>> Akhtar Badshah: It is a great pleasure for me to be here to introduce our 11th
President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam. I also want to apologize that we were not
able to get a larger room for this. So thank you all very much for coming. I know
many of you are watching online. We are streaming this live. Many of you are
outside in the lobby, and we are trying to get the lobby computer on so that you
can watch it there, too. There are some of you are in the overflow rooms next
door.
So we really appreciate your coming here. This is -- my name is Akhtar
Badshah. I'm the senior director for community affairs here at Microsoft. Many
of you participate in our giving campaign and you continue to do so, so thank you
very much. This is a time of great need, and we do hope that you will continue to
participate in the matching gifts program and the giving campaign.
We are very fortunate to have Dr Kalam here today. Dr. [inaudible] we're who is
somewhere in this audience, he's right there, is a resident of Seattle and has
been instrumental in getting Dr. Kalam to visit us in Seattle.
Many of us who live here live from the Indian-American community have actually
funded a visiting fellowship at the University of Washington which allows us to
bring eminent Indians to Seattle and Washington State to be with us for a few
days. Dr. Kalam is going to be here for four days and is going to be participating
in number of different events, including one on Saturday afternoon at the MOHI.
So many of you who want to go and hear him should try and sign up for that.
There is also a dinner that the [inaudible] entrepreneurs have organized on
Saturday evening, and if you are interested in joining us for that, please do so.
Let me now introduce an individual who really does not need any introduction.
He's one of India's most imminent scientists, somebody who is steeped in
science and engineering, who came out of a middle-class beginning and rose to
one of the highest offices in the country. He was our 11th president, has been a
foremost scientist for ISRO and has been part of our space research, including
some of our major explorations with Agni and other rockets that he helped
design.
But I think what you will find that even though he is no longer the president, he
continues to believe in India's growth, in India's communities, the underserved
community and he is working on some amazing concepts that link both what he
calls soft sciences and hard sciences; soft sciences which include ways to
educate people, and hard sciences which are really engineering and technology
that can bring about change. And I hope that he will talk about his new concept
called PURA, which is providing urban facilities in rural areas.
So please join me in welcoming President Abdul Kalam.
[applause].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Friends, my greetings to all of you. It's a fantastic
experience to be in Microsoft from yesterday. I came to the foundation and then I
spent lot of time, and today I was not in [inaudible] and a lot of discussion,
research discussions I had. So I will spend the time there and they will be
forgotten what I had to do today. So, friends, I'm very happy to interact with the
Microsoft professionals in the beautiful environment.
Before starting my lecture which I prepared, I thought of sharing you an
experience. The experience something like this. At that time I was working very
hard, building missiles, and everything was ready and everybody expecting a giro
[phonetic] component has to come from outside. And for the missile to do a
[inaudible] thousands of kilometers to travel and reach the target. And suddenly
a [inaudible] came, the giro [phonetic] will not be available for you because of
missile technology controlled regime. And the nation said, no, we won't give you
that giro [phonetic]. The giro [phonetic] has needed accuracy point not one
degree [inaudible].
Now what you do? I have to go to launch pad in nine months time. So I had a
big brainstorm session like when I see a lot of young fellows here. A lot of young
people were there in that brainstorming session. One unexpectedly one guy got
up. He said Mr. Kalam, don't worry about the giro [phonetic], I have got a
solution. So we all wondered what is the type of solution he has got? He told me
-- he's a software fellow. That's why I like software people. [laughter]. The
solution he gave, we have giro [phonetic]. Only thing it is not one degree
[inaudible] but we have giro [phonetic] in our country. It builds a lower accuracy
point not to one degree.
But I will give you, yeah, if you develop a software only what you to do is you
sample the error number of times X delta, X time you sample, give a feedback
signal to the control system and so the control system continues correcting
where [inaudible] and the flight is [inaudible] it will give the continuous feedback
so that the correction takes place. And there was a [inaudible] and for and
against what I was convinced of after there hours of discussion I went -- I will go
ahead, you go to the software. Seven members deep.
