The International Conference of the IIT Alumni Canada was held last week where around 400 IITians from the US, Canada and Australia participated. Addressing the gathering, Dinesh Bhatia, Indian Consul General urged the IITian diaspora to make Startup India campaign a success. He said that the IITian diaspora shall try to invest in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Startup India campaign. The primary objective is to promote the culture of innovation in the ancestral land.
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He mentioned that India is a $2 triillion economy where there is scope for a high number of employment opportunities for IITians. This year, the conference focused on the theme - “Towards a Sustainable and Prosperous Future: Focus on Technology, Health and Environment”.
Kristy Duncan, Candian Science Minister, welcomed the gathering. Director of IIT-Hyderabad and deans of IITs in Chennai and Mandi also attended the conference. Kristy appreciated the efforts of IITians in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in Canada. The agenda of the Canadian government is slightly related to the theme of the conference.
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The major highlight of the conference was a toy-making demonstration by Arvind Gupta, a famous IITian who left his job with Tatas in 1978 and cultivated a love for science and innovation among India’s underprivileged children. He explained the procedure on how he transforms discarded household items into toys.
Around 1,000 IITians are living in Canada including Prem Watsa, a billionaire who is also known as the Warren Buffet of Canada.