New Delhi: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, hailed IIT Ropar for championing the growth of Agri StartUps in smaller towns and reshaping India’s innovation landscape. Speaking at the Pragati Founder Forum, hosted by IIT Ropar and supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the minister lauded the institute’s efforts in enabling entrepreneurship beyond metro cities, emphasizing that nearly 50% of India’s StartUps now originate from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns.
In his address, Dr. Singh dispelled the notion that StartUps are limited to the IT sector and praised IIT Ropar—established in 2008—for nurturing innovation in traditional domains like agriculture. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary initiative “StandUp India, StartUp India” for democratizing entrepreneurship and driving a StartUp revolution that is inclusive and deeply rooted in regional aspirations.
Highlighting the transformational impact of StartUps, Dr. Singh said they are crucial enablers that will propel India from the “Fragile Five” economies to one of the world’s top five by 2047. He cited India’s rise from 81st to 39th place in the Global Innovation Index as evidence of the powerful role played by science and technology StartUps, Agri-innovation, and deep-tech ventures in the country’s economic journey.
The minister announced that 70% of the funding for the forthcoming Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF) will be mobilized from non-government sources, strengthening the foundation for public-private partnerships in research and innovation. He also showcased the Purple Revolution—India’s lavender cultivation success that began in Jammu & Kashmir and has now spread to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand—as a prime example of grassroots innovation. More than 3,000 StartUps have emerged from this initiative, many of them founded by entrepreneurs without formal degrees. According to Dr. Singh, the combination of government support, technical guidance, and access to urban markets has turned rural areas into vibrant hubs of enterprise.
At the event, Dr. Singh recognized several innovative StartUps under the investment category. He also launched key initiatives, including the Haryana and Telangana editions of the SPRINT programme, which aims to support early-stage deep-tech StartUps. The minister unveiled the PRAGATI Report, a strategic roadmap for inclusive innovation and public-private collaboration, along with the thematic report “Farming on the Edge,” which explores the challenges faced by small and marginal farmers. In another major announcement, he virtually inaugurated the Office of Intellectual Property & Technology Commercialisation (OITC), a step towards enhancing IP creation and commercialization in the StartUp ecosystem.
Touching on India’s rising capabilities in military technology, Dr. Singh cited Operation Sindoor as a showcase of the nation’s advancement in tech-enabled warfare. He underscored the importance of indigenous development, technology transfer, and close collaboration between the public and private sectors, with innovation hubs emerging in cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
The minister urged educational institutions and families to promote awareness about StartUp opportunities and rethink conventional career paths. “Early industry linkage is the key to StartUp success,” he remarked, while questioning how many aspirants of civil services coaching programs actually achieve their goal. He emphasized that in the India of tomorrow, it is innovation, not imitation, that will determine leadership.
Dr. Singh concluded by asserting that as India advances towards its 2047 vision, innovation, inclusion, and intent must be the guiding principles. He said that India’s ascent to global leadership is being built not just in labs and boardrooms, but also in small towns and villages.
Smt. Rekha Sharma, Member of Parliament and former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, also addressed the gathering. She highlighted the urgent need to increase women’s participation in the StartUp ecosystem and promote inclusive innovation. DST Secretary Prof. Abhay Karandikar emphasized the rapid progress India is making in artificial intelligence, cyber-physical systems, and other emerging technologies. He reiterated the central role of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) in building future-ready research capacity.
