Purvodaya Perspectives International Conference Day 2 Highlights Youth Leadership, Blue Economy and Frontier Technologies
By Tapaswini Sahoo
Bhubaneswar, Dec 15 : The second day of the Purvodaya Perspectives International Conference in Bhubaneswar underscored the pivotal role of youth engagement, regional cooperation, the Blue Economy, and frontier technologies in driving the growth of Eastern India and advancing India’s broader Indo-Pacific vision.
Day 2 commenced with the Purvodaya 1.5 Dialogue – First Youth Forum, which brought together young innovators and entrepreneurs from across the country. The interactive session was mentored by eminent leaders including Padma Vibhushan Dr Anil Kakodkar, Shri Siddharth Pradhan, Shri Sabyasachi Patnaik, and Shri Priyadarshi Mohapatra. The mentors engaged with participants on themes of innovation, leadership, and India’s evolving economic and technological landscape, encouraging young minds to contribute to national and regional development.
A key highlight of the day was the Plenary Session on “Purvodaya: Advancing Cooperation for Blue Economy and Sustainability.” The session emphasised India’s strategic advantage as a maritime gateway to Southeast Asia and the BIMSTEC region. Speakers highlighted the importance of maritime security, port governance, maritime corridors, and people-to-people connectivity, while also addressing environmental challenges in the Bay of Bengal, including the sustainability of marine resources.
The post-break session on “Frontier Technologies in Shaping the Purvodaya Vision” focused on how emerging technologies can accelerate regional transformation. Discussions covered fintech innovation, digital public infrastructure, cybersecurity challenges, drone technologies for last-mile delivery, and the potential of nuclear energy as a source of clean, reliable, round-the-clock baseload power. Panelists stressed the need to create an enabling ecosystem for startups and young innovators to scale alongside large institutions.
Experts across sessions highlighted the growing importance of the Blue Economy, maritime security, human resource development, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing in expanding India’s production frontier and strengthening regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The conference continues to position Purvodaya as a collaborative platform for policy dialogue, innovation, and partnerships aimed at driving sustainable and inclusive growth in Eastern India and the wider region.
The Purvodaya Perspectives International Conference continues to position Purvodaya as a collaborative platform for policy dialogue, innovation, and partnerships aimed at fostering sustainable and inclusive growth in Eastern India and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
Frontier Technologies and Innovation
In sessions focusing on frontier technologies, speakers highlighted emerging challenges and opportunities in India’s technology landscape. Shri Bikash Mohanty drew attention to global dependencies in mobile technology and emphasised the transformative potential of drone technology for last-mile delivery of essential goods .
Dr Srinivas Yanamandra, representing the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), spoke on the role of the private sector in driving innovation in Western economies, stressing the importance of fintech innovation, digital public infrastructure, Project Nexus, and the growing challenge of cybercrime.
Dr G. Venkat Raman underscored how China’s investments in human resources and advanced technological training have enabled it to dominate global markets, highlighting the need for India to strengthen its own high-end technology ecosystem.
Plenary Session: Blue Economy and Regional Cooperation
The plenary session on “Purvodaya: Advancing Cooperation for Blue Economy and Sustainability” focused on maritime security, port-led development, and regional connectivity. Speakers emphasised India’s strategic position as a maritime gateway to Southeast Asia and the BIMSTEC region, and the importance of maritime corridors as drivers of economic growth in the Indo-Pacific.
Shri Subrata Tripathi, Chief Economic Advisor, Adani Ports, highlighted Odisha’s vast potential, citing its rich mineral reserves and strategic coastline. He noted that while nearly 95 percent of India’s trade moves through oceans, only about 8 percent of cargo is carried by Indian-flagged vessels, underscoring the need to strengthen India’s maritime capacity.
Shri Rikesh Gurung, CEO of GreenRoad, Bhutan, stressed the importance of people-to-people connectivity and cross-border cooperation, noting that effective partnerships depend on policy alignment between governments. He also drew attention to environmental challenges in the Bay of Bengal, including the impact of microplastics on marine life.
Maritime Security and Energy Transition
Dr Satish Chandra Mishra spoke on maritime security and the Blue Economy, highlighting the need to expand India’s production frontier through ocean-based resources and integrate artificial intelligence into maritime governance and security frameworks.
The final session of the day, chaired by Shri Satyajit Mohanty, focused on Frontier Technologies in Shaping the Purvodaya Vision. Ms Naimisha Pradhan highlighted the role of nuclear energy in providing clean, reliable baseload power essential for India’s long-term energy security and industrial growth.
