75th Independence day – Chairman – Board of Tata Institute of Social Sciences

India @75 and @100

On 15 August 2021, India celebrated its 75th Independence Day. On this occasion, IE presents the perceptions of a few distinguished personalities on India@100. These are top think-tanks in the fields of education, technology, academia, nuclear energy…

The questions:

1. Five major landmarks in the march towards the 75th anniversary of independence
2. Your vision on India at its centenary, ie. 25 years hence.
3. Three areas to focus through the next 25 years
4. Views on the current federal structure. Is it stable and strong?
5. Key electoral reforms you consider necessary
6. How to catch up with the missed opportunities through science and technology?

S Ramadorai
Chairman – Board of Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Major landmarks

1. Making of the Indian Constitution:
2. Planning Commission and the Five-year Plans:
3. Green Revolution
4. IT and ITeS Sector
5. 1991 Globalisation of Economy:

India@100

Build a people-centered, ecologically sustainable and just society that promotes and protects dignity, equality, social justice and human rights for all.  To achieve these by providing quality education and healthcare to all.

Focus through the next 25 years

1. Sustainable development in the light of deteriorating environment and climate change.
2. Unleashing the power of technology to improve lives of common citizens, whether it is in terms of providing access to quality education, skill training or healthcare.
3. Social inclusion and equity to ensure that individuals, groups and communities participate fully in meaningful ways in society.

Federal Structure

Federalism is a part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution. To follow the ideas of cooperative and competitive federalism in true letter and spirit.

Strengthen the Panchayati Raj system that allows decentralised governance, decision making and local development.

Civil society must be strengthened to keep citizens engaged and give voice to groups that would otherwise not have been heard in the decision-making processes.

Key electoral reforms

Leverage technology for free and fair elections.   Aadhaar and voter id cards could be linked.

Criminalisation of politics must stop to cleanse the political system.

Need for frameworks, legislations and incentives for political parties to adopt a transparent funding model.

Media and digital platforms to be brought under legislation where advertisement spends by political parties are made public.

Election Commission of India (ECI) and all stakeholders to explore ways to hold simultaneous polls given the underlying advantages including reduction of the costs on holding elections.

Voters need to be educated regarding the significance of their vote and their role as citizens.

India’s future in leveraging S&T

With industry 4.0 fast making its presence felt across sectors, innovation and adoption of
latest technologies hold the key to India’s future growth and development.

Invest in research and development (R&D) on futuristic technologies. Expenditure on R&D needs to be enhanced to at least 1.5 per cent  from about 0.80 per cent of GDP .

Advent of fourth industrial revolution and 5G, along with technologies like AI and IoT, hold tremendous promise for India.