BICHOLIM
Calling upon youth to become technology creators rather than merely technology users, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday appealed to students to focus not only on earning degrees but also on acquiring practical technological skills.
With the objective of equipping students with modern technological skills and preparing them for global competition, Sawant inaugurated the AR/VR Workshop and Young Innovators STEM Lab at Ravindra Bhavan, Sanquelim.
The workshop was organised to provide students with hands-on exposure to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber Security, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), STEM education, and innovation.
Addressing the gathering, Sawant said that to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, research, skills, creativity, and innovation are the four pillars that will shape India's future as a global leader.
The chief minister encouraged students to interact freely with experts present at the workshop, ask questions, and learn from their experiences. Such interactions, he said, inspire research, nurture innovation, and help develop future entrepreneurs, scientists, and technology leaders.
He further noted that India's growing technological partnerships with the United States and several other countries have opened up global opportunities for Indian youth. Students should therefore adopt a global outlook while strengthening their technical capabilities to succeed in the rapidly evolving world.
Highlighting the increasing role of technology across sectors, Sawant said Artificial Intelligence is transforming healthcare, tourism, agriculture, governance, industry, and even the dairy sector by improving milk production, livestock health management, and overall productivity. Embracing modern technology, he added, is essential for remaining competitive in the future.
The chief minister also stated that the Goa government has been consistently strengthening educational institutions by providing modern infrastructure, STEM education, skill development programmes, and technology-enabled laboratories to prepare a skilled workforce for the future.
Encouraging entrepreneurship, he said the State government provides financial assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh to promote innovation and start-ups. He urged young people to become job creators instead of job seekers.
The programme was attended by Chaitali Bhattacharya, Parimal Abhishek, Mahad Mustafa, Dattaram Chimulkar, along with experts from various fields, teachers, researchers, students, and other dignitaries.
Organised with the support of engineering institutions in Sanquelim, the workshop featured live demonstrations of AR/VR applications, STEM learning tools, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, and other emerging technologies.
Organisers expressed confidence that the initiative would inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and innovation.
