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Time of India
24-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ET Soonicorns Summit 2025: Forging a digital India for a billion people with AI for Bharat
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Sumanth Naropanth - CEO, Deep Armor and Gauntlet - CEO, Deep Armor and Gauntlet Jai Asundi - Executive Director, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) - Executive Director, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) Adarsh Natarajan - CEO, Aindra (AI-powered medtech) - CEO, Aindra (AI-powered medtech) Abhinav Aggarwal - Founder & CEO, Fluid AI - Founder & CEO, Fluid AI Ankit Bose - Head, Nasscom AI - Head, Nasscom AI Jyotsna Jayaram - Partner, Trilegal The strategic roadmap for building a sovereign AI infrastructure powered by localised data centers. How startups can effectively develop AI solutions that cater to India's vast linguistic and cultural diversity. The crucial interplay between government policy, private investment, and regulatory frameworks in scaling India's AI capabilities. Real-world case studies of 'AI for Bharat' in critical sectors like healthcare and finance. Actionable strategies for bridging the digital divide to ensure an inclusive AI-driven future for all Indians. As India solidifies its position as a global technology powerhouse, a crucial question is taking centre stage: How can the nation build artificial intelligence (AI) that serves its uniquely diverse population? The upcoming ET Soonicorns Summit 2025 will address this question head-on in a pivotal session titled, 'AI for Bharat: How Localised Data Centres Can Bridge the Digital Divide with Indian Solutions.'The conversation will move beyond generic AI discourse to address the foundational elements required to create AI solutions for India's diverse cultural and linguistic landscape. This includes a deep dive into the critical role of localised data centres—the engine of the AI revolution. The session will bring together some of the leading minds from the startup ecosystem, policy research, and legal sectors to explore India's path digital economy is expanding rapidly and is projected to contribute nearly a fifth of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 . Fuelling this growth is the swift adoption of AI, with India's Generative (Gen) AI market expected to surge from approximately USD 1.1 billion in 2025 to USD 6.4 billion by 2030 . To truly harness this potential for every citizen, developing 'AI for Bharat' is not just an opportunity but a necessity. This means creating AI solutions that understand and cater to India's multitude of languages and cultural nuances, a task that requires massive, localised datasets and the infrastructure to process is where the significance of local data centres becomes paramount. Spurred by the demands of AI and cloud service providers, India's data centre capacity is projected to surge by 77% to 1.8 GW by 2027 . The Indian government is actively fostering this growth with initiatives such as the IndiaAI mission, which aims to bolster the country's AI ecosystem. Yet, a formidable challenge remains: bridging the persistent digital divide. In 2024, rural India had 488 million internet users, significantly more than the urban user base. However, disparities in consistent access and digital literacy the charge in securing the very infrastructure that will power 'AI for Bharat' is Sumanth Naropanth, CEO of Deep Armor and Gauntlet. Gauntlet provides an AI-powered platform for comprehensive cloud and AI security monitoring. Naropanth's expertise is critical in a landscape where the security of data centres and AI models is non-negotiable for building trust and ensuring the integrity of India's digital future. His work addresses the foundational need for robust security as India scales its AI Asundi, the Executive Director of the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), brings a crucial policy and research perspective to the discussion. CSTEP is a leading think tank that enriches policymaking with innovative approaches, and Asundi has been instrumental in establishing 'AI for social impact' as a key area of work. His insights will be vital in understanding how policy can guide the development of AI and data centre infrastructure to ensure it leads to inclusive and sustainable development for all of the frontlines of applying AI to solve uniquely Indian challenges comes Adarsh Natarajan, the founder and CEO of Aindra Systems. Aindra is a pioneering medtech startup that leverages AI-powered computer vision for the early detection of cervical cancer, particularly in low-resource settings. Natarajan's journey with Aindra, which he founded after his MBA from IIM Bangalore, exemplifies the potential of deep tech to address critical societal needs. His experience will shed light on the practicalities and impact of building AI solutions for the Indian context.A visionary in the conversational AI space, Abhinav Aggarwal, the Co-founder and CEO of Fluid AI, will offer a glimpse into the future of human-AI interaction in India. Fluid AI provides a generative AI platform that automates customer support and employee assistance, showcasing the potential to enhance service delivery and efficiency. A self-taught coder who dropped out of a prestigious MBA programme to build his company, Aggarwal's story underscores the passion and innovation driving India's AI startup the voice of the Indian IT industry is Ankit