Hyderabad: Experts deliberate on three key themes at G20 DEWG events

Hyderabad: Experts from different fields deliberated on high-speed mobile broadband and its impacts on society, digital inclusivity and sustainable green digital infrastructure: challenges and opportunities during events at the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) second meeting here on Monday.

As a part of the events, DoT organised three thematic sessions. The first session.'High-Speed Mobile Broadband and its Impacts, comprised esteemed panelists such as YGSC Kishore Babu, DDG-DoT-GoI (moderator), Sithuraj Ponraj, director (International Affairs), Government of Singapore, Arun Sharma, senior digital specialist, World Bank, Rahul Shah, director-APAC, GSMA, Abhishek Singh, president & CEO, NeGD, MeitY.

The panel discussed the last mile of high-speed connectivity, digital services in social areas (such as education, health, agriculture), impact and innovation enhancement using AI, IoT, industry 4.0, society 5.0. Taking extra measures to fill the gaps in terms of access to mobile internet, and smart phones and providing assistance to senior citizens and people in rural areas were also discussed.

The second session was held on 'Digital Inclusion - Connecting the Unconnected'. The panel was graced by Nur Sulyna Abdullah, special adviser, ITU (moderator), Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary (IT), Helani Galpaya, CEO, LIRNE Asia, Mlungisi Mthimunye, chief director for ICT, Government of South Africa, and Dr RajKumar Upadhyay, CEO, Centre for Development of Telematics, and Michael Ginguld, co-founder, director, Strategy and Operations, Air Jaldi.

The panel emphasised connecting people with the planet for digital transformation. The panel discussed important aspects such as access, adoption, value creation,meaningful usages, awareness, speed, affordability, infrastructure, digital skilling, content, enablement, and an assisted approach to adoption.

The third and last thematic session of the day was titled 'Sustainable Green Digital Infrastructure: Challenges and Opportunities' and saw the discussion among experts such as Shuva Raha, Head – of New Initiatives, Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (Moderator), Avinash Shekhar, APAC Head of Energy and Water Strategy, AWS, Preetam Maloor, Head, ET Division-ITU, Mr Daniel Brandão Cavalcanti, Coordinator for Digital and Telecom Policy, Government of Brazil, and Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Airtel.

The panel discussed at length the digital infrastructure going green and its intersection with physical infra of other sectors going green, sustainable development goals, reduced carbon footprint, renewable energy, reconditioning/recycling and efficient digital transformation. The global & industrial best practices were also covered. In the second half of the day, the delegates were treated to a unique digital experience, and a visit to IIT-Hyderabad, was organised to showcase India's path-breaking projects and cutting-edge research in digital and telecom technologies, such as 5G products, 5G base stations, 6G system prototypes, autonomous navigation test-bed, and AI-powered RNA- electronic test kit.

Session 1: High-Speed Mobile Broadband and its Impacts

Last mile of high-speed connectivity

Digital services in social areas (such as education, health, agriculture)

Impact and innovation enhancement using AI, IoT, industry 4.0, society 5.0

Extra measures to fill the gaps in terms of access to mobile internet and smart phones

Providing assistance to senior citizens and people in rural areas

Session 2: 'Digital Inclusion - Connecting the Unconnected'

Connecting people with the planet for digital transformation

Access, adoption, value creation and meaningful usages

Awareness, speed, affordability, infrastructure, digital skilling, content, enablement, and an assisted approach to adoption

Session 3: 'Sustainable Green Digital Infrastructure: Challenges and Opportunities'

Digital infrastructure going green and its intersection with physical infra of other sectors going green

Sustainable development goals

Reduced carbon footprint

Renewable energy, reconditioning/recycling

Efficient digital transformation