‘Tiruchi has all right elements for a smart city’

TIRUCHI

Tiruchi represents an ideal ‘hybrid model’ of an urban-rural demographic that can make smart cities in India a reality, said V. Kamakoti, director, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) — Madras, here on Friday.

“The core competency of Tiruchi is phenomenal, with a major industrial belt here, the airport, and enough natural resources such as the Cauvery river, all of which will make it a smart city. It will be a very good choice for an urban-rural case study on inclusiveness, because the villages are so close to the city. Rural government schools are just within a few kilometers of the city limits. I am very happy to see people from humble backgrounds working hard, being encouraged by their employers to study further in nearby institutions, and progressing in life. With a major technology push in our government schools, the future looks promising,” Mr. Kamakoti told The Hindu.

Delivering the Padma Vibhushan V. Krishnamurthy Endowment Lecture-IV at the National College., Mr. Kamakoti highlighted the importance of data science in artificial intelligence. “Our country is a leading generator of data; Indian Railways for example, has the largest database in the world. But it is not enough to have the information; we have to analyse it and draw inferences to power economic growth. India will need at least five lakh data scientists from 2024,” he said.

Mr. Kamakoti also spoke about the certificate courses being offered by IIT-Madras . “The Out-of-The-Box Thinking course will be offered free of charge online, by June, with a total duration of 100 hours. There is no age limit, so anyone from school children to retirees can access these modules after signing up for them,” he said.