Bose, Head of Nasscom AI. His perspective will be crucial in understanding broader industry trends and the collective action needed to realise the 'AI for Bharat' the essential legal and regulatory framework for this technological revolution is Jyotsna Jayaram, a Partner at the law firm Trilegal. As AI and data localisation become increasingly intertwined with policy, her expertise in advising domestic and international clients on data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity will be invaluable in navigating the complex legal this diverse expertise on stage, the session is poised to tackle the central questions holding the key to India's AI future. How does India balance the race for data centre supremacy with the non-negotiable needs for data security and privacy? As the government rolls out ambitious policies like the IndiaAI Mission, how can startups and think tanks ensure these initiatives translate into tangible impact on the ground, truly bridging the digital divide rather than widening it?The discussion will move from the theoretical to the practical. What does it take to build an AI model that works not just in a lab but in a low-resource rural clinic? How can generative AI be adapted to serve a multilingual population with varying levels of digital literacy? This panel will explore the friction and synergy between policy, technology, security, and law, providing a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities in building an AI ecosystem for a billion session will cut through the hype to provide a grounded, forward-looking perspective. Attendees can expect to gain a clear understanding of:This session will provide a nuanced look at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in creating a truly digital Bharat.360 One is the presenting partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025.(This article is generated and published by the ET Spotlight team. You can get in touch with them at etspotlight@ .)
New York Post
14-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
NY scraps race-based STEM program after Asians claim discrimination
State education officials have scrapped New York's race-based admissions policy for advanced STEM classes for middle- and high-school students after a lawsuit by Asian parents, The Post has learned. The state-funded Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) admits 11,000 seventh- to 12th-grade students a year for classes at 56 participating colleges and medical schools statewide, with a related College Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). The pre-college enrichment program aims to 'increase the number of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students prepared to enter college and improve their participation rate' in math, science, tech and health fields, according to its website. Advertisement 3 Yiatin Chu, a co-founder of the Asian Wave alliance, praised the decision by New York state education officials to scrap a race-based admissions policy for advanced STEM classes. James Messerschmidt But while black, Hispanic and Native American students could apply regardless of family wealth, Asian and white schoolkids needed to meet certain income criteria — indicating they are economically challenged — or be excluded. A federal lawsuit filed in January accused New York of engaging in blatant discrimination against Asian and white students under the program. Advertisement 'Progress!' crowed Yiatin Chu — a co-founder of the Asian Wave alliance who said her daughter was one of the students discriminated against because of the race-based policy — to The Post. Chu said her then-seventh-grade daughter was 'able and ready' to apply for admission to the summer 2024 STEP program at New York University but couldn't 'because her race makes her ineligible. 'It was unfair and racist for my daughter to be subjected to a low-income requirement just because she is Asian when her black and Hispanic classmates weren't,' Chu said Sunday. 'I'm glad that my lawsuit instigated revisiting these decades long, race-based standards.' Another Asian parent said her daughter was enrolled in 11th grade abd had an overall grade-point average above 80 in math, science, and English but was 'unable to complete an application for admission' to CUNY's Baruch College 'because she was required to satisfy a family income threshold. Advertisement 3 Chu said her daughter wasn't able to apply for the summer 2024 STEP program because of her race. 'I instead paid thousands of dollars to enroll her in an alternative summer science program,' said the parent, who asked not to be identified. A top state education official, noting the still-pending litigation over the program, has already urged directors and administrators of STEP and CSTEP to stop using race or 'historically underrepresented minority status' to determine admissions and instead use only family income as admission criteria. 'As many of you are aware, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) is currently engaged in active litigation concerning the eligibility criteria for participation in the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP),' wrote Anael Alston, the education department's assistant commissioner of the Office of Access, said in a July 8 memo to directors and administrators. Advertisement 'The litigation challenges certain aspects of our longstanding eligibility guidelines related to student race and ethnicity,' Alston said. 