They developed the software code data. There are 15 software packages in the
missile system. Just one of them. So finally when I was ready for the flight, what
[inaudible] decided the impact point it is improved much better, the CE piece
much. Better when the flight took place, a fantastic [inaudible] because of the CE
there was almost to the target.
So I believe many thing what we cannot do in the hardware you can do it in
software. That I have seen. Just know how you can come into a [inaudible]
surface computer. So such thing possible. So this experience gave me how
important in the system development that's why you need 70 to 80 percent
electronics and software in a system like launching a spacecraft and missile
system.
So, friends, I am very happy to interact with the Microsoft professionals in this
beautiful environment. Beautiful environment ignites the creativity of the minds.
This I have observed. Creative minds lead to the innovation. The pioneering
efforts of Microsoft during the last 35 years with the continuous updates have
injected new ways of thinking in software design and the evolution of obligation
across the world. So all of you are involved in that. I'm very happy to be with a
team which can think different, perform and do business differently. Yesterday I
-- yesterday afternoon I visited the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and met the
CEO Jeff and Mr. William H. Gates, Sr. Very interesting person. We had a good
interaction with the entire team.
I appreciate the work what they do on global health, global development
program, and a unique program focusing on the education at USA. Here comes
an interesting aspect. At the end of the discussion, Senior Gates presented me a
book written by him to be released next week. The book name showing up his
life, showing up his life, his own book, with the three line forward from Bill Gates,
his son. Now, in the forward Bill Gates writes, his son writes: Dad, the next time
somebody asks you if you're the real Bill Gates, I hope you say yes. [laughter]. I
hope you tell them that you are all the things the other one strives to be.
So it's a beautiful statement. That one-page forward only three lines are there.
Dad, the next time somebody asks you if you're the real Bill Gates, I hope you
say yes. I hope you tell them that you are all the things the other one strives to
be. It's a beautiful statement. It's going to be released next week I understand.
One more quote, midnight I was reading yesterday that book which I like from the
book. I quote Senior Bill Gates, what he say is [inaudible] knowledge. One of
the chapters his [inaudible] people will often ask me the difference between what
my life was like when I was a partner in a law firm, what my life is like as one of
the managers of large foundation, Gates Foundation. The difference I notice the
first was that when I practiced law, people used to seek me out to get advice, to
get advice. Now people mostly want to give me advice on how to spend my son
and daughter-in-law's money. [laughter] that's very interesting.
But, anyway, they allowed me to talk to you these two points because the book
not yet released. I think it's a good one. When I read midnight I laughed myself.
When I see the contribution of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the world
community, I'm reminded of Bill Gates, Sr., and what a great father he is to
produce such a great son. And we are proud of him for that robust framework
that he has created with Microsoft. Senior Bill Gates did one word for two years
that is a response for bringing up great family traits embedded in his children,
knowledge and philanthropy. My greetings to all of you, friends. You are
working great organization.
Dear friends, what thoughts I can share with you today. When the software
industry was doing well, the business was attracting the best talents. It was
presenting entrepreneurship. It was spreading global. The computer courses
were the best preferred choice in engineering institutions. Suddenly the econ
turbulence, I call it the economic turbulence and [inaudible] said I call it the
economic turbulence. Suddenly the economic turbulence has cost us [inaudible]
and the anxiety all over the world.
I'm also discussing these aspects. I'll be discussing how to come out of it. But
I'm confident that this crisis will be overcome. How do I get this confidence?
Based on my association with the young professionals, I'm confident that
professionals like you can come out with the out-of-the-box ideas. With this
context I was thinking what thoughts I could share with you.
Three perspectives based on my personal experience have shaped my
discussion with you today. The first one is my continuous quest to find ideas as
to how ICT sector can contribute toward mission for the economically developed
India by 2020. The development of 600,000 villages is a major part of the
mission for this mission through PURA, providing urban amenities in the rural
areas.
