Massachusetts Institute of Technology selects 'Digital India' as theme for annual conference

Digital India, which is creating a global buzz with its massive outreach and innovative solutions, has attracted the attention of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.

MIT students have invited senior minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for a day-long brain-storming session on ‘Digital India’ to discuss the progress made by India in digitisation, the challenges that lies ahead and its impact on the socio-economic fabric of the country.

“It is indeed heartening to see that the transformational programs of our government such as Digital India, Skill India, Stand-Up India, Aadhaar etc are generating curiosity among some of the best institutions of the world,” the Union IT minister said in a statement issued by organisers of the annual MIT-India Conference.

Prasad is scheduled to deliver the key-note address at the conference in Boston on April 9, said Priyanka Chaturvedi, co-chair of the conference, which will also be attended by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission.

“In the same context we will explore innovative ideas and practical solutions adopted by different entities - government, big corporations and emerging start-ups - to empower the country with increased access to digital,” said Rakesh Sridhar, another co-chair of the conference.

Other major speakers at the conference include filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Shekhar Kapur, and Sumant Sinha, CEO of ReNew Power.