Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the young innovators through video conferencing at the Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon 2024 on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister reiterated his concept of 'Sabka Prayas', which he has underlined in his Red Fort speeches. He pointed out that India's progress can accelerate through collective efforts and that today's event stands as a testament to this.
"I have been eagerly looking forward to the Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon," the Prime Minister added, explaining that being surrounded by young innovators makes him learn and gain insight. He expressed high hopes from the participants, remarking that they provide an entirely new perspective on what India's future should look like, which results in unique and innovative solutions.
Recalling his past participation in hackathons, the Prime Minister shared that he had never been disappointed with the results.
"You have only emboldened my belief," he said, pointing out that solutions from previous editions are already being implemented in various ministries.
The Prime Minister expressed enthusiasm to learn more about the participants' contributions as the interaction began.
PM Modi met Sayeeda from the 'Big Brains Team' at NIT Srinagar, which has designed a tool for children with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities called the 'Virtual Reality Friend'.
Children with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities can use the AI-powered virtual reality solution to enhance skills by simulating social interactions on smartphone and laptops, teaching right from wrong.
Sayeeda explained that the tool would support children with daily activities such as learning language and socialising. The team, which consisted of people from different walks of life, including a Yemeni, had consulted with autism centers and personal experiences in creating the tool.
PM Modi praised the team for their innovative solution, saying that though it was locally developed, such tools could have a global impact. He congratulated them for understanding the needs of Divyang children and said that every child has the right to grow and prosper, with no one left behind.
He claimed the future world would be shaped by knowledge and innovation, the youth, as India's hope, and aspiration during such an age. According to him, the point of view, thinking, and the energy of Indian youth have something unique; and one goal is being achieved-a collective goal-that India turns out to become the country of the most innovative and progressive and richest.
The Prime Minister noted that the world realizes India's strength is in its youth and tech power, which was vividly evident at the Smart India Hackathon.
PM Modi proudly stated that the Smart India Hackathon had turned out to be an exceptional platform for Indian youth to excel globally. Since inception, nearly 14 lakh students have participated in the event, forming 2 lakh teams and solving nearly 3,000 problems.
Over 6,400 institutions participated, and hundreds of new startups had come out of the hackathon. He noted that ideas submitted had increased manifold, from 7,000 in 2017 to over 57,000 this year, and this was an indication of the youth wanting to address India's challenges.
The Prime Minister lauded the Smart India Hackathon and stated that the future would be based on knowledge, innovation, and youth.
He highlighted that the earlier hackathon solutions were being used to help solve some real-world problems. It was an integrated cyclone measurement tool in ISRO technology and a real-time blood management system helping support disaster response. He felt that the hackathon nurtured a sense of ownership among the youth to drive solutions for the nation's challenges.
In such endeavours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that these ventures are the epitomes of new governance in India with the model of 'Sabka Prayas'.
In response to the question as to when India would become a developed nation, he felt very hopeful with support from the government of youngsters' innovation through projects such as National Education Policy, Atal Tinkering Laboratories and Startup India.
The Prime Minister discussed emerging sectors like digital content and gaming, emphasizing their potential for creating new career paths. He announced the "One Nation-One Subscription" scheme to provide access to international journals for Indian researchers and innovators, further empowering youth.
PM Modi also announced plans for the "Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue" in January 2025, inviting youth to participate in nation-building.
While encouraging hackathon participants, PM Modi asked them to focus on solving both national and global challenges. He believes in the power of India's innovators and wished them success in their endeavours.
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