Address At The Convocation Of Punjab Technical University

Technology and Developed India

I am indeed delighted to participate in the First Convocation of Punjab Technical University. My greetings to all the graduating students and also the professors and teachers who have shaped them as good citizens. Punjab had made the country self sufficient in food grains through the Green Revolution. I would like to mention here that Punjab is one of the top four States rated in composite ranking after considering 14 parameters such as General Achievement, Infrastructure Penetration, Finance, Consumer Purchases, Agriculture, etc., as per a document - 'How are the States doing - 2002'. Punjab is in a good position to have a vision to become a developed State in overall performance. That is also essential for India to transform into a developed nation. I am sure that the natural resources and human power available in this land will greatly accelerate the process of achieving our national vision to become a Developed India.

I was thinking what thoughts I can share with the graduating students on this important occasion when you will be entering into the professional phase of your lives. India is a developing country for more than fifty years. When the country graduates into a developed nation, it becomes self-reliant and economically strong nation with food security. Let me share my thoughts on how technology will lead us to realize our vision of 'developed India'.

Technology in India

India after its independence was determined to move ahead with planned policies for Science & Technology. Now, India is very near to self-sufficiency in food, making the ship to mouth existence of 1950s, an event of the past. Also improvements in the health sector have eliminated a few contagious diseases. There is an increase in life expectancy. Small scale industries provide high percentage of National GDP - a vast change in 1990s compared to 1950s. Today India can design, develop and launch world class geo-stationary and sun synchronous, remote sensing satellites. The nuclear establishments have reached the capability of building nuclear power stations, nuclear medicine and nuclear irradiation of agricultural seeds for growth in agricultural production. Defence Research had led to design, development and production of many strategic systems. Also we have seen the growth in Information Technology; the country is progressing in hardware and software export business of more than 10 billion dollars even though there are low ebbs in the last few years. India yet is a developing country with 260 million people below poverty line. What Technology can do further? Technology has multiple dimensions. Geopolitics converts the technology to a particular nation's policy. The same policy will lead to economic prosperity and capability for national security. For example, the developments in chemical engineering brought fertilizers for higher yield of crops while the same science led to chemical weapons. Likewise, rocket technology developed for atmospheric research helped in launching satellites for remote sensing and communication applications which are vital for the economic development. The same technology led to development of missiles with specific defence needs that provide security for the nation. The aviation technology development has led to fighter and bomber aircraft, and the same technology will lead to passenger jet and also help operations requiring quick reach of support to people affected by disasters. At this stage, let us study the global growth of technology and impact in human life.

Next 50 years in Human Life

People's life will be enriched by IT driven knowledge products and systems, bio technology and space technology. As a Future Revolution, it is predicted that the humanity will see human habitat in one of the planets, space solar power radiating electrical power to earth. Also reusable hypersonic vehicles, with the speed of more than Mach Number 10 will fly intercontinental and also will be used for weapon delivery. Human life will be further extended for the reasons of genomic & biotechnology research outcomes. The Nano technology will enter into human usage like the control systems of various transporting systems, medical technology equipments and aerospace systems. Now let us study the evolution of various human societies linked to multiple technologies.

Economic growth in different societies

During the last century the world has undergone a change from agriculture society, where manual labour was the critical factor, to industrial society where the management of technology, capital and labour provided the competitive advantage. Then the information era was born, last decade, where connectivity and software products are driving the economy of a few nations. In the 21st century, a new society is emerging where knowledge is the primary production resource instead of capital and labour. Efficient utilisation of this existing knowledge can create comprehensive wealth of the nation and also improve the quality of life - in the form of better health, education, infrastructure and other social indicators. Ability to create and maintain the knowledge infrastructure, develop knowledge workers and enhance their productivity through creation, growth and exploitation of new knowledge will be the key factors in deciding the prosperity of this Knowledge Society. Whether a nation has arrived at a stage of knowledge society is judged by the way the country effectively deals with knowledge creation and knowledge deployment in all sectors like IT, Industries, Agriculture, Health Care etc.,

Changes in employment, agriculture, Industry and Service - Knowledge Industries

In 1980, agriculture areas employed in parts or in full 76% of people of the country and it reduced to 65% in 1994 and expected to further fall to 60% of people in agriculture by 2012. Whereas, the demand of agricultural products will double in quantity, productivity using technology and post harvest management will have to compensate the manpower reduction in farming and agricultural products sector. In the case of industry, in 1980, 13% of the population was employed in small scale and large scale industries. The trend continued during 1994. However, it has to increase in 2010, as the GDP growth with high technology in the situation of opening up of the economy under WTO region. The pattern of employment will take a new shape. Service with knowledge industry component from 11% employability in 1980 has increased to 20% in 1994. And further it will increase to 54% in 2012 in view of infrastructure, maintenance areas, financial sector, IT sector and entertainment demands. This big change will demand in all areas more trained skilled human power and technology personnel. Our industrialists, commercial chiefs and technologists may have to get ready for such transformation in agriculture, industries and service - knowledge industries for which human manpower with knowledge and skills has to be evolved in a mission mode. And also evolution of knowledge management has been presented linking vision for the nation.

Vision for the nation

We got freedom in 1947, that was the result of first vision for the nation. This vision created best of leaders in many fields like politics, philosophy, science & technology and industry. In many aspects of life, improvement in literacy, agricultural products, strategic areas, certain small and large-scale industries took place. Now more than fifty years have gone by and we are called as one of the hundreds of developing countries, in a distinct way a separation from G-8 countries. We have many challenges. Nearly 260 million people who are below the poverty line have to join the mainstream of a good life. 100% literacy, health for all, multiple industrial and agricultural productivity and life style with value system has to emerge. Hence we need the second vision for the nation to become developed.

