How tech is powering social change in India

Welcome to the fifth issue of the Tech Wrap India, a fortnightly newsletter bringing you the hottest conversations shaping the world of tech right now, brought to you by Isha Chitnis , tech and innovation editor at LinkedIn News India.?

This week, let’s dive into the world of how technology is used and can be used for social good — from recycling to healthcare to agriculture to edtech.

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Technology impacts almost every aspect of our lives (personal and professional), but it’s not just a tool for efficiency anymore, and is being used as a force to create impact and scale for social good. From AI in sustainable agriculture and healthcare to emerging technologies powering the circular economy? — tech is being harnessed to tackle inequities, climate change, and lack of access to essential services.

Here’s a glimpse into how.

?? Cracking the code to a greener future

Electric vehicles are driving into focus for automakers and consumers alike. Climate tech is becoming investors’ favourite. Environmental, social and governance is the talk of the corporate world. The e-waste processing market is showing potential to reduce environmental impact and create jobs.

Industries are picking up on the need for urgent action to shape a sustainable future, and tech is powering this effort.

“Technology is playing a critical role in the fight against climate change and the transition to a sustainable future,” says Garvita Gulhati , Founder of Why Waste? — an organisation that aims to prevent wastage and optimise the usage of water to tackle the global water crisis.

Artificial intelligence also has a role to play in the process. “AI-powered tools can analyse large amounts of data to identify patterns and insights that help optimise energy usage and reduce waste. This can lead to significant reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions,” says Gulhati. She adds that AI and machine learning can also be used to predict weather patterns and natural disasters, allowing for better disaster preparedness and response.

Technology is also driving innovation in other sectors like transportation, agriculture, and construction by creating more efficient and sustainable solutions, and will play an even greater role in addressing climate change and creating a sustainable future, she adds.

Farming a sustainable world with AI

The agricultural sector is increasingly adopting technology to optimise and improve farming practices, and agritech startups have raised around ?6,000 crore over the last four years from private equity investors — a 50% growth year-on-year, reports The Economic Times, citing the Economic Survey 2022-2023.?

“The fusion of AI and agriculture is ushering in a new era of sustainable farming practices. By leveraging advanced technologies like machine learning, IoT, and robotics, we're paving the way for a greener, more efficient future in agriculture,” shares Karan P. , Founder and Managing Director at HunarPro — an advanced research and training institute specialising in Mobile Robotics and artificial intelligence.

He adds that the key benefits of AI in agriculture include increased yield due to smart farming practices, optimal water usage driven by AI-guided precision irrigation systems, and a reduced need for harmful pesticides and excessive fertilisation, thereby promoting healthier ecosystems.

?? See Karan P’s post on AI’s benefits in sustainable agriculture

?? Turning the tide on the circular economy

Only 30% of the 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste India produces a year is recycled, showed a report from earlier this year by the Indian Institute of Science and Praxis Global Alliance. India also produced an estimated 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, according to an ASSOCHAM-EY report, a number that is set to surge with the growing number of devices.?

As recycling becomes increasingly important, tech’s role in the process is evolving.

“Technology has been a game-changer for the recycling industry. It has enabled greater transparency, efficiency, and traceability in the entire recycling value chain, from waste collection to processing, to the creation of new products,” says Abhishek Deshpande Deshpande, Co-founder and COO of Recykal, a circular economy marketplace.

Breaking down how technology is revolutionising the recycling process, Deshpande says that with IoT devices, sensors, and software platforms, recycling companies can now accurately track the movement of waste and recyclable materials, identify the type and quality of waste, and optimise their operations accordingly.?

“Moreover, technology has empowered consumers and businesses to make more informed decisions about their waste management practices. With the help of mobile apps, social media, and e-commerce platforms, people can easily find information about the environmental impact of their actions and make sustainable choices,” he adds. The result? A shift towards a more circular economy, where waste is seen as a resource rather than a burden, he says.

With the shift to a more data-driven and connected world, Deshpande says technology will help us address some major challenges facing the recycling industry like increasing recycling rates, reducing contamination, and creating new markets for recycled materials.

?? See Abhishek Deshpande’s post on how technology has impacted the recycling industry

?? Healthcare gets a dose of AI

In a country with a shortage of doctors, can artificial intelligence play a role in revolutionising primary care? Abhay Navjeet Singh Narula , Vice President and Head — Business and Growth at MedPay thinks so. Amid a shortage of radiologists and pathologists across India, AI is already playing helper in diagnostics, and labs are warming up to its benefit of ensuring speed without compromising on accuracy, according to The Business Standard report from earlier this year.

From personalised health assessments to prescriptions, Narula shares a glimpse into how AI-powered primary care could look like. He says AI can gather data from various sources and provide a complete overview of a patient's health, including risk factors and medical history, recommend and schedule diagnostic tests, as well as relay information to the nearest specialist for a prompt and effective response.

