S. Vishnu Sharma
SRM AP focuses on Indian resurgence post COVID 19 – SRM AP organised a webinar that focused on resurgence of Indian industry in the post COVID 19 scenario. Welcoming the participants of the webinar, Professor D Narayana Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor, SRM AP said COVID 19 has disrupted the world and the world is struggling against the virus.
At the same time, it is also giving an unenvisaged opportunity in building new India. It is very evident that the world will shift from China to India for imports.
SRM AP focuses on Indian resurgence post COVID 19
India emerges as an alternative source to countries like the US, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, he said at the webinar organised by SRM AP.
More than 300 multi national companies will export through India instead of China. India needs to utilize this opportunity by building taskforce, infrastructure and dedicated industrial fast track clearances.
India should develop the future workforce for the world, said Pro VC of SRM AP. Dr. V.K. Saraswat, member of NITI Ayog speaking at the webinar organised by SRM AP said the commitment of scientists and the scientific organisations like DST, ICMR, DRDO, IIT’s and pharmaceutical industries have been incredible to battle against this raging pandemic.
Speaking further at the webinar by SRM AP Dr Saraswat said supply chain problems require revamping and correction.
Bringing down the interest rate, funding to industry R&D consortia, setting up R&D centers, development of robotics embedded with IoT, tax breaks to Indian companies outside India and upgrading testing labs is crucial.
India centric epidemic preparedness, vibrant electronic device manufacturing ecosystem, medical devices, E-commerce, genetically modified crops, cybersecurity should also be implemented and improved to thrive in a post Covid-19 situation, said Dr. Saraswat.
SRM AP focuses on Indian resurgence post COVID 19
Apron and textiles, automobile sector, tourism and aviation, building construction, food and agriculture finance, education, retail and MSMEs alone with 30% of GDP contribution and providing employment to 140 million employees will be most affected, said the veteran scientist during the webinar organised by SRM AP.
‘Understanding sector-wise business imperative and developing appropriate policy support to unconventional strategies will be the pivotal point for the revival of Indian economy,’ he said.
DRDO chairman Dr G. Satheesh Reddy speaking at the webinar by SRM AP applauded the response of the country to fight against Covid-19.
He said Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), masks and ventilator production has increased exponentially. Various industries are coming forward to submit designs for ventilators which were minimally used till the outbreak of coronavirus.
‘The onus is to produce 60,000 ventilators in the coming days.’ He further said they should have collaborations with industries abroad and acquire technical know-how and become self-reliant eventually.
Professor Prasant Mohapatra, VC Research, UC Davis, USA speaking at the webinar by SRM AP said higher education needs to focus more on innovation and creativity.
South Korea invests five percent of GDP on R&D whereas, India only invests 0.85 percent. The scope for investment in R&D in India is huge.
SRM AP focuses on Indian resurgence post COVID 19
Indians have high intellectual capital and focusing on high-quality education systems will improve the R&D results of the country, he said.
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Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Adviser (Scientist-G), Department of Science and Technology spoke of the extramural R&D at the webinar held by SRM AP. He said India needs to quadruple the present full-time researchers to increase R and D spending to two percent.
Dr. K. Varaprasad Reddy, Chairman Emeritus, Shanta Biotechnics Ltd who also spoke at SRM AP organised webinar said Multi National Companies should be compelled to share the research knowledge inferred in our land.
We need to reorient ourselves to combat against plausible bio attacks in the future, he said. Professor B.S. Murty, director, IIT Hyderabad said internet and network connectivity with good speed and bandwidth should be provided to everyone at an affordable price as education is likely to get digitized in the future.
He further said during the webinar held by SRM AP that the world has recognized the benefits of internet during the outbreak of COVID 19.
Professor Rakesh K Khandal, President R&D and Business Development at India Glycols LTD said technology status appraisal should be prepared to identify the capabilities we have today in India.
SRM AP focuses on Indian resurgence post COVID 19
Funding to universities on R&D should be based on real content, he said at the webinar by SRM AP. He further said traditional health systems like Ayurveda should be used to improve immunity and combat COVID 19.
Dr. Saraswat giving the concluding remarks at the webinar by SRM AP said India should be competitive in terms of quality, quantity and cost effectiveness by standardizing the products and settling for larger value addition.
The webinar by SRM AP also highlighted the reversal of brain drain during this pandemic as intellectuals and workers have moved back to their hometown.
Further the webinar by SRM AP highlighted that young entrepreneurs who have mastered modern tools and are more connected to the world should be working with the academy and industry as they come up with solutions and develop technology rapidly.
SRM AP focuses on Indian resurgence post COVID 19 – At the same time the webinar highlighted that it is vital to identify that we might need to live with Covid-19 for a long time, which requires self-sanitized logistics and public transport, robotics in hospitals developing social distancing equipment and drugs to improve immunity.