Day two of Manipal Academy of Higher Education’s (MAHE)30th Convocation Day on 19th November drew several high-profile guests to witness the next batch of graduates being conferred degrees and awarded for their academic excellence. Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri, was the chief guest and delivered a passionate convocation address inviting students to strengthen the country and aid in its self-reliance.
Speaking to the graduating students, Dr Satheesh urged them to devote their abilities to developing the nation and achieving global harmony and the country’s big goals. He later spoke of future defence technologies that will be conceived, designed, developed, tested, and manufactured completely in India.
Dr Satheesh brought up the current state of defence start-ups in India and the government’s various measures like the Technology Development Fund (TDF) and the ‘Dare to Dream’ programmes to get young people to work on defence applications. He concluded by emphasising the need for innovation and calling for academic institutes to become the hubs for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship while exchanging knowledge to push research.