Co-founder and former vice chairman of Infosys, Senapathy Gopalakrishnan, popularly known as Kris Gopalakrishnan (Padma Bhushan), on Sunday said, although the Indian economy is growing well, we have failed to provide enough jobs.

Addressing the students at the IIT Kharagpur convocation held here for two days since Saturday, he said that of late, especially after the global meltdown in the finance sector in 2008, the world is seeing increase in income disparity. 

“India is less affected since we have an economy that is still growing strongly. But we are not seeing large number of good, well paying jobs being created,” Gopalakrishnan, who adessed the convocation as the chief guest, said.

While speaking at the event, he also advised the students to be aware about the harmful side-effects of some of the technologies and innovations. “It is important for scientists and engineers to study the negative aspects of technology before it is deployed on a large scale,” Gopalakrishnan said.

Stating that we are at the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution, he said new and emerging technologies like the ‘Internet of Things’ are going to change the world in the next 30-50 years.

The programme was chaired by Srikumar Banerjee, chairman of the board of governors, IIT Kharagpur. Reflecting the emphasis IIT Kharagpur has put on research-oriented education, the number of scholars who have received doctorate degrees this year has increased by 20 per cent,said Partha Pratim Chakraborty, director of IIT Kharagpur.

At the convocation, 298 research scholars received PhD degrees and 28 scholaRs. received degrees in MS Research. Google Scholar cofounder Anurag Acharya and potential successor to Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, Ajit Jain, were today given the Distinguished Alumnus Award by IIT-Kharagpur authorities for their exceptional professional achievements.

They were part of a group of seven eminent alumni who were given the award at the 62nd convocation of the prestigious institute. However, both Jain and Acharya could not make it to the event and the award was given to them in absentia. Speaking at the convocation,  Chakraborty said the institute is setting up a Design and Innovation Centre, giving special focus on rural technologies with an outlay of Rs.10 crore in 3 years. from MHRD.

The institute is going to host 13 new projects with funding amounting to Rs.66 crore under the Uchchatar Avishkar Yojana of the Government of India. Another important leadership role for IIT Kharagpur has been the nationwide coordination of the PAN-IIT collaborations with ONGC for which Rs. 25 crore has been approved in the first round for seven IITs.

This institute alone has received funding to the tune of Rs.9.50 crore for five new projects. During the year 2015-2016, the institute received 203 research projects from the government, private and international funding agencies/enterprises for a total value of Rs.102.82 crore and 153 consultancy projects worth Rs. 22.68 crore.

The Institute is also instituting a Chair Professorship Award in the name of late alumnus Avinash Gupta at the Department of Architecture and Regional Planning.

The award amounting to Rs. 20,000 per month will be in addition to his/her usual institute salary of permanent professor, preferably in architecture and regional planning with interest in health care facilities.