We are all looking forward to “India at 75”
in 2022.
By 2022, New India will provide a solid
foundation for clean, inclusive, sustained
and sustainable growth for the next phase of
development. This is likely to be technology
intensive. And it will involve our government
working together with all citizens, including
the industry sectors, start-ups and academia
to achieve the vision of a New India. India
has identified important goals to achieve by
2022. Among the most important is that we
want to be a USD 4 trillion economy when
we celebrate the platinum jubilee of our
independence.
As students of a prestigious university like
MAHE, it is important that we pledge ourselves
to contribute to build a New India. It is our
responsibility to steer India to the top of the
global economy in the coming decade. I have
the confidence that our current generation of
young leaders like you have the capability
and skills to make this happen.
I believe that the three most sought after
attributes of young India that makes them
competitive and valued by industry the world
over are:
1. Ability to work in multi-disciplinary
teams and in unfamiliar contexts on a
high impact project mode.
2. Ability to make multiple role shifts
in the course of one’s career to take
advantage of new opportunities.
3.
And most importantly, understand,
anticipate and leverage the impact of
28
changing technologies on business.
Disruptions in business models driven
by advances in technology are likely to
be a recurring facet of the future.
As young leaders at the beginning of your
bright careers, please ensure that you are
always ready to unlearn and learn throughout
your career to build on the foundation that
MAHE provides you.
You are all best placed to navigate the
disruptions that are defining our world
today. Let me end by quoting Andrew Ng,
co-founder of Coursera, former head of
Google Research and Chief Scientist at Baidu
and now a Professor of Computer Science
at Stanford University. “In terms of building
consumer products, the US and China are
ahead of India. The interesting opportunity
for India is whenever there is a disruption in
technology, it gives every country a chance to
leapfrog and take a lead.”
You can all play an important role in such a
transformation of India.
You are all very fortunate to get a world-
class education from Manipal Academy of
Higher Education. I request you to get into a
habit of giving back right away – volunteer
time, mentor and help another person get
a good education. Let us build a better and
prosperous India and world.
Wishing each one of you the very best!
Thank you.