COVID-19 Led to Revival of Technology, Expertise: Nandan Nilekani

The co-founder of Infosys and the former Chairman of  Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)  addressed the IIT Gandhinagar students amidst the pandemic through video conferencing at its Ninth convocation.

Mr Nilekani said "Technology is now becoming central to our world. When you look at this crisis, two things stand out: one is a digital technology and the fact that we are able to at least continue many of the things that we do, thanks to the tools like video conferencing, digitisation, e-commerce, and other online tools. And a large number of us are able to do this and work from home."

"Another very important technology, which is now becoming apparent to the world, is the technology of medicines. Whether it is developing better tests so we can get quicker, faster results, whether it is getting drugs that can treat people who have got COVID-19 or creating the vaccines that can permanently get us out of the situation, technology is at the heart of it all," he said.

"And in some sense, therefore, this crisis has led to the revival of technology and the revival of expertise. For some time now, all over the world, expertise has got diminished, and everybody who is on WhatsApp is an expert.

"But now we realise that for the future of the world, the future of the society, deep knowledge and deep technology is required, and that is what is going to save us in the end," Mr Nilekani said.

Mr Nilekani also said that digital technology, the rise of the internet, big cloud operations and smartphones etc, had enabled work from home and made it possible. "Imagine if this (pandemic) had happened 20 years back, then we would not have been able to do anything. So, technology is actually what has helped us to do even the modicum of work we do in normal times," he said.

He also stated his excitement towards the large number of innovations what are happening in the area of vaccination.  “India itself has many companies…at least seven companies that manufacture vaccines. And India can rightly be called the vaccine capital of the world.” He said. “And I am sure that both the vaccine manufacturing and R&D (research and development) in India will ensure that by early next year we have millions and millions of vaccines which we can start deploying,” he said. “And certainly I think in the first half of 2021, we will be able to have vaccine-induced herd immunity and things start going back to normal life,” Nilekani said. He added that the crisis will eventually pass.

During the virtual convocation ceremony, He advised the gathering to continue learning as a life-long process and said, “It is really your attitude, your sense of the future which will give you the confidence to continue what you will do, and surely we will emerge from this crisis,”

During situations like these, the rise of digital and technology has helped people navigate through tough waters, with promising future technological advancements hold, and a strong digital expansion, it can safely be assumed that these two are the parameters for future growth and hold the key for a brighter and promising tomorrow.

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