New Delhi/Chennai: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the first-ever Technology Summit of IIT Madras in New Delhi, emphasising the need to translate research into real-world solutions to drive India's development.

Held at Bharat Mandapam, the summit, themed “From IITM. For Bharat. Building Together”, brought together stakeholders from government, industry and academia to strengthen collaboration for a technology-driven future.

Focus on research-to-innovation shift
Addressing the gathering, Pradhan said India's innovation ecosystem is at a “crucial turning point” and stressed that research should move beyond academic work to tangible societal impact.

He highlighted that while India has a strong talent pool and growing startup ecosystem, there remains a need to build and invest in indigenous technologies instead of relying on imports.

Industry-academia collaboration in spotlight
The summit showcased IIT Madras' research ecosystem, including its 15 Centres of Excellence, which have collectively mobilised over Rs 950 crore in funding, generated more than 240 patents and incubated over 40 deep-tech startups in recent years.

The event also featured panel discussions and expert sessions on key sectors such as artificial intelligence, healthcare technology, semiconductors, sustainability and skilling.

New research centres launched
During the summit, new partnerships were announced with major industry players, leading to the launch of dedicated research centres in areas including cardiovascular health, robotic-assisted surgeries and sustainable energy solutions.

These centres aim to promote indigenous innovation, strengthen clinical and technological capabilities, and support scalable solutions aligned with national priorities.

Push for AI and future-ready education
The institute also unveiled “Bodhan AI”, a Centre of Excellence focused on artificial intelligence in education. The initiative aims to build a national digital infrastructure for education and train over one million teachers in AI-enabled teaching by 2027.

Call for collective nation-building
IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti described the summit as a “call to action” for industry, academia and policymakers to collaborate in building a developed India by 2047.

Officials said the summit underscores the growing importance of integrated partnerships in accelerating innovation and achieving the vision of “Viksit Bharat”.