Secondly, I am aware of the dreams and the enthusiasm and concerns of my
country, 540 million youth of India, and aspiration of the global youth, particularly
in the context of recent economic turbulence.
Thirdly, I attended a few weeks back recently a world forum in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi which debated on the topic education without borders where in addition to
global experts, about thousand international student from 120 countries
participated.
With the background of all these and other inputs I selected the topic Microsoft
and the evolving Indian knowledge powerhouse. In my talk I will be discussing
the economic turbulence in India, economic turbulence in India injected and
possible solution through three phase operation. What are the three phase
operation?
One, ICT enable the Indian development. Two, establishing 7,000 PURA
through physically electronic knowledge, thereby economic connectivity by
establishing societal grid. Third, when ruling business processing outsourcing as
a combination of development and business.
Invention and discoveries have emanated from the creative minds as you know
that they are being constantly working and the imagining the outcome in the
mind. I have seen this in India and studied in many great institution in the world.
With the imagining and constant effort, all the forces of the universe work for that
inspired mind, thereby leading to invention or discoveries in Microsoft. I see in all
of you the results of innovation in computer operating system. All these software
tools are for software development.
Microsoft has grown from Windows 3.1 to Windows Vista and Windows Server
2008 and Windows Live to use network as a platform. I had a meeting with
Microsoft Research team yesterday few minutes before. I have just now written
as the Windows worldwide telescope and had a walk-through over the solar
system and had a demonstration of a surface computing environment which is
creating a new dimension in the intractable only [inaudible] computing
environment.
I greet all those who have contributed from the vision to the realization. The
vision of the founder, Mr. Bill Gates, has naturally created a brand for Microsoft
but has transformed the computing in the hands of the educators [inaudible] to
the common masses of the world.
Through the phenomenal growth of ICT in the world history, Microsoft has
created many unique pages, which will be accessed quite often by the posterity.
My greetings and congratulations to all of you for the single contribution that you
made in realizing the vision of the founder.
Friends, I have been studying with my software friends in India on the four
dimensions of Indian software capacity's capabilities. They are that international
[inaudible] in the expertise and quality, business sense we have established in
BPO and service sector the evolution of the enterprise of skills and the
establishment of software capacities are in the space difference aircraft and
academic institutions.
The next step is to achieve a non-linear growth with the innovation. The Indian
and the -- the Indian [inaudible], IT industry now recognize India's domestic
consumer market as a source of virtually limitless economic power. This will
enable the industry to build the capacity for the kind of economic engine, the
prodigy production and consumption machine that can enable growth for years to
come. India is poised to mature the entrepreneurial gene to become competitive
and global industry which people's innovations and creativity leading to
non-linear growth. The government and virtual capital system all get up to
support the innovation and create the [inaudible] entrepreneurs to go global.
When the world is globally changing, there's a paradigm shift from the export
driven market to investment driven market. Definitely Microsoft can be a partner.
Today, for example, you're still a multinational company understand that they can
make steel in one country and ship it out. They look at world resources and
world markets that build facilities and acquire companies where those resources
and markets exist. They make steel wherever they can enjoy a competitive
advantage.
Another example is in mobile communication where a single chip is being
designed in India which brings down the size and increase the performance of
the mobile system. Software is developed in India in partnership with another
country, manufactured in third country and marketed globally in a single brand.
Hence, global sourcing becomes the order of the day for any innovative business
to grow based on the core competence of partners, and it becomes borderless.
When Indian market is attracting the multinationals, global powerhouses the
lining up major R&D investments in India, which include Intel, Microsoft, IBM,
Cisco [inaudible] 2007. Indian scientists and engineers will be participating in the
global R&D which results in global brands in product and system in global
sourcing environment. Hence, Indian enterprises while being the global
competitors in the global consumer marketplace for domestic products will
become a global cooperator in international market. Our level plan clearly focus
on the education with an outlay of 55 billion dollars, hence we invest in science
and technology and users of R&D are finding solution in the global issues for
value addition in the knowledge economy to leapfrog into non-linear growth.
