Former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, proposed that Mysuru be developed as India’s startup laboratory, according to state media reports.
“Let Mysuru be a place where startups co-create with labs, where internships matter as much as examinations and where technology policy is informed by evidence, ethics and empathy,” he said during the 106th convocation of the University of Mysore.
He highlighted the importance of developing the country’s technology across a wide range of fields, including space, semiconductors, biotechnology and clean energy production.
“There is a need for progress in emerging areas such as AI, quantum computing, brain-computer interfaces and synthetic biology. Graduates must recognise their roles across sectors, including food, medicine, healthcare and IT, and concentrate on these domains. The mindset should be one of collaboration: ‘We are not competitors but companions’,” Somanath reportedly stated.
He urged that universities should serve as crucibles for translational research—locations where discoveries transition from paper to prototypes and eventually to market-ready products, allowing students to learn through hands-on experiences at the forefront of innovation.
While Somanath acknowledged that the current educational programs at the university need to evolve, he indicated that this topic could be discussed in future sessions.
He emphasised the need to address long-standing gaps to unlock India’s potential and realise the vision of Viksit Bharat. He urged the academic community to collaborate with industry, government and civil society. He also praised ISRO’s successes with Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and Aditya-L1, stating, “Scientists and technologists are shaped within universities.”
The former pushed the need for comprehensive manufacturing ecosystems, supplier support, testing infrastructure and the integration of software and AI with advanced hardware.
He urged students to embrace emerging technologies such as artificial general intelligence to enhance learning, quantum computing for new cryptography and optimisation, and brain-computer interfaces for innovative experiences and rehabilitation.
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