Calling innovation one of the key tools to survive in the world today, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) said, “The seeds for innovations have to come right from the academic institutions.”
He was delivering the convocation address at the NIT Andhra Pradesh. In his address to the graduating batches Reddy said, “Innovation has become one of the important tools today. A product, unless it is innovative, is very difficult for the world to accept today. Academic Institutions like NITs are the engines of innovations… The seeds for innovations have to come right from the academic institutions. That is why we have started many courses in Defence Technologies in the academic institutes.”
Further, Dr. Satheesh Reddy said, “We need to develop a lot of technologies and for that, the core research of Technology Development happens in Academic Institutions in the entire world. The Seeds of Technology Development have come from Academic Institutions…We are started, in more than 40 academic institutions in the country, the MTech Courses in Defence Technologies. We have also tied up with the Department of Higher Education where 500 PhD students are sponsored in DRDO laboratories to work on defence problems.”
The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Andhra Pradesh, an ‘Institute of National Importance,’ conducted its second and third convocation on Saturday in physical mode. A total of 381 students of 2016-20 batch and 412 from the batch of 2017-21 were awarded degrees during the occasion
Karthik Reddy, a student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was the institute topper and gold medalist winner of the 2016-20 batch. B.Anusha, a student of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, was the topper of the 2017-21 Batch.
Upon Graduation of the third batch this year (2021-22), NIT Andhra Pradesh will qualify to apply for rankings under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). The Institute is also in process of initiating an MBA programme from the next academic year.
Dr. Satheesh Reddy added, “The Number of Startups which have been registered DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) is more than 56,000. Youngsters are coming up with a number of startup ideas today. There are many startups that are working in defence technology ideas, which we have never seen. This is a trend change in the last four-five years. These startups are working on materials, composites, engines, propulsions and core technologies which are required for Defence. The Ministry of Defence and the Government of India are encouraging this trend in a big way. Many schemes have been created.”
DRDO has set up specific schemes for encouraging young entrepreneurs and start-ups – the Technology Development Fund and the Dare to Dream scheme. The Organization will provide grants/funding and test facilities as part of these schemes.
Speaking earlier, Guest of Honour Dr. Dasarath Ram Yadav, Director, Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), said, “as youths of this country, you are going to be the drivers of our economy and development. A lot of multinational companies are being headed by Indians who have graduated from IITs, NITs, IIMs and other premier institutions in India. When we could excel in other countries, why not we can create organizations like Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Google at India?”
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