Technology Vision 2020

A developed country, in my opinion, is one which has the capability and the capacity to comprehensively look at wealth generation and wealth protection and thereafter evolve integrated strategies, technologies and missions to meet these objectives. It is also a fact that technology is the established currency of geo-political power and in the Indian context; technology has to be the driving force for economical development and national security. The Technology Vision 2020 documents of TIFAC and Integrated Strategies, Technologies and Missions for Comprehensive National Security of Department of Defence Research & Development addresses the wealth generation and wealth protection aspects in a very comprehensive manner and identified technology as the linking factor. The fusion of these two documents has resulted in the India Millennium Missions 2020 (IMM 2020), which provides an excellent framework and road-map for making a strong and developed India by the year 2020. IMM-2020 needs integrated actions.

Integrated action for developed India

We have identified five areas where India has a core competence for an integrated action: (1) Agriculture and food processing (2) Reliable and quality electric power for all parts of the country. (3) Education and Healthcare (4) Information Technology (5) Strategic sectors. These five areas are closely inter-related and lead to national, food, economic and security. A strong partnership among the R&D, academy, industry, business and the community as a whole with the Government departments and agencies will be essential to accomplish the vision.

Agriculture Revolution and Punjab

I have seen the Johl Committee report on diversification which Punjab Government is trying to implement. With their great enterprising spirit, it is now time for farmers in Punjab to move towards new methods - a new Green Revolution explained by late Shri C. Subramaniam - soil to market. We need to master the methods of conquering global markets and also take care of the soil for sustainability. Modern science and technology makes it possible. It is a multidisciplinary approach. The total value chain including post harvest handling, distribution, processing for value addition etc. has to be taken care of. In a number of cases HERBAL agriculture may have to be integrated with this total system. Such an approach requires a total change of our working. Water is to be conserved and waste to be recycled etc. I am confident that Punjab will raise to it and go beyond productivity and quality levels now set up by countries like Israel, Australia to name a few; within about 5 years.

Technical education

For education, it is not mere literary and numeracy that is called for in the modern knowledge World. But knowledge intensive skills and ability to generate, share, adapt, adopt knowledge and skills in continuously changing world of business, social aspirations etc. We have to keep on running the knowledge race. I am glad that a university system such as PTU (Punjab Technical University) has been started from 1997. We have to create more higher educational opportunities in Punjab. We need to increase higher professional educational opportunities for girls also. I am glad to note that there are a number of girls' students topping the University list in PTU. With modern education of Engineering, Technology, Management, High Tech Application, Pharma etc, women can do equally and even better, not merely for studies but to pursue professions. This will also enable to make full utilisation of human resources that is so vital for a 'Knowledge Society'. Healthcare is another area which is very important for a developing country like ours. It encompasses sanitation, nutrition, creatively designed insurance systems, chains of medical units etc. can cover all people. Smart Cards can simplify procedures and make common people's life much easier instead of queuing in front of big hospitals. All these require technologies and therefore technical education.

Vision, Mission & Goals

We have so far considered the profile of multiple development sectors and system integration. It emerged from the deliberations of the task force that the core strengths of the nation have to be coupled to the desired goals. The nation's strengths predominantly reside in its natural and human resources. In natural resources, India is endowed with a vast coast-line with marine resources and also oil wealth. In minerals, apart from conventional material resources, it is well-known that India has the largest deposits of titanium, beryllium and tungsten. India ranks among the top few nations having a rich bio-diversity. Particularly, in the herbal area there are potential applications for developing multiple products for nutrition, prevention and cure of diseases. Of the global herbal product market of US$ 61 billion, China has a share of around US $ 3 billion, whereas India's share is about $ US one billion. Hence, there is tremendous opportunity for growth in this area. India has similar potential for promoting floriculture and aquaculture in a big way. Knowledge-based value addition for these natural resources would mean exporting value-added products rather than merely the raw materials. Use of IT for commercialisation and marketing can increase our outreach and speed enormously. Ancient knowledge is a unique resource of India for it has the treasure of a minimum of 5000 years of civilisation. It is essential to leverage this wealth for national well being as well as to seek global presence for the nation. Human resources, particularly with large young population, are unique core strength of the nation. This resource can be transformed through various educational and training programmes. Skilled, unskilled and creative manpower can be transformed into wealth generators particularly in the service sectors, agro industries etc. Knowledge-intensive industries can be generated out of our existing industries by injecting demand for high-level software/hardware, which would bring tremendous value addition. It is said, "the precious asset for a company or a country is the skill, ingenuity and imagination of its people. With globalisation, this will become more important because citizens will have access to world class technology and the key distinguishing feature will be the ability of people in different countries to use their imagination to make the best use of the technology". Indeed development and innovative use of multiple technologies with transparent management structure and coupled with IT, will give thrust to India into a knowledge super power.

Conclusion

The Technology Vision - 2020 provides immense opportunity for Indian R&D community and the Industry to work together and harness their full potential, thereby leading the nation to the status of a developed country. Our 'WILL AND COMMITMENT' will make it happen. Our adopting this vision is like lighting of a few lamps. This is a good beginning. Let us carry it further from here. Let us carry this vision in our hearts like a 'lighted lamp' and further light many more lamps using it. It will lighten up the entire India and all the countrymen. Ignited young minds is the greatest resource on the earth. Once that happens, I am confident that this will drive all of us with a resolve that we will transform India into a developed country by our dedicated technological partnerships at various levels all over the country.