'While NYSED remains committed to defending the STEP and CSTEP programs and their historic mission to increase access and opportunity for historically underrepresented students in the scientific, technical, and health-related professions, we recognize the need to provide clarity and support to the field during this period of legal uncertainty.' The new guidance from Alston said 'effective immediately and until further notice, STEP and CSTEP grantees may determine student eligibility without regard to historically underrepresented minority status, race, or ethnicity.' 'Instead, grantees are encouraged to base eligibility decisions solely on indicators of economic disadvantage, in alignment with applicable state and federal guidelines,' Alston wrote. 'Recruitment, selection, and enrollment of new students may proceed using economic-based eligibility criteria only. Collection or use of race, ethnicity, or minority status data is not required for eligibility.' But Alston also appeared to defend the mandatory race-based admission policy she just eliminated. 'NYSED will continue to vigorously defend the mission and intent of STEP and CSTEP in court,' the official said. Advertisement The lawyers for the opposing Asian parents said state officials capitulated because they know the race-based policy is illegal. But the parents' reps complained that state officials still left wiggle room to continue discriminating against students by using words such as 'may' and 'encouraged.' 3 A federal lawsuit filed in January accused New York of engaging in blatant discrimination against Asian and white students under the program. Andrew Schwartz / 'The state of New York has raised the white flag of surrender in our lawsuit, but not high enough,' said William Jacobson, founder of Advertisement 'Word games are not acceptable,' Jacobson said. 'The state must do away with the racially discriminatory eligibility requirements completely and permanently, or we will ask the court to order it.' Erin Wilcox, a senior lawyer at Pacific Legal Foundation, said, 'The state should be requiring all schools to stop this illegal discrimination immediately, not giving them the option to continue.' In 1985, New York lawmakers passed legislation aimed at boosting interest in STEM and healthcare among low-income and underrepresented minority students. But racial-preference programs — aimed at correcting historic injustices or underrepresentation of blacks and other minorities — have come under the microscope after the US Supreme Court last year struck down college affirmative action programs aimed at boosting minority representation as discriminatory.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Karnataka's greenhouse gas emissions could exceed 400 MT by 2050: Report
Karnataka's greenhouse gas emissions could exceed 400 million tonnes (MT) by 2050, states a new report by not-for-profit research organisation CSTEP. Though the emissions could exceed 400 MT by 2050, emissions can be cut to 50 MT, mainly through electrification, renewable energy, and demand-side interventions, the report, titled 'Namma SAFARI: Low-Carbon Development Pathways for Karnataka,' said. Six key factors Namma SAFARI is Karnataka's first integrated system dynamics model, mapping long-term interactions across six key sectors — energy, transport, industry, buildings, agriculture, and land use — till 2050. Developed by CSTEP, the model supports evidence-based planning for a low-carbon, sustainable future. 'The model projects Karnataka's population will cross 75 million by 2050, with its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) rising to ₹128 lakh crore (2011 constant prices). Under a business-as-usual path, greenhouse gas emissions could exceed 400 MT by 2050. However, a low-carbon scenario, informed by expert consultations, shows emissions can be cut to ~50 MT, mainly through electrification, renewable energy, and demand-side interventions,' CSTEP said. The report also highlighted that in the buildings sector, electricity demand could reach 40% of total use by 2050. 'The low-carbon path reduces this by 25% through passive cooling, green construction, and rooftop solar. Enforcing energy codes such as Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) and Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS) is key,' it added. Role of industry It further stated that industry is the largest contributor to electricity demand and emissions. 'To guarantee demand and drive economies of scale, a mandate for a minimum share (~25%) of public infrastructure projects to use certified green cement or steel, along with preferential pricing for compliance, would boost investment in low-carbon production. Decarbonising these industries also has other co-benefits,' it said. The other highlights of the report are in agriculture, which currently uses ~30% of the State's electricity; demand drops to zero in the low-carbon case through off-grid solar irrigation. 'Scaling up minimum support price coverage for crops such as millets, pulses, and oilseeds (currently just 8%) will support this shift,' CSTEP said. 'For transport, shifting 33% of freight to rail by 2030 could save 50 crore litres of diesel annually. Electrification doubles power demand to ~54.5 TWh by 2050. Incentives for rail, improved logistics, and electric vehicle (EV) expansion are needed,' it further added.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
From Free Power to EVs: Punjab's power demand set to soar to 1.26 LMU by 2036.
