Ingenuity can touch the lives of the marginalised
Robots could replace manual scavenging; technology could help ambulances navigate chaotic city traffic
In a world driven by technology, it is often debatable whether adequate priority is given to the marginalised sections of society. So while we marvel at the human ingenuity that has given us selfdriving cars and artificial intelligence, it warms the heart even more to hear about a robot that can replace the inhuman manual scavenging of sewers, or a technology that can help ambulances navigate chaotic traffic to get patients to critical care.
Indian startups and entrepreneurs are eyeing innovations that are globally marketable, as they should; but they are also making a sincere attempt to apply technology and come up with products that can solve real-life problems in our own country, which bodes very well for our digital future. At the various technology hardware and software incubators functioning under the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) for example, young people pitch ideas that could help farmers, tailors, small business owners, housewives looking to supplement their incomes. Normally, technologies are rarely customised for these groups, but social entrepreneurship is changing that.
Ten years earlier, if we looked at cyberspace, there were very few solutions which would benefit large sections of populations. Now the scenario is slowly changing . Products and technology which will change the way day-to-day work is made more productive and outputs get better market realisation are extremely relevant. Social entrepreneurship in India, therefore, is driven less by empathy than an urgent need for real solutions. But the kind of sea change we need in this area cannot be achieved without private sector participation, or the energy, drive and creativity of young people in large numbers.
Socially responsible investment, motivated by purpose rather than profit, is still relatively small, but it’s growing. There is a change in the mindset which believed that social enterprises can’t be profitable. Businesses thrive when they successfully cater to a demand in society, so it is unreasonable to assume that enterprises which address pressing, social or environmental needs are doomed to fail. In the right hands, they can be as successful as any commercial venture . The value such projects will bring to society, especially in uplifting marginalised communities, is immense.
In Kerala, where this social commitment among youth is palpable, we will host a global digital summit on March 22-23 bringing thought leaders to brainstorm on our future direction in the IT sector. Social entrepreneurship will be at the forefront of these discussions. Technology is a great connector and the farther it reaches, the more it can do to unify us in the vision for a truly digital India. M Sivasankar is IT secretary, Government of Kerala. The views expressed are personal.