Youth must channel energy and innovation towards making India self-reliant: Union MoS Satish Chandra Dubey

Pune: Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey on Thursday said the intelligence, energy and innovative potential of the country’s youth would play a crucial role in realising the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Speaking at the inauguration of the three-day national conference on technology and innovation, ‘AWTIS 2026’, organised by Aryans Group of Companies at Hotel Vivanta, Hinjawadi, Dubey said India’s progress in science, technology and green energy was accelerating the country’s journey towards self-reliance.

“The responsibility of thinking and acting towards making India self-reliant in various sectors rests significantly with the younger generation. The government is working towards the vision of a developed India by 2047, and initiatives such as Make in India are helping achieve this objective,” Dubey said.

He said India was moving towards self-reliance across sectors, from manufacturing everyday products and shipbuilding to semiconductors and advanced batteries. Improved road connectivity, healthcare, education and basic infrastructure had also helped bridge the gap between urban and rural areas, he added. Dubey urged young researchers and innovators to contribute their ideas, skills and energy towards research and development of indigenous, export-oriented products.

Padma Bhushan awardee and green energy and biofuel expert Dr Jyeshtharaj Joshi said India had significant potential in biomass, biofuels and green energy. “If reactors required for biofuel production are manufactured domestically, India can save around Rs 100 crore per reactor. An imported reactor costs around Rs 135 crore,” he said.

Joshi said biomass generated in liquid, solid and gaseous forms could become a major source of energy and could also be used to improve soil quality. While laboratory-level experiments had yielded encouraging results, mechanisms were required to translate research into commercial applications, he said.

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, addressing the conference through video conferencing, stressed the need to adopt modern technology not only in industry but also in the social, cultural and economic sectors. He said technology-driven initiatives could generate employment, improve public services and promote inclusive development.

ISRO deputy director Navalkishore Gupta said the organisation of a national conference focusing on green energy and biofuels by a private-sector company was a “forward-looking and commendable initiative”. He emphasised the growing importance of hydrogen as a fuel, particularly in the space sector.

“Hydrogen has immense potential to meet the enormous energy requirements of high-capacity rocket launches. Research, technology development and practical applications of hydrogen fuel need greater focus to meet the country’s growing energy requirements,” Gupta said.

Dr Raman Vedrajan, an expert in hydrogen fuel technology, also stressed the need to accelerate the development of technologies for the wider use of hydrogen as a fuel.

Aryans Group CEO Manohar Jagtap, in his introductory remarks, said the conference had been conceptualised in four phases, with two sessions being held in Pune and subsequent sessions planned in Delhi and Gujarat. The conference showcases various projects, products and innovations of the Aryans Group aligned with the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India.

Aryans Group chairman Mukund Jagtap and co-executive chairperson Smita Shitole-Jagtap were among those present at the inaugural session. Following the inauguration, Dubey visited the exhibition showcasing products developed by the Aryans Group and interacted with the organisers and participants.