sodani, President, IIHMR University said, “Envisioning AatmaNirbhar Bharat clearly speaks of identifying resources, empowering their skillset and respecting them on what they know. It is important that our country which has made a tremendous progress in manufacturing the vaccines and even supplying them to the other countries is a clear indication that we do not restrict the benefits to our geographies, thereby fulfilling the vison of AatmaNirbhar Bharat. IIHMR University cohesively works with the vision where it has established a Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship to develop young minds and empower their innovations through a sustainable platforms and collaborations with its stakeholders. AatmaNirbhar Bharat also by all means is to be a self-sustained global leader. IIHMR University believes that the vision of AatmaNirbhar Bharat can be attained by not competing but by complimenting each other.”
Speaking of the opportunities Dr. Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission & Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog, Govt of India, said, “COVID-19 Crisis has taught us to look at challenges that can be culminated into multiple opportunities. The crisis is a clarion call beckoning us to look at all the challenges as lengths of opportunities- not just through technological implementations and entrepreneurial opportunities but to also focus on a potential opportunity of Vocal for Local and then to go Global. Any innovation which is for 1.3 billion people in India is also a solution for over 7.4 billion people on this planet.The COVID-19 crisis can be a Watershed Moment for India to showcase the abilities of the start-ups not just to other corporates within India but to the other countries in the globe.”
Dr. Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission & Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog, Govt of India, further highlighted the 5 pillars of AatmaNirbhar Bharat. Pillar of Demographic Dividend, where India has youthful population which can transform nations and the rest of the world. Pillar of infrastructure with 715 districts 650000 villages and 8 tier I cities and a call for uniform infrastructure development system must be implemented. Pillar of demand with 1.3 billion people, which means India by far is the largest market and start-ups need not look at any other country for a demand. The 4th pillar is the Socio-economic progress. Pillar of technology is the 5th pillar which can be innovated for the benefit of reducing the digital divide. Agri-Tech must be implemented to overcome the traditional challenges in agriculture.”
Prof. Jyotirmay Mathur, Head MIIC, MNIT Jaipur, said, “MNIT contributes to the vision of AatmaNirbhar Bharat through its ‘MNIT Innovation and Incubation Centre (MIIC)’. Institutions must focus on empowering start-ups by not restricting their disciplines, offering them equal advantage of utilising resources, indigenously offer the use of equipment’s and facilities and also reducing the application processing time as they are eager to work on their products. Institutions must focus on funding start-ups that complement the needs of their peers thereby sufficing the demands and supplies within the country.”
Innovation and Entrepreneurship contribute towards the AatmaNirbhar Bharat. To contribute to this, there were about 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs launched across in 650+ districts, out of which around 7260 are operational, 3.5 million school going kids have the access to emerging technologies. 68 Atal Incubation Centres where more than 2000 start-ups have been nurtured out of which 625 start-ups by women are functional. Atal Innovation Mission has created a network of more than 5000 mentors and more than 30 corporates.
Prof. Puneet Sharma, Anchor, DD National said, “Envisioning AatmaNirbhar Bharat is a great initiative that highlighted the various efforts that the Government, Private, Institutions and Academia has laid to build a strong foundation to make this campaign #AatmaNirbhar Bharat a huge success.” Prof. Amar Patnaik delivered the vote of thanks.