Data is new oil, basis for transformation: Nandan Nilekani
A consumer can get his own data to get better health care and a good education.
CHENNAI: Former Unique Identification Authority of India chairman Nandan Nilekani said the massive data being created through various platforms including Aadhaar should be accessible to everyone.
Speaking at the 54th convocation of IIT Madras on Friday he said, “Just as the oil was the basis for the transformation in 20th century data is the basis for the 21st century.”
"But it's very important that the new oil, the data are democratised and available to everyone to use," he said, adding that it should not fall in the pockets of few organisations.
A consumer can get his own data to get better health care and a good education. Likewise, business sector can use the data to make better business. “If we can restructure the data to benefit the every individual and business, it will lead to the enormous amount of economic growth,” the chief architect of the Aadhar scheme said.
“IIT Madras has filed 120 patent applications during the year, of which 20 are international pa-tents. It has topped among the IITs with the higher number of patent filings," said Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director, IIT Madras.
He also said the IIT-MSAT will be launched later this year. “The satellite is currently undergoing intensive testing at Isro and IIT-M,” he said.A total of 2,263 degrees were awarded this year, of which 1,588 degrees were awarded in person and rest in absentia.