IIT Bhubaneswar organizes lecture to mark National Technology Day Celebrations

Bhubaneswar, 23^rd May 2025: As part of the National Technology Day celebrations, IIT Bhubaneswar has organised a lecture on ‘Futuristic Defence Technologies: Can India Become World Leader?’ on 23^rd May 2025. Dr. Binay Kumar Das, Director General, Electronics and Communication System DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India delivered the talk. It may be noted that this was the 4^th lecture of the Distinguished Lecture Series, organised by Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)-Bhubaneswar Chapter, in association with Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, IIT Bhubaneswar, NISER Bhubaneswar, CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar, ICT-IOC Bhubaneswar Campus, and IEEE Bhubaneswar Section.

In his lecture, Dr. Das highlighted: “Technological advancements typically emerge from military needs before transitioning to civilian use. This talk will delve into India’s readiness to lead in futuristic defence technologies amidst evolving global warfare dynamics, especially post-Ukraine conflict. Key focus areas include AI-driven situational awareness, autonomous systems, robotic soldiers, hypersonic weapons, quantum sensing, and digital battlefields. It will also highlight India’s self-reliance efforts through initiatives like DIA-CoE, startup engagement, and DRDO’s TDF scheme—strategies aimed at transforming India into a global leader in defence innovation rather than a passive technology adopter.”

In his address, Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar said: “Technology has profoundly transformed our lives and society—from enabling greater gender participation to revolutionizing global communication and defence. While India has made significant strides in software and systems-level technologies, we must now focus on strengthening our capabilities in components-level technologies, particularly in materials science. Only by mastering this foundational layer can we truly emerge as a global leader in technology.”

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Damodar Acharya, Former Director of IIT Kharagpur and Chairman of INAE Bhubaneswar Chapter, shared that INAE was entrusted with organizing the National Technology Day celebrations. As part of this, a series of expert lectures highlighted the impact of technology in fields like nuclear science, AI, space, and defense. He noted that these events not only honour the legacy of the 1998 Pokhran tests but also reflect India’s rising global presence in science and technology.

Prof. Subhransu Ranjan Samantaray, Head of the School of Electrical & Computer Sciences and Secretary, INAE; Prof. Radhakanta Padhi, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore also spoke on the occasion. Dr. Vijayakrishna Kari, Professor-in-Charge (Seminar), IIT Bhubaneswar coordinated the programme.