With box attached in CCI Chandigarh: Electricity demand in Punjab is projected to soar to 1,26,347 million units (MU) by financial year 2036, driven by industrial expansion, increased household consumption, and a sharp rise in electric vehicle (EV) adoption. A new study urges the state to undergo a major energy transition — cutting dependence on fossil fuels, ramping up renewables, and upgrading infrastructure — to avoid power shortages and environmental setbacks. State's industrial ambition are still tied to old-school energy. The report, 'Punjab Roadmap 2036: Clean Energy Transition', published by the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), projects a 68% increase from the state's current demand of 75,316 MU in FY 2025. Peak power demand is expected to rise from 16,058 MW in 2025 to 27,040 MW by 2036. Punjab has already experienced power deficits in FY 2022 and 2023 — 404 MU and 330 MU respectively — following a post-Covid industrial revival and the rollout of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) govt's 300-unit free power scheme for households. Despite having an installed generation capacity of 14,861 MW, the state heavily depends on thermal power, which accounts for 56% of its energy mix. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Solar and wind make up just 18%, while hydro contributes 23%. Nuclear and other non-conventional sources remain marginal. The study calls for capacity additions of 26,372 MW by the 2036 fiscal, including 7,451 MW of energy storage through pumped hydro and battery systems to handle the intermittency of renewable energy sources. Electric vehicles are expected to further reshape Punjab's energy landscape. From just 75 EVs registered in 2017, the number rose to 25,492 in 2023, and is projected to reach 51 lakh by 2036. EV adoption is forecast to push electricity demand up by 9,087 MU. By 2030, EVs are expected to account for 30% of all new vehicle registrations, rising to 60% by FY 2036. The roadmap calls for grid infrastructure upgrades to accommodate this shift, along with public and private EV charging networks. Renewable shift, nuclear support To reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the report recommends a 67% renewable energy share by 2036 under a 'clean energy scenario', up from 46% in the 'business-as-usual' model. This shift could cut carbon emissions by 41%, reduce power purchase costs by 7.7%, and eliminate the need for about 7% of new power plants. The state is also advised to procure 2,637 MW of nuclear power to ensure consistent supply, during peak demand periods or low renewable output particularly. Land, rooftop solar, & farming Punjab's reliance on agriculture and its limited availability of non-fertile land pose challenges for large-scale renewable projects. To address this, the report urges the identification of barren or unused land for solar and wind farms. As of April 2025, the state had only 454 MW of installed rooftop solar capacity — far below potential. The roadmap suggests accelerating rooftop solar programmes, deploying smart meters, and enforcing Energy Conservation Building Codes. In the agriculture sector, the study recommends replacing 22% of inefficient irrigation pump sets with energy-efficient, star-rated alternatives by 2036, supported by a buy-back and subsidy scheme. Solarisation of pump sets is also highlighted as a key strategy to reduce the state's energy burden. Officials say the clean energy path requires higher initial investment but promises long-term economic, environmental, and energy security benefits. Punjab's energy transformation, experts say, will depend not only on technology and investment — but on political will and public participation to power the shift toward a cleaner, more resilient grid. For in the end, it's not just wires and will, but politics, people, and the power bill. box Two Pathways, One Decision The study outlines two scenarios for Punjab's energy future:- >> Business-as-Usual | 46% renewables, 54% fossil fuels, with demand reaching 1,26,347 MU and emissions at 41 MtCO2 >> Clean Energy Scenario | 67% renewables, 33% fossil fuels, with demand moderated to 1,22,271 MU and emissions cut to 30 MtCO2 — a 4% annual decline box Key Recommendations >> Identify non-fertile land for solar/wind projects >> Invest in 7,451 MW of energy storage (pumped hydro + battery) >> Procure 2,637 MW of nuclear energy >> Scale rooftop solar, smart metering, and green building codes >> Introduce green finance, buy-back of inefficient farm pumps MSID:: 122251659 413 |
Kuwait Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
India's biofuel drive pecks at chicken farmer profits
