Vice-President Dhankhar: India's Journey to Becoming a Developed Nation by 2047 is Unavoidable

Kanpur, Dec 1 (NationPress) Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar highlighted that with our demographic dividend, natural resources, talent pool, and supportive policies, India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047 is unavoidable.

While speaking to students at IIT Kanpur, he encouraged innovators to utilize these foundations to connect local products with global markets, such as exporting Kanpur’s leather products internationally.

“The nation's advancement hinges on your capacity to create innovations that solve genuine challenges while fostering economic growth,” he remarked to the audience.

Dhankhar pointed out that there were 42,763 patent filings in 2014-15.

“Now, the number has reached 92,000 in 2023-24, making us the sixth globally in terms of patent filings. However, we cannot settle for this. We need to reach our maximum potential, and for that, the ecosystem, affirmative policies, and initiatives have created a more conducive work culture for you,” the Vice-President added.

“We boast the third largest startup ecosystem with 150,000 startups. More impressively, we have 118 unicorns valued at $354 billion,” he noted.

Institutional backing through incubation centers has thrived, with IIT Kanpur previously supporting 250 startups valued at $1 billion, including over 100 women-led enterprises.

“The latter is especially significant. Upon my arrival here, I noticed not many female students, but those present are more than the majority. A major shift is already in progress,” he commented.

He also called upon the industry, trade, business, and corporate sectors, along with their associations, to initiate change by investing in innovation.

“They are investing in their present and their future. This realization is crucial. On a global scale, I noticed only two Indian corporates in the top 25. To truly effectuate the significant change our nation requires, we need an evolution that will ensure global stability and harmony. Because India’s development signifies prosperity for the world; that is our culture,” he emphasized.

“Innovation that is solution-oriented necessitates an understanding of real-world issues spanning sectors from agriculture to healthcare. This demand, my young friends, calls for stepping beyond comfort zones and engaging with diverse stakeholders throughout India,” concluded Dhankhar.