The movie “Swadesh” depicted a hero returning from NASA to his village and inspiring villagers to build their own technology. However, the reality for India’s 650,000 villages, home to 65% of its population, is different. They struggle with an agricultural economy, climate change, and lack of access to credit. This leads to a young population seeking opportunities in cities, contributing to urban sprawl and environmental stress.
The upcoming intelligence revolution, with advancements in AI and robotics, presents both challenges and opportunities. While it can create economic value and new jobs, it also risks exacerbating inequality. This rapid change requires careful planning to ensure inclusive development.
Building a “Viksit Village” with a digital-physical twin model can address these challenges. This model incorporates seven key technological pillars, including advanced infrastructure, renewable energy, and 5G/6G connectivity. It proposes a “moonshot” approach, inspired by the Apollo program, with a pilot site in Bengaluru.
This initiative can leverage existing PSUs, like HMT, to create a public-private partnership. By repurposing unused land and resources, a 400-acre “Viksit Village” can house 10,000 people, including innovation zones, research facilities, data centers, and upskilling programs.
This model can be replicated in other villages, starting with 100, and eventually scaled to encompass all of India’s villages. This bottom-up approach aims to achieve sustainable development and create a “goldmine” of technological innovation, potentially influencing global progress. This vision could even lead to a sequel to “Swadesh,” with the “Viksit Village” technologies exported to other countries.
