PM to digitally unveil B'luru tech summit on Thursday

Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would digitally unveil the 23rd edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit from New Delhi on Thursday and virtually address the gathering in this tech city.

"PM Modi will digitally inaugurate the state's flagship annual technology event and address the delegates, who will participate off-line and online through video conferencing," Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan told reporters here on Wednesday.

Among the prominent overseas participants from 25 countries the world over are Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Swiss Confederation Vice-President Guy Parmelin.

The 3-day summit, to be held at a star hotel in the city centre, will focus on innovation and growth in IT and biotechnology (BT), which drive the growth of this tech hub in the southern state.

"Modi is the second prime minister to unveil the event in the city after Atal Bihari Vajpayee 22 years ago in November, 1998," Narayan recalled.

Narayan, who is the ruling BJP legislator from the city, holds the portfolios of IT, BT and Science and Technology.

As the event is being held in the midst of coronavirus pandemic, arrangements have been made for delegates to participate in the summit's various events, including sessions through video conferencing.

"Technology and innovation have been a boon and a solution to mitigate hardships we all are facing due to the Covid pandemic," asserted Narayan.

Thought leaders, industry captains, technocrats, researchers, innovators, investors, policy-makers and educators from across the country and overseas will participate in 75 panel discussions and plenary sessions to be addressed by 270 speakers.

With "Next is Now" as the theme, the summit will deliberate on challenges emerging in the post-pandemic world and focus on the impact of technologies and innovations in IT and BT.

About 200 Indian tech firms are showcasing their products and technologies in the virtual exhibition.

"The state government has decided to set up an Artificial Intelligence (AI) research centre in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science in the city in view of its potential to find solutions to problems in future," said Narayan on the occasion.

The summit will also feature multi-track conferences, global innovation alliance, STPI-IT Export awards, Smart Bio awards and Bengaluru Impact awards.

The state government will also sign a dozen agreements at the summit with Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) partner countries in Europe, Japan and the US.

Some of the partner countries like Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Netherlands and Switzerland will showcase advancements in their technology and how future ready their innovations are at the GIA sessions.

The mega event is organised by the state government in partnership with Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society, the state's vision group on IT, BT and Start-up and the Software Technology Parks of India./Eom/455 words.