DQ Conclave 2023: Bharat 2047 Sets India on the Path to Emerging as a Global Superpower

The DQ Digital Leadership Conclave 2023, organized by Dataquest, Cybermedia, witnessed an insightful gathering of industry leaders who explored India's potential to rise as a superpower by 2047. The event, held on June 9th, 2023, highlighted the transformative power of technology, and its role in shaping India's future.

Sunil Rajguru, Editor, Dataquest, welcomed the audience and emphasized India's remarkable progress in becoming the largest country in terms of population. Rajguru underscored the digital revolution India is currently experiencing, with Aadhar, the world's largest voluntary identification system, and the India Stack, a powerful technological infrastructure supporting various initiatives such as UPI. Additionally, the country's achievements in areas like healthcare, sanitation, and digital governance were acknowledged.

Pradeep Gupta, CMD of Cybermedia, celebrated Dataquest's 40-year journey and its pivotal role in nurturing the IT industry. Gupta outlined the publication's commitment to fostering industry growth and addressed its mission to propel India towards becoming a leading technology nation by 2047.

V. Srinivasa Rao, Chairman and MD of BT&BT, presented an inspiring vision of "Bharat 2047: Picturing a Future as a Superpower." Highlighting India's rich history of significant contributions to various fields, Rao envisioned a future where India would leverage advanced technologies such as IT, OT, biotech, nanotech, and quantum computing to achieve unprecedented progress.

Rao discussed the nine super capabilities enabled by technology fusion, which encompassed intelligent and autonomous systems, extended human capabilities, and sustainable development. He emphasized the importance of aligning with industrial revolutions and fostering collaboration between various sectors to establish a strong foundation for India's technological growth.

In a fireside chat titled "India 2047 Agenda: Transforming the Tech World," Ajay Chowdhry, founder of HCL and EPIC Foundation, and Saurabh Srivastava, Co-Founder of NASSCOM, deliberated on India's path to leadership in technology. The participants underscored the need for India to transition from low-value manufacturing to higher-value add industries, such as hardware and software integration. They also emphasized the importance of innovation, setting global standards, and addressing societal challenges through technology.

The panel discussion on "Building the Next-Gen AI-Powered Enterprise" explored the potential of generative AI tools and their impact on various sectors. Experts, including V. Srinivasa Rao, Dr. Chandrasekhar Devra, and Gokulavan Jayaraman, emphasized the need to adopt and embrace new technologies, develop use cases, and leverage AI for economic growth and societal benefits. The participants also stressed the importance of educating and training stakeholders on the responsible use of AI.

India's ICT Industry: Transforming the World with Innovation and Digitalization

Next fireside chat shed light on India's role as a global transformer in the field of information and communication technology (ICT). The conversation, featuring industry leaders and experts, explored the various components involved in making India a powerhouse of innovation and highlighted the importance of digital transformation in driving growth and success in today's technology-driven world.

Sharad Sharma, founder of the iSPIRT Foundation, engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with Arun Seth, Board Member of Jubilant Pharmova Ltd. They emphasized the need for India to shift its focus towards product innovation and build an ecosystem that fosters the creation of digital public goods. The speakers emphasized the significance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure successful product innovation, drawing attention to the role of institutions in facilitating this transformation.

The conversation also touched upon the remarkable achievements of the India Stack, which revolutionized digital infrastructure in the country. It highlighted the importance of focusing not only on visible technological advancements but also on the "unseen stuff" that drives innovation. The speakers emphasized the need to create product-based ecosystems and leverage emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to overcome challenges and foster sustainable growth.

Another panel discussion centered around the theme "Discover, Digitize, Transform, and Grow Your Business." The participants delved into the convergence of sales and marketing in the digital era, emphasizing the need for organizations to adapt to changing channels and leverage technology to achieve business success. The discussion highlighted the significance of upskilling and reskilling employees to keep pace with digital transformation and the importance of data security and sustainability in evaluating organizational performance.

Prominent industry leaders also shared insights into cutting-edge technologies and their impact on various sectors. Discussions on building petabytes of storage, smart cloud strategies, Industry 4.0, and deep tech emphasized the transformative potential of these innovations in driving efficiency, productivity, and customer experiences. The conversations emphasized the need for collaboration, skill development, and seamless integration between IT and operational technologies to fully harness the power of emerging technologies.

The fireside chat on revolutionizing the Indian banking and fintech ecosystem highlighted the pivotal role of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in driving financial inclusion and digital payments. The participants discussed the growth of fintech, the importance of collaboration between startups and established players, and the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to protect against evolving threats.

In a forward-looking discussion on the next 25 years of the ICT industry, leaders from Info Edge and Tech Mahindra emphasized India's success story in IT services and its transition into an IT consulting hub. They highlighted the talent pool, smart workforce, and the potential of the Indian IT industry to continue driving growth through innovation and relevance.

The discussions at Digital Leadership showcased India's commitment to leveraging technology to transform the world and position itself as a global leader in the ICT industry. As India focuses on product innovation, digital transformation, and collaboration between public and private sectors, it paves the way for a future powered by technology, innovation, and inclusive growth.

The DQ Conclave 2023 served as a platform for industry leaders, visionaries, and experts to discuss and envision a future where India emerges as a global superpower. With a strong focus on technology, innovation, and collaboration, the event showcased the immense potential of India to lead the world in various domains and set new benchmarks for success.

Dataquest, with its 40-year legacy, has been at the forefront of chronicling the growth and evolution of the IT industry in India. It continues to drive discussions, inspire innovation, and shape the future of technology in the country.