VK Saraswat urges youth to drive innovation, sustainability at NIT-Warangal convocation

Dr VK Saraswat called for focused efforts to nurture the skills and talents required for fostering innovation, with a particular emphasis on India's youth population

Hanamkonda: Renowned scientist and member of NITI-Aayog Dr VK Saraswat underlined the pivotal role of technology and innovation in India’s journey towards growth and prosperity. He, however, issued a warning, stressing the importance of sustainable development to safeguard the nation’s environment and resources.

Addressing the graduates at the convocation ceremony at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal, on Saturday, Dr Saraswat drew attention to India’s current standing as the 40th-ranked nation of 132 countries on the Global Innovation Index. He pointed out that while India aspires to become a global innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology hub, it faces significant challenges, notably a lack of access to capital and a robust ecosystem for protecting intellectual property rights. He called for focused efforts to nurture the skills and talents required for fostering innovation, with a particular emphasis on India’s youth population.

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India boasts the world’s largest youth population, a fact that Dr. Saraswat described as a unique opportunity. With over 600 million individuals aged under 25, India possesses immense potential to harness its demographic dividend and cultivate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr Saraswat urged the youth to embody creativity, curiosity, and enthusiasm in their endeavours while emphasizing the importance of ethical conduct, discipline, and responsible citizenship.

Furthermore, Dr Saraswat encouraged young minds to enhance their decision-making capabilities through risk assessment, assume leadership roles, and promote design, build, and test methodologies and emphasised the significance of learning to model and simulate innovation.

During the event, Prof. Bidyadhar Subudhi, Director of NIT Warangal, provided an overview of the institution’s history and performance.

“NIT Warangal demonstrated outstanding achievements in campus placements, with nearly 98 per cent of undergraduate and postgraduate students securing placement offers through campus recruitment drives. The highest pay package offered was Rs. 88 lakh, averaging Rs 17 lakh. Fortune 500 companies were among the many that visited the campus for student recruitment,” he said.

A total of 2029 students received their degrees at the 21st convocation, with special recognition given to this year’s Institute Gold Medal Winner, Nivedhitha Ulaganathan, B.Tech.