New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday underscored that India's future and the world's will be driven by innovation, knowledge, and the energy of its youth. Interacting virtually with participants at the grand finale of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH), the Prime Minister said the government was pushing reforms to clear roadblocks for the young, as India aims to become the world's most innovative, progressive, and prosperous country.
"The world of the future will be guided by knowledge and innovation, and India's youth are the hope and drivers of this transformation," Modi said, noting that their distinct perspective, thinking, and energy set them apart. "India's strength today is its young innovators and its technological prowess," he added.
Since its inception, the SIH has seen nearly 14 lakh students form two lakh teams to tackle about 3,000 problems, leading to the birth of hundreds of start-ups. Over 6,400 institutions are associated with the initiative, the Prime Minister informed. He highlighted the growth in participation - from 7,000 ideas in 2017 to over 57,000 this year - as proof that India's youth are stepping forward to resolve the country's challenges.
Modi cited solutions born out of past hackathons already benefiting the public. One example was a team's 2022 project measuring cyclone intensity, now integrated with Isro's technology. Such breakthroughs, he said, reflect the need to think outside the box across every sector to meet India's aspirations.
The Prime Minister pointed out that hackathons represent a new governance model where not just the government, but also students, teachers, and mentors contribute solutions. He called this a prime example of "Sabka Prayas" (everyone's effort).
Emphasising the next 25 years as India's "Amrit generation," Modi said it is the youth's responsibility to build a developed India. To that end, the government is investing in the resources they need, unveiling initiatives like the new National Education Policy and establishing over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs. He also highlighted the "One Nation-One Subscription" scheme, giving students, researchers, and innovators free access to international journals, ensuring no young mind is left behind.
Modi reiterated the government's alignment with the youth's vision and their infrastructural needs. He also repeated his commitment to bringing one lakh young people with no political family background into politics and announced the "Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue" in January 2025. This event, he said, will see millions of young Indians share their ideas for driving India's development forward.
