'Innovative technology key to face challenges'

Advisor to PM S Ramadorai at SDM-IMD convocation

Vice- chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) S Ramadorai on Thursday stressed on making ample use of information communication and technology to get rid of the challenges in the development of the nation.

He was delivering convocation address at the 17th annual convocation of post-graduate diploma in management at Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Institute for Management Development (SDM- IMD).

Ramadorai also the advisor to the prime minister in the National Skill Development Council quoted his fellow director then in Hindustan Unilever C K Prahallad- as a nation India has embraced many diversity making it eligible to become a laboratory of the world.

Citing the example of telecom revolution with cellphones in the reach of almost all, Ramadorai said it’s time to question the traditional beliefs.

The growing fad for owning technology, also among rurals, is an indication of changing mindset. It gives a clear edge to the authority to incorporate technology in successfully implementing the programmes.

Ramadorai gave another example of BBC that taught English via mobile phones- mobile tutorials to the people in Bangladesh, grape farmers in Maharashtra who got into social networking platform while participating in a programme hosted by TCS among several other such examples.

He said that the understanding of technology also contributes to the per capita GDP growth in developing countries. Substantiating the assertion, Ramadorai recalled a report by World Bank in 2009 which stated that 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration leads to 1.38 pc increase in per capita GDP.

Ramadorai also termed public-private-partnership (PPP) model as a positive sign in the development of nation taking benefits to the doors of the people.

Arogyasri
 He cited an example again, of ‘Arogyasri’ health insurance scheme for families in below poverty line in Andhra Pradesh launched in the year 2007.

The government pays the premium, while the partner insurance company covers the risk and 400 hospitals offer the services under the very scheme.

The technology came in handy here again with a dedicated BPO monitoring the progress of the scheme digitally keeping track on the scheme workers.

Around nine lakh surgeries were conducted, four million people were screened in 23,000 health camps and Rs 2,750 crore was disbursed since its implementation in the form of benefits.

Ramadorai gave a call to the outgoing graduates to apply the academic knowledge in dealing with the challenges of the nation.

Dharmasthala dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade said youth empowerment is an attitudinal and structural process by virtue of which young people gain the ability, and agency to make decisions and implement change in aspirations whereby we, as a nation are looking for youth empowerment to bring about an attitude and cultural revolution.

Medallists
Vaishnavi S topped among the winners for bagging double honours receiving chairman’s distinguished student gold medal and another for excellent performance in human resources management, followed by Swosti Panda winning Ankur Gupta memorial gold medal for best overall performance, Pooja Saxena- Ankur Gupta memorial gold medal for excellent performance in finance, Sanjay Somashekar- excellent performance in marketing, Ghiya Chirag- excellent performance in system and Vibhu Tyagi- excellent performance in operations.

A total of 118 students were awarded certificate of graduation.

Trustee D Surendra Kumar, executive officer, K Sudha Rao, director of the institute N R Parasuraman, chairman of PGDM, N R Govinda Sharma, dean, administration H Gayathri and others were present.