Innovation for Self-Reliance in Engineering: Reflections from BW Engineering Education Conclave 2025

“Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been." – Albert Einstein

Engineering has always been the most supportive pillar of the vision, Viksit Bharat 2047. They innovate and build for the development of our nation’s infrastructure, digital capabilities, and industrial growth, while also fostering sustainable and inclusive solutions. In the journey toward self-reliance, engineers are not just problem-solvers — they are nation-builders. 

Last week, I had the privilege of delivering a keynote at the 5th Engineering Excellence Conclave and Awards 2025 hosted by Business World Group. Honestly, I’ve spoken at many places before, but this one felt different. I was extremely humbled to note that my address, titled “Innovation for Self-Reliance: Engineering Education in the Age of AI, Climate Change & Geopolitical Shifts”, wasn’t just delivered, it was lived through the curiosity and energy in that room. Standing before such a diverse gathering, students, professors, HoDs, VCs, and tech professionals, felt like being at the heart of India's tech future. So let me share with you what I shared with them. And maybe ask you a few things along the way, too. Because this isn't just about a speech. It's about a conversation we all need to be having.

India at the Innovation Crossroads

I don’t know whether you noticed how often we switch between pride and panic these days?

One minute, we're celebrating Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon, or how India now ranks 2nd in mobile data usage globally (TRAI, 2024). Next, we’re staring at flooded metros, crumbling roads, or farmers struggling with erratic rains. So, here’s what I said at the conclave: We’re at a crossroads. If we want to be truly self-reliant, we can’t just rely on headlines. We need engineers who can listen, observe, and build, day after day, problem after problem. Because real tests lie ahead and that is why we must embed innovation across engineering disciplines, not just in niche labs?

AI is Everyone’s Domain

One of my core messages was that AI isn’t just for computer scientists. Whether you're in mechanical, civil, or electrical engineering, AI must augment your thinking. I always ask the students I meet at such gatherings, “What comes to your mind when you hear the word AI?” And I always get the usual response. Some say coding, machine learning, maybe ChatGPT. That is actually the commonly used methods of AI. But it can be more than that. For instance, if you're a civil engineer working on road safety. Can AI help you? Have you ever thought about it?

AI is no longer someone else’s domain. If you’re building bridges, AI can help monitor stress and wear. If you’re designing buildings, it can optimize energy usage. We can’t say that one can completely depend on AI, but it can definitely help us do the work efficiently and in a more impactful way. Even in thermal or agricultural engineering, AI is now helping predict outcomes faster and better than before. So the real question is not “Will AI take my job?” but rather, “Am I learning to work with AI before someone else takes my job?” That’s the level of shift we’re talking about. Just think about the day of drones with computer-vision monitoring bridge cracks, or thermal systems with predictive energy optimization.

Climate Resilience: Engineering for Real Lives

Think about the last time you experienced extreme weather such as a flood, a heatwave, unseasonal rains. That’s climate change for you, me, and everyone. And no, it’s not just a policy issue or a UN summit topic. It’s an engineering problem. Exactly. Climate change is not a future threat anymore; it’s a daily engineering challenge.

At the conclave, we discussed how sustainability can’t be an “extra”. It has to be central. For example:

• Engineers in Ladakh building solar passive homes that don’t need heating.

• Startups are using agri-waste to build cooling panels.

• IIT teams are creating low-cost water filters for arsenic-affected areas.

And that’s why we call engineers the “builders of Tomorrow”. 

Our collective actions should be channeled towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Our future engineers should think about becoming innovators who create more solutions and develop our nation. Build for your village. For your street. For that school with no water cooler. Because honestly, a simple working model that solves a real problem carries more weight than a fancy mobile application. My clarion call was for sustainability integrated deeply into projects, not as CSR add-ons, but as core. I highlighted that engineers who build with a climate purpose will leave a lasting impact.

Tech Sovereignty Amid Geopolitical Shifts

Have you noticed how often the world suddenly becomes “unavailable” when a crisis hits?

During COVID, ventilators and chips were in short supply. Then came wars, sanctions, and trade restrictions. Today, countries are holding tight to semiconductors, lithium, and even data.

So the question is, can India afford to be dependent on others for critical tech? At this point, I mentioned the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge (359m above the river!). It wasn’t just a marvel, it was a message. We built it. We trusted our engineers. And it stood tall.

One of the key contributors? Dr. G. Madhavi Latha, a geotechnical engineering professor from IISc, whose analysis helped stabilize that structure on Himalayan soil. Quietly brilliant. Deeply Indian. That’s what self-reliance looks like.

What Education Needs Now: Not New Books, But New Questions

Look, this part’s hard to say, but it needs to be said. We have some of the sharpest minds sitting in engineering colleges today. But are we really building things that matter? 

We’ve made placement the purpose of education. But the real purpose should be problem-solving. So my dear reader, If you’re still reading this and you’re a student, here’s what I want to leave you with: You don’t have to build the next Google. But if you build something that makes life 10% easier for a farmer, a nurse, a rickshaw driver, or even your grandmother, you’ve done something great. One small prototype that works in real life? That’s more valuable than 50 pages of code that never leave the laptop. So ask yourself this: “Am I building for marks, or for meaning?”

At the end of my talk, I told the audience: Our engineers are the power that can help the nation uplift. We need their contribution towards the nation-building and their innovative thinking to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. So let’s work on this. Together.

Because the world doesn’t just need more engineering. It needs more Indian engineering, designed with purpose, built with compassion, and rooted in this beautiful, complex land we call home. So here’s what I urge you, dear students, teachers, leaders: let’s lean into curiosity, listen deeply, build responsibly, and aim boldly. As the Chenab Bridge stands tall today. Let us bridge not only valleys, but mindsets, towards a future where India builds what it needs, and needs what it builds.

Jai Hind.

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