Engineering graduates should bring about technology innovations with focus on rural areas since the country’s population predominantly lives in villages, Ashok G. Nijagannavar, Judge, High Court of Karnataka, said on Saturday
“Innovation of agriculture implements has helped farm sector to a large extent. We need hundreds of such innovations that are simple and sustainable in a rural context. Rather than agriculture tools designed in the West, we need tools that are simple, repairable by local technicians and usable without electricity,” he said in his address at the 10th Graduation Day of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) here.
The Judge, who was the chief guest, said innovation is a key managerial strategy for growth and emphasis should be laid on various dimensions of innovations such as process innovation, product innovation, business model innovation and new technology innovation. Strong capabilities in designing and building machine tools are particularly critical. Also, industry must develop close partnerships with universities and research institutions to take this aspiration forward, he suggested.
Mr. Nijagannavar said engineers are called nation builders as they play a very important role in every walk of life. They convert knowledge of basic sciences into products and are versatile minds who build bridges between sciences, technology and society. Engineers contribute to the nation’s technological and industrial progress. They help improve living conditions for the common people. The innovation capability of our scientists and engineers will play a critical role in enabling our country to reach greater heights, he opined.
“What we need today more than anything else is moral leadership – founded on courage, intellectual integrity and a sense of values. There is no replacement for a sense of values,” he observed.
Observing that a nation cannot live by the gross national product (GNP) alone, the Judge said the quality of life is far more important. In a free democracy like ours, the quality of life is to a large extent determined by the availability of basic human rights and civil liberties, which are placed in the chapter on fundamental rights in our Constitution.
“I have no doubt that as the years go by you will become more and more conscious of how far-sighted our Constitution-makers were in guaranteeing these fundamental rights to our people, because without them the quality of life would be gravely impaired,” he said, in his address to the students.
A total of 874 BE and one MCA students received their degrees for the year 2018-19 at the graduation day. Also, 21 medals were awarded to meritorious students, including 12 medals for students who have scored highest marks in respective branches. Nine were endowment medals.
JSS Mahavidyapeeta Executive Secretary C.G. Betsurmath, Jawahar Nesan, Vice-Chancellor, JSS Science and Technology University, SJCE Principal T.N. Nagabhushan and Controller of Examinations K.N. Uday Kumar were present.
