Kochi, March 23 : Powered by a range of concrete technological innovations, Kerala needs to leverage its full potential to lead a technological revolution in the coming years, industry experts said here on Friday.
Kerala's High Power IT Committee (HPIC) Chairman S.D. Shibulal, addressing a session on 'Technology Disruption and Inclusion' at the two-day Global Digital Summit - #FUTURE that ended here on Friday, said he would re-imagine Kerala as a cashless society running on completely sustainable energy with zero discharge waste in the coming years.
"These aspirations are capable enough to create more innovations which will create more opportunities, talents and capabilities. In years ahead, there should be electric cars running on Kerala's roads."
Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said the country has to embrace technology and become a leader in the digital transformation taking place around the globe without being bogged down by unfounded fears of job losses, incomes or machines replacing humans.
"One of the big lacunae in this country is risk financing and so our start-ups go elsewhere because they need risk financing which is not available in this country.
"We have to make sure Indian capital is available because often it is closest to the ground and understands the financing better. We have to make sure that the companies of our future are incorporated in India, get Indian financing and expand significantly. We cannot miss out on the AI and Robotics revolution," said Rajan.
Harish Krishnan, MD, Public Affairs & Strategic Engagements - Cisco Systems, said: "Kerala is equipped with a congregation of smart villages that we should be able to build on the vast knowledge resources we possess."
Citing the case of Estonia, which has become a completely digitalised country, Dinu John Parel, Global CIO - Dover Corporations, said he looks forward to a day when the world would think about Kerala as the most digitally advanced state in India.
"Estonia could achieve it for they had a common purpose. Besides, they were willing to take risks. And to make it work, all the constituents, which include enterprises, corporates and citizens, should work together towards this cause," he added.
