Patna: A national conclave hosted at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna has marked a major step forward in India’s ongoing push toward rural transformation under the Viksit Bharat 2047 mission. Organised by the Foundation for Innovators in Science and Technology (FIST), the event convened policymakers, technologists, grassroots leaders, and academics to address some of the country’s most urgent rural challenges and to explore sustainable, scalable solutions for inclusive development.
The day-long event was inaugurated by Professor T. N. Singh, Director of IIT Patna, who hailed the initiative as a timely convergence of innovation, policy, and community-driven solutions. “Rural transformation is not just a developmental goal, but a national imperative,” he said, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to applied research in service of rural India.
The programme opened with a screening of a government film introducing the Viksit Bharat agenda, followed by a welcome address by Dr. Anup Kumar Keshri, Director of FIST. Dr. Praveen Kumar, CEO of FIST, set the tone for the day, underlining the importance of bridging research and field application through entrepreneurship and grassroots innovation.
Delivering a keynote address, Shri Bhim Kumar Gupta, Chairman of the Viksit Bharat Project – Mission 2047, emphasised the mission’s collective vision: “From government to startups, from academia to local communities — everyone has a role to play in reimagining India’s villages.”
The sessions that followed covered a range of themes, from renewable energy to AI-enabled agriculture, skill development to cooperative models. Among the highlights:
- Dr. Afsar Imam showcased innovations in green technologies, such as solar-powered cold storage and nanofibre materials.
- Dr. Jeena Madam presented a cooperative-led approach to inclusive rural development.
- Shri A. R. Yadav and Shri Gopal Krishnan explored frameworks for rural employment and youth skill-building aligned with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
- Business leaders like Shri Mohan Devdas Poliyedath and Shri Prem Sharma offered models for logistics and FMCG expansion in rural markets.
- AI tools for agriculture and smart mobility solutions tailored to rural terrains — including custom-designed e-rickshaws — were demonstrated by technologists Shri Gaurav Chaudhary and Shri Sandeep Gupta.
In a symbolic gesture of public-private cooperation, Hostage India, makers of the ‘Badshah’ e-rickshaw, donated two vehicles to FIST for research and rural deployment, signalling future R&D collaboration with IIT Patna.
The conclave concluded with the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at fostering deeper partnerships among attending organisations and government bodies.