?? See Abhay Navjeet Singh Narula’s post on how AI can revolutionise primary care

?? Empowering the next wave of digital power users

“I remember in 2002, India had just about 8 million Internet users. Today, we boast of more than 700 million internet users, says Osama Manzar , Founder and Director of Digital Empowerment Foundation, an organisation on a mission to digitally empower the masses.

Despite challenges like high infrastructure cost, unaffordable prices, poor digital literacy and millions that are yet to own smartphones, Manzar says India has been able to inspire the entire world by having the highest number of internet users, some of the most affordable internet prices, the highest number of social media users, and being home to a large number of digital entrepreneurs and online transaction enabled consumers.

But what will it take to connect the next 600 million people?

“The digital literacy space today is altogether a different beast than what we collectively conceived and adopted in 2014 called the National Digital Literacy Mission,” says Manzar. He says while back then the focus was on hardware, software, and applications, now it is meaningless to be digitally literate if it isn’t subjective, contextual, relevant, dynamic, and personalised to the needs of a person’s job, business, habits, and social network. Digitally enabling entrepreneurs is also crucial, according to him.

He adds that the current state of digital literacy should and must be adapted under the framework of media and information literacy (MIL), which teaches us to be conscious users, and contribute with awareness and responsibility and it should ensure skills and learnings on how to be safe and secure online while learning to be digitally skilled.?

When tech meets education

How are new technologies impacting learning? With the rise of generative AI and the accessibility of tools, giving personalised feedback on learning will become incredibly cheap thereby actually creating a space to teach students across all socioeconomic backgrounds,” says Supriya Paul, Co-founder and CEO of Josh Talks.

She adds that the next revolution is today, where there is a real opportunity to drive learning outcomes through low-cost tech intervention made accessible to all.?

?? See Supriya Paul’s post on the future of edtech

Reality check for learning

Edtech companies in India are already experimenting with emerging technologies in the classroom, but how will the metaverse and virtual reality transform the education space?

Education metaverses will empower learners even in the remotest part of the world with access to AI, AR & VR powered personalised education, and democratise access to world-class education for the general public, says Yuvraj Krishan Sharma , Co-Founder & CPO - KOMPANIONS, a company that develops products on augmented, virtual, and mixed reality for educational institutes.?

“New technologies will pave the way for an evolved education curriculum across K-12 and Higher-Ed, catering to the birth of newer jobs, thus increasing the per capita potential of the human race to earn and advance more,” says Sharma.

?? See Yuvraj Krishan Sharma’s post on AI, VR, AR and metaverses

??? Space tech for good: The sky’s not the limit

Along with enhancing our understanding of planets, the universe, and science as a whole, space tech has propelled advancements which improve multiple aspects of our life directly and indirectly. Breaking down the impact of these technologies, Radha Krishna Kavuluru , Scientist at Indian Space Research Organisation, says that satellite imagery is used for crop insurance analysis, and farmers can claim insurance based on this data. This data is also used to model agriculture based on climate and monitor forests.?

When it comes to disaster management, satellite data is used to analyse, manage and predict disasters, he adds, along with studying floods, droughts, land use, urban planning, landslides, earthquakes, and mineral composition. Remote sensing is also used for ocean and weather studies, he says.

?? See Radha Krishna Kavuluru’s post on how space technology impacts our daily lives

How do you see tech being used for social good and impact at scale? Share your thoughts using #TechWrapIndia.

• IT firms hire more women: IT giants like Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, and LTIMindtree are recruiting more women even amid a slowdown in tech hiring, reports The Economic Times. The companies have launched initiatives for women returning after a career break or maternity leave, and to ensure representation of women in leadership roles.
• Startup funding isn’t looking up: Funding activity and deal volume for Indian startups dropped to a nine-year low in April, and investments stood at $381 million across 58 deals during the month, reports Livemint, citing VCCEdge data. The reason? A long funding winter amid a rise in interest rates, stock market volatility, and a recessionary economic environment, among others.
• Users swipe left on apps: Indian users are spending less time on apps due to poor connectivity, which is also reducing app retention rates, reports The Economic Times, citing an OpenSignal report. This, in turn, is impacting revenues and user satisfaction, and video consumption is seeing the biggest hit in app sessions.?

Keep up with and contribute to the top conversations about tech and innovation:

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?? Founder & CEO at Sassiest Aishwarya Dua shares learnings she wants to pass on to new entrepreneurs:

?? Co-founder and CEO at Predixion AI Vaibhav Goyal ’s post on how Natural Language Interface is set to be the new graphical user interface in an AI-led digital world:

?? Entrepreneur in Residence and Product Leader at Tata Consultancy Services Muthulakshmi N ’s article on why she thinks AI will not replace sales professionals:

Reported by: Isha Chitnis

Creator Manager: Raunak Ramteke