In evolving technological landscape, India’s young minds stand at a unique crossroads—armed with digital fluency, creative thinking, and boundless ambition to transform challenges into opportunities. With an expanding innovation ecosystem, strategic public-private collaborations, and a relentless focus on skill development, the nation is nurturing the next generation of scientific leaders. Industry pioneers are playing a crucial role in this transformation, investing in education, research, and skill-building initiatives that equip young minds with the tools to lead the global scientific revolution.
Fostering Innovation Through Industry-Academia Collaborations
In the words of Anita Vijaykrishnan, VP, Engineering and India Leader, Honeywell Technology Solutions, “India stands at a pivotal moment where the technological prowess of our youth converges with unprecedented opportunity. This convergence is democratizing access to knowledge, enabling our young talents to compete and innovate globally, as evident at Honeywell Technological Solutions (HTS). Through strategic partnerships with premier institutions likes IISc, IITs and NITs, HTS fosters a robust ecosystem that bridges academic excellence with practical innovation, engaging nearly 200 bright young minds annually in our comprehensive internship program. This program provides deep immersion in cutting-edge technologies like AI, analytics, and quantum computing, leveraging the unique strength of Indian youth to blend theoretical knowledge with practical problem-solving skills.
By investing in research collaborations and hands-on experience, we are empowering the next generation of scientists and innovators to lead India into evolving as a global tech powerhouse, driving breakthroughs in advanced sensing, autonomous systems, and sustainable technologies and paving the way to a Viksit Bharat.”
Preparing the Workforce for Global Leadership
“In a bold move toward realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India), technology giant UST has been instrumental in driving programs on multiple platforms to prepare Indian youth for global leadership roles in science and innovation. The initiative comes at a crucial time when artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are rapidly reshaping the global workforce landscape.
We’re not just witnessing this transformation – we’re actively preparing our workforce and the next generation to lead it. The company’s ambitious program operates on multiple fronts. At its core is an intensive internal upskilling initiative, where 25,000 employees are currently undergoing training in Generative AI technologies. This massive workforce development program is complemented by regular technology hackathons that bring together young talent from engineering colleges across India.
As artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies continue to reshape the global economy, initiatives like UST’s may prove crucial in positioning India’s youth at the forefront of technological innovation,” according to Sarath Raj, India Head – HR Business Partnership, UST.
Addressing the Talent Gap in Emerging Technologies
“India is a nation rich in talent, but unlocking its full potential requires targeted skill development and strategic opportunities. Currently, there is a significant talent shortage in fields such as AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, and renewables. As technology increasingly defines the future, it’s vital to channel the potential of our brightest minds into science and technology, fostering curiosity, exploration, and innovation from an early age.
Specifically, the semiconductor industry is projected to face a gap of 250,000 to 300,000 skilled workers by 2027. Trained youngsters need fabs, OSATs, equipment makers, and physical semiconductor infrastructure to hone their skills. This is a timely opportunity for the private sector to build companies using the unique value of our skilled, scalable workforce. This is a crucial investment towards a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
With AICTE’s curriculum advancements, increasing industry collaborations, and government sponsored skilling initiatives, India’s youth are poised to drive innovation in technology and beyond. iVP Semi is contributing to this effort through recent partnerships with IITs, focused on equipping the next generation of semiconductor pioneers to ensure that India doesn’t just participate in the global semiconductor revolution, but leads it,” says Raja Manickam, Founder and CEO, iVP Semi
Building a Culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
“We must encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities in order to go beyond memorization. A generation of innovative thinkers and problem-solvers will be fostered by bolstering STEM education, incorporating AI, robotics, and other cutting-edge technology into curricula, and encouraging experiential learning through hackathons, research initiatives, and innovation laboratories. Fostering leadership traits via mentoring, international partnerships, and exposure to real-world problems is equally crucial since it allows young brains to think creatively.
An entrepreneurial culture has already been sparked by India’s flourishing startup environment, which is aided by programs like Startup India and Atal Innovation Mission. We can establish India as a global center for innovation by empowering young people to take measured chances, create game-changing ideas, and contribute to deep-tech breakthroughs. Furthermore, combining cutting-edge technology with ancient expertise will result in original solutions that tackle regional and worldwide issues,” states Saravanan Ramalingam, Senior Manager, Engineering, Ascendion
The convergence of industry, academia, and government initiatives is creating an unprecedented ecosystem where young innovators can flourish. From the laboratories of premier institutions to the innovation hubs of leading corporations, a new generation of scientific leaders is emerging—one that combines technical brilliance with a uniquely Indian perspective on solving complex global challenges.
The path to Viksit Bharat runs through the brilliant minds of our youth who, armed with scientific knowledge and innovative thinking, are ready to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges—from climate change to healthcare accessibility, from digital transformation to sustainable development. As India honours the scientific heritage on this National Science Day, the nation also celebrates the promising future these young innovators are building—a future where India’s scientific and technological contributions illuminate the world stage, powering progress not just for our nation but for humanity at large.