Overview
At the FICCI Legends Series, Dr. Raghunath A. Mashelkar, Fellow of the Royal Society and former Director‑General of the CSIR, highlighted the need for India to shift from a technology consumer to a creator of world‑leading innovations. He stressed that Deep‑tech and AI must be affordable, inclusive and globally competitive.
Key Developments
- India’s current government procurement policy favours the lowest bidder, limiting innovative solutions.
- Dr. Mashelkar calls for the government to act as a risk‑sharing partner rather than a mere purchaser of cheap products.
- He proposes the three pillars of India’s innovation model: excellence, affordability and inclusion.
- Examples of Indian breakthroughs include AI‑based tuberculosis detection via smartphones, low‑cost breast‑cancer screening with thermal imaging, digital maternal‑health platforms, and non‑invasive anaemia detection.
- Emerging sectors such as the green hydrogen initiative, affordable data revolution and deep‑tech start‑ups showcase India’s potential to lead globally.
Important Facts
Dr. Mashelkar, a Padma award winner, reiterated that breakthrough innovations can arise even with limited resources. He highlighted the philosophy of “More for Less for More”, meaning higher performance with fewer inputs, making technology accessible to millions.
Exam Relevance
The speech touches on several GS topics: innovation policy (GS3), the role of public‑private collaboration (GS3), ethical use of AI (GS4), and the importance of inclusive growth (GS3). Understanding the limitations of the current procurement framework helps answer questions on “government’s role in fostering R&D” and “making technology affordable for the masses”.
Way Forward
To translate Dr. Mashelkar’s vision into action, aspirants should consider the following steps:
- Revise the procurement policy to reward innovation, not just low cost.
- Encourage risk‑sharing mechanisms such as government‑backed venture funds for deep‑tech start‑ups.
- Promote the development of digital public infrastructure that can host AI‑driven health and education services.
- Integrate ethical guidelines to ensure AI acts as a “co‑pilot” with human judgment at the centre.
- Scale successful low‑cost solutions across states to achieve inclusive impact.
By aligning policy, industry and research around these pillars, India can become a creator of “next practices” rather than a follower of global best practices.