Country’s development not possible without active participation of tribals: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said the country's inclusive development was not possible without the active participation of tribals, and stressed the need to learn from the community on how to live in harmony with nature.

Speaking at the 3rd and 4th joint convocation of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhilai in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, she hailed the institute's efforts towards addressing the issues and problems of the tribal community through technology.

“Chhattisgarh is rich in tribal culture and tradition. Tribals understand nature very closely and have been living in harmony with the environment for centuries. They are a storehouse of knowledge attained by their lifestyle linked to nature. By understanding their thinking and their lifestyle, we can make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of India,” said the President. But the inclusive development of the country was only possible with the active participation of our tribal brothers and sisters, she said, adding that IIT-Bhilai had made special efforts in the field of technology for their progress.

“IIT-Bhilai has been specially focusing on agritech, healthtech and fintech. It has developed a mobile application in collaboration with AIIMS-Raipur that has provided medical and health suggestions to people at their home in villages,” she said. The institute had also collaborated with Indira Gandhi Agricultural University Raipur to create tech solutions for farmers, which gave them guidance in using their resources properly, the President said.

“Six lakh farmers are using a mobile application called ‘Crop Doctor’. I am happy to know that the institute is promoting socially relevant research. I have been told many projects related to national security and defence are also being run in this institute,” she said.

The institute had been working on the development of people belonging to tribal communities engaged in collection of minor forest produce ‘Mahua’ and also taking efforts to address issues and problems faced by all stakeholders, she added. The President said IITians had made invaluable contribution to the progress of the country as well as the world with their pioneering thinking, experimental mindset, innovative approach and far-sighted vision.

By leading many global companies, IITians were shaping the 21st-century world in many ways with their technical and analytical skills, she said. She said many IIT alumni had chosen the path of entrepreneurship, created new jobs and promoted India's digital transformation and start-up culture. In the field of industry, it was said “no risk, no gain”, Murmu said and asserted that success in self-employment could not be achieved with an attitude of risk aversion.

“Risk appetite is considered good. I am sure you will continue to move forward with your risk appetite. You all know about AI, blockchain, augmented reality, quantum computing, cyber-security, etc. I am sure you all will develop new technologies and work towards making the world a better place,” Murmu told the students at the event.

The earlier IITs and the newer ones would create a strong ecosystem to face the challenges of the future and this ecosystem would become the identity of a developed India, she said. “There are 23 IITs in the country today. The Union Government has established IITs in every part of the country with the aim of providing the highest quality technical education to youth,” Murmu said.

Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Chairman of Board of Governors (BoG) of IIT-Bhilai Krishnamurthi Venkataramanan and Director of IIT-Bhilai Rajiv Prakash were present on the occasion. PTI