The ‘BRICS Youth Council Entrepreneurship Pre-Consultation’ focused on youth-driven innovation for sustainable growth, featuring discussions, masterclass and entrepreneurial insights
OdishaPlus Bureau
With an aim to empower young innovators and entrepreneurs a ‘BRICS Youth Council Entrepreneurship Pre-Consultation’ event was hosted at KiiT University Campus in Bhubaneswar on February 4.
The program was a part of the run-up events being organized by the Department of Youth Affairs, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India. The run-up programs are hosted at various universities and colleges across the country to increase the understanding of the youth on the relevant areas of the BRICS Youth Council Entrepreneurship Working Group Meeting.
The event, themed ‘Youth Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Growth’, was inaugurated by Surama Padhy, Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, who emphasized the critical role of youth-driven innovation in fostering sustainable economic development.
In her address the Speaker said, “Today is Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das’ death anniversary. He was the first to set-up an industry in Odisha namely ‘Utkal Tannery’. I am remembering his contribution, as he used to say no state would develop without development of industry.”
She further advised youths to follow Swami Vivekananda and not to stop till their goals are reached.
Lt Gen Kamal Jit Singh, PVSM, AVSM & Bar (Retd) and Executive Member of the Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC), stated that, “In 2015-16, there were only 400 start-ups in India. Today, that number has surged to over 1.3 lakh.”
“Similarly, the number of incubation centres has grown seven-fold, while investment and research funding have increased by nine and fifteen times, respectively. There was once a time when fear of failure held people back. But now, this generation has an incredible opportunity—one that may not come again. In the past, when we traveled abroad, we earned just a few dollars. But today, things have changed. We are no longer the same India. I encourage the youth to embrace challenges,” he added.
Singh also admired the role of inventors, saying, “These start-ups are addressing real problems and providing solutions that benefit farmers and other sectors.”
He also spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on today’s life, “AI presents a real challenge, as it could lead to job losses. But rather than fearing it, we must take on this challenge. We must master AI and develop Indian solutions to the problems it poses.”
Singh emphasized the important role of the Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC), noting that with over 20 partner organizations, the GCTC is working collectively to advance the government’s agenda.
Mrutyunjay Suar, Director General – R&D and Innovation, KIIT & CEO, KIIT TBI, highlighted KIIT TBI’s remarkable contribution to India’s start-up ecosystem. “KIIT TBI, India’s largest incubator, has created more than 10,000 jobs by promoting start-ups,” he underlined the impact of innovation-driven entrepreneurship.
Dr Paromita Datta, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, spoke about the significance of the BRICS in shaping global economic perspectives. “The BRICS Youth Council, started in 2023, serves as a platform to empower young minds and address pressing global challenges. With over 65 per cent of India’s population under 35, our youth hold the key to driving economic growth,” Dr Paromita said.
Dr BK Das, Director General of Electronics and Communication Systems (ECS) at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) addressed the valedictory session, highlighting India’s technological advancements.
He emphasized India’s growing innovation, stating, “Today, we live in a great India, a nation that is showcasing to the world its prowess in technology, power, wisdom, knowledge and passion.” He added, “The definition of war has changed. Today’s wars are fought through brains, economy, persistence, and consistency.”
Discussing the country’s growing influence in the field of technology and defense, Dr Das shared, “Electromagnetic waves and pulses have now become weapons. For example, high microwave power can render drones useless. India has developed this technology, and we are leading the world in this area.”
He also remembered former President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. “While many of my batchmates left the country, I chose to stay and serve India. I made a promise to Dr Kalam that I would continue to serve my country until my last breath,” he said.
Dr Das concluded with an inspiring message for the youth, “You have the potential within you to create your own identity. Each of us has the ability to bring transformation to the country. Together, we will work towards making India a truly great nation.”
This apart, the key highlight of the event was a masterclass led by Partha Pratim Das Mahapatra, the founder of EzeRx Healthtech. The session underscored the potential for youth entrepreneurship in shaping a sustainable future.
Dr Namrata Misra, CEO, Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster (BCKIC); Nikunj Parashar, Founder, Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt Ltd; Brig KK Nayak (Retd), Ex Scientist National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO); Dr Chinmaya K. Sarangi, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IMMT attended the event and addressed students, young entrepreneurs and innovators.
The event also featured a panel discussion on ‘Challenges & Opportunities in Youth Entrepreneurship’. The panel included Nikita Baliarsingh, Founder of NEXUS Power; Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, Founder of IG Drones; Himanshu Sekhar Panda, Founder of Skyy Skill Academy; Dr. Ramanuj Panda, Founder of GoCarin Industries; and Rishika Kedia, Co-Founder of BabyCue Pvt Ltd, who shared their entrepreneurial journeys.
More than 700 students participated in the event, with more than 160 students presenting their start-up ideas in a competition. As many as 15 start-ups shared their exciting entrepreneurial journey. A cash prize of Rs 20,000 each was given to five best ideas.
India will host BRICS Youth Council Entrepreneurship Working Group Meeting from March 3 to 7, 2025. The meeting, themed ‘Youth Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Growth’, will bring together around 45 youth representatives from BRICS countries, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The meeting will provide a platform for representatives of the BRICS Youth Council to exchange policies, programs, and cooperation prospects in the field of entrepreneurship. The representatives will share their experiences in youth-related work and discuss cooperation in entrepreneurship among BRICS countries.
The run-up events provide a forum for healthy discussions and dissemination of India’s agenda on Entrepreneurship to a wider public at the grassroots level. It provides a platform for panel discussions amongst the talented youth speakers on the pre-identified relevant areas.