Maize prices climb sharply in India on ethanol push NEW DELHI: In Ghazipur, a small town tucked along the Ganges river in north India, farmer Satyadev Prajapati is counting fewer eggs hatched by his 350 free-range hens as the price of their feed soars by 40 percent. India's fast-expanding biofuel program, meant to cut oil imports and their emissions, has ratcheted up competition for maize, and small poultry producers like Prajapati are bearing the brunt. 'If maize prices go up, but the price of eggs doesn't, it hits us directly,' he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. The Indian government wants every liter of petrol sold across the country to be a mix of 20 percent ethanol fuel by the end of 2025. Maize, alongside sugarcane, is a key feedstock in the biofuel. But the increase in ethanol production is diverting the food crop from traditional uses like livestock feed - impacting millions of small poultry farmers who rely on maize to raise their birds. Cleaner fuel For a country seeking energy security and lower emissions, blending ethanol fuel made with petrol before it reaches consumers saved India about 1.06 trillion rupees ($12.37 billion) in crude oil import costs between 2014 and 2024, according to Indian government data. It also helped avoid 54.4 million metric tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide emissions in the same decade, government data showed. This is roughly the equivalent of about 12 million gasoline-powered cars a year, according to a calculator from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Maize-based ethanol production has risen from 1 million metric tons in 2022 to more than 6 million metric tons in 2024 and is expected to jump to about 11 metric tons by the end of 2025, according to maize feed industry estimates shared with the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Ethanol production now uses about a third of the total maize grown in India, putting it in a direct competition with the poultry sector, which consumes about 60 percent of India's maize, the document showed. Rajeev Ranjan, a maize supplier to both ethanol plants and poultry feed mills, said prices have risen more than 20 percent in the past year. 'Any fluctuation in maize availability or cost directly affects poultry feed prices,' said Suresh Deora, former chairman of the Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers' Association of India. With egg prices set by market demand, small farmers cannot easily pass on rising costs. Once a net maize exporter, India is now being forced to import the grain to stabilize domestic supply, Reuters reported. India's current demand for maize, including for fuel, liquor and industrial uses, already exceeds production, said Ramya Natarajan, a research scientist at the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), an Indian think tank. Meeting the 20 percent ethanol target will require diverting land roughly seven times the size of New York City to grow enough biofuel crops, according to an analysis from CSTEP. Few cushions Prajapati said spiraling costs and lower egg production have led him to resort to cheaper, lower quality feed, which further hurts the number of eggs his chickens lay. He and other small poultry farmers are already dealing with diseases, a lack of access to credit and heatwaves that reduce egg yields and increase bird mortality. In the neighboring district of Varanasi, Prince Rajput, a feed and chick supplier, said maize price hikes have shrunk his margins too. He warned that small farmers have little room to cushion these shocks, and rising costs may squeeze them out entirely. Unlike large producers, they cannot hedge against inflation or negotiate supply deals. 'Poultry doesn't seem to be a priority sector for the government,' Rajput said. 'Even getting loans is difficult.' For now, farmers and feed manufacturers are urging the government to increase maize cultivation and restrict its use in ethanol. Government departments responsible for poultry, maize and biofuel production did not respond to requests for comment. Experts say one potential solution could be new biofuel technologies. While the vast majority of biofuels are made from food crops like maize, second-generation, or 2G, ethanol uses crop residues and non-food biomass, which could reduce the strain on food systems. If 2G ethanol becomes commercially viable, it could help India meet its blending targets without compromising food security or land-use change, Natarajan said. She added that the government could encourage the shift by limiting the land and water footprint of ethanol production and offering a clearer definition of what counts as 'sustainable ethanol.'— Reuters
