VGGS 2024: Dept. of Science & Tech hosts Special Sessions on Semiconductor & Electronics, Techade: India’s Tech Decade & Int’l Space Conf. on Jan 11, 2024, at Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024.
Shri Ashwini Vaishnav, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railway, Communication & Electronics, and IT, Government of India, Shri Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and IT, Government of India, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat along with other key dignitaries to grace the seminar.
Ms Mona Khandhar, Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat during a press conference announced that the Department of Science and Technology is organizing three seminars namely, a special seminar on ‘Semiconductor & Electronics’, a seminar on ‘TECHADE: Heralding India’s Technological Decade’ and an International space conference on ‘New Space Era: Connecting Science, Nations & Societies’ at 10:00 – 13:00 hrs., 2:00 PM – 6:15 PM and 14.30 hrs. onwards respectively. These seminars will be held on 11 January 2024 at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024.
While delving into the details of the seminar, Ms. Mona Khandhar shared that highlighting the strategic focus of the State Government to develop Gujarat as a hub for semiconductor manufacturing a special seminar on Semiconductor & electronics will be organized in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit. The session will have three themes, namely, an inaugural session which will be graced by the presence of Shri Ashwini Vaishnav, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railway, Communication & Electronics, and IT, Government of India, Shri Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and IT, Government of India, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat. Tanaka Kazushige will attend the session as the Guest of Honour. Mr. Sanjay Mehrotra, President & CEO, Micron Technologies Inc. will deliver the keynote address. Mr. Ajit Manocha, President & CEO, SEMI Global will be the eminent speaker on the occasion.
Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics, Information and Technology will deliver a special address. The panel discussions will feature prominent leaders from the semiconductor and electronics such as Mr. Shankar Trivedi, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Business, NVIDIA, Mr Jeffery Chun, CEO, Simmtech and Mr. Atul Lall, Vice Chairman, Dixon Technologies, Mr Robert Buttermore, SVP-Supply Chain, Rockwell Automation, Mr Amrit Manwani, MD, Sahasra Electronics.
Kazuya Nakajo-san, Executive VP, JETRO and Mr Dhoya Snijders, Innovation Counsellor, Netherlands will also grace the occasion. The discussions will provide a platform for in-depth interaction between industry experts, academicians, and venture capitalists to explore the transformative potential of research and innovation in Gujarat along with addressing the imperative need for skill development to sustain growth and excellence in the semiconductor and electronics landscape.
Ms. Mona Khandhar shared that these sessions of the seminar will provide an opportunity to delve into strategies and initiatives aimed at fostering a robust semiconductor ecosystem and will examine infrastructure, innovation, and collaborative efforts to fortify the foundation of the semiconductor industry.
VGGS 2024: Seminar – “TECHADE: Heralding India’s Technological Decade”
Briefing about the TECHADE: Heralding India’s Technological Decade” seminar, Ms Mona Khandhar shared that this seminar is poised to chart the technological directions, offering strategic insights and visionary guidance in pivotal areas such as FinTech, DeepTech & Cyber Security for the state of Gujarat.
The seminar will be a compass, guiding the state towards technological innovation and sustainable growth. Furthermore, this seminar envisages positioning Gujarat as a global IT investment destination, attracting attention from major players and investors in the tech industry by showcasing the state’s commitment to fostering innovation, as it will play a crucial role in elevating Gujarat’s status on the global IT map.
While sharing the details of the seminar she shared, that the seminar will witness the presence of key government officials from the government of India and Gujarat and international dignitaries namely, Shri Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and IT, Government of India, Shri Ashwini Vaishnav, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railway, Communication & Electronics, and IT, Government of India, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, H.E. Tiit Riisalo, Hon’ble Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology the Republic of Estonia, H. E. TANAKA Kazushige, Director General, Trade, Policy, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan, Shri Raj Kumar, Chief Secretary to the Government of Gujarat, and Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ms Mona Khandhar, Principal Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat and Special Address by Mr. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO, Paytm. Along with this, various eminent speakers such as Dr. Nandini Tandon, Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, Silicon Valley, Mr. Sameer Nigam, Founder & CEO, PhonePe, Mr. Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Gandhinagar from sectors namely, Fintech, DeepTech and Cyber Security will be present at the event.
She further remarked that the seminar aims to achieve strategic collaborations between Gujarat and global conglomerates, fostering partnerships that will drive innovation and technological advancements, Surge Investment inflows into Gujarat, particularly in the technology industry, influence policy decisions, with the state government aligning its strategies to further support the growth and facilitate a robust exchange of knowledge and ideas, fostering an environment of continuous learning and adaptation to technological advancements, ensuring that Gujarat remains at the forefront of the global technological landscape.
Additionally, she shared, that the Gujarat Government has placed a special emphasis on the technology industry, underscoring its commitment to fostering innovation and technological advancements. As a tangible demonstration of this commitment, the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat is set to host the most substantial space within the entire Vibrant Gujarat 2024 exhibition, spanning an expansive 2,200 sqm at dome 12A, Helipad ground, Gandhinagar.
This substantial allocation reflects the Government’s dedication to showcasing and promoting breakthroughs in various technological sectors of semiconductors & Electronics, and Space tech. The exhibition space will feature stalls, kiosks, and hands-on experience zones showcasing the latest technologies, including artificial reality, virtual reality, robotics, drones, and applications of AI across various sectors. Notable participants include Micron, ISRO, Genus, Sonani, EROS, and Startups from IT and biotechnology among others. By providing such a prominent platform, the Government aims to facilitate collaboration, highlight advancements, and stimulate growth within the technology sector, reinforcing its pivotal role in the nation’s progress.
International space conclave on ‘New Space Era: Connecting Science, Nations & Societies’
Ms Mona Khandhar, Principal Secretary, further talked about the International Space Conclave, themed around “New Space Era: Connecting Science, Nations, and Societies,”. This session aims to provide a platform for global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to explore the frontiers of space exploration and deliberate on the role of space economy in shaping lives of the common man and foster collaborations and discussions to propel the space sector into a new era of growth and innovation.
She added that luminaries such as Dr. S Somnath, Chairman ISRO, and Shri. Pavan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACE and a delegation from UAE Space Agency among others will attend the International space conclave.
The conference will encompass three thematic sessions namely, Contribution of Space on Nation’s Economy and Growth, which will deliberate on the contribution of the space economy to national development and on how space technology often leads to the development of innovative products, new services, and advancements in various industries, indirectly contributing to economic growth, job creation, and technological advancement.
The second session on ‘Space Explorations for @ll: Explorations to applications’ will delve into how space explorations have benefitted mankind as Space exploration has transitioned from pure discovery to multifaceted applications. The third session on ‘Space Manufacturing Parks: Gateway to the Future’ one of the key sessions of the conclave will deliberate on the establishment of a Space Manufacturing Park in India. This initiative aims to leverage India’s growing prowess in space technology and manufacturing capabilities to create a hub for space-related industries and research. Further, the Government of Gujarat is developing state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities for space manufacturing and testing which will foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the space sector, nurturing startups and fostering growth.
While concluding she highlighted that the International Space Conclave seeks to serve as a platform for exchanging ideas, fostering collaborations, and shaping the future of space exploration and the space economy. Through these discussions on space economy contributions, inclusive space exploration, and the proposals to establish space manufacturing parks in India, this conclave endeavors to usher in a new era of connectivity and progress in the realm of space science and technology.
She concluded the conference by extending a warm invitation to all concerned stakeholders, industry experts, and policymakers to join this impactful session.