However, innovations will -- will technology enable, knowledge enable, leading to
value addition to the product system and solution. This will help to scaling up for
meeting the needs of growing economy and propel that domestic economy which
will reduce the effects of anticipated reduction in the export insure steady growth
of the economy even during the economic turbulence.
Dear friends, with this ambience I'm visualizing how I see the professionals,
including Microsoft, can make a difference to the billion people of India in their
transformation process. Of course, this new way of thinking may become
trend-setter for development and business for the economically turbulent world in
many aspects.
Let me now describe to you my interaction with the Indian IT community. I
presented to them the distinctive profile of India by 2020 and sought their
contribution to make it to happen. The distinctive profile includes among others
reduction of rural-urban divide, equitable distribution and adequate access to
energy and quality water, agricultural, industry and service sector working
together in symphony. Availability of best of healthcare to all, transfer to
E-governance. How IT and knowledge industry can be partnered with the Indian
R&D institution and industries.
To achieve the distinct profile of India we have the mission of transforming India
into a developed nation. We have identified five areas where India has core
competence for integrated action. Agricultural and food processing; education
and healthcare; infrastructure, reliable and quality electric power; information
communication technology; and self reliance and critical technologies. These
five areas are closely inter-related. And if progressed in a coordinate way will
lead to full economic and national security. It should be remembered that 70
percent of Indian people, that is nearly 700 million people live in 600,000 villages,
and the economic solution to India will be indeed the trend setter to multiple
developing nations.
As far as rural-urban development is concerned, ICT can revolutionize in
outreaching the connectivity and knowledge connectivity, information system in
villages can be modernized, training can be cost effective, and rural BPOs can
bring about a paradigm shift which I will separately discuss.
The areas in which the ICT can help are assessment of water availability and
distribution, mapping the water bodies with GPS and GAS and feedback system
on availability of quality seeds and fertilizers. Dynamic market information.
Cultivation timings related to the onset of monsoon and training in good
agricultural practices for agricultural community.
In a similar way, ICT can find innovation, innovative solution, contribution in every
aspect of development profile. As a leading software company, you could
consider, Microsoft can consider, how you can become a partner of Indian
software groups in contributing to the development profile of India.
I was asking myself what type of innovation is needed to interest in Indian
economy and other world economic which are presently in turbulence? I had
discussion on this subject with my experts during my teaching assignment at
Indian [inaudible]. It came to light that the Indian economy will be less affected
due to the world financial crisis. Three aspect. The number one delivery efficient
process in India which started 1991 has a checks and balances consistent with
the unique social requirements of the country.
The second one, the Indian banking system has always been conservative which
has prevented the crisis.
The third one, the Indian psyche is generally savings oriented. These three
causes, these three causes have reduced the effect of global turbulence in Indian
economy. However, during the reduction in export and reduction in outsourcing
because of global situation, the drop in annual growth rate of GDP could be
around two to three percent and still India will lead by seven percent GDP
growth. These [inaudible] innovation in our thinking to [inaudible] agricultural
sector, particularly through value addition and the small, medium and small scale
industries enterprises for making higher levels of contribution to the GDP.
Simultaneously we ought to enhance the rural and urban infrastructure
particularly through the establishment of 7,000 PURA complexes, PURA means
providing urban amenities in the rural area complexes, spread out different parts
of the country covering about 600,000 villages. The mission of PURA is
employment generation with value and experience through connectivities.
Connectivity with the ICT and knowledge, connectivity with the dynamic tools of
India's predicted growth. India is spearheading the connect division. The core of
this connectivity model for electronic connectivity for prosperity of four billion
people is the partnership between the government and multiple institutions in the
public and private domains. The stint of these partnerships are collaborative
growth and the economic prosperity is facilitated by free flow of knowledge and
the information in a seamless manner, cutting across levels and boundaries,
embracing all walks of life in the three sectors of the economy, such as the
agriculture, manufacturing and services.
In this model, four grids bring about the interface of three sectors of the
economy, namely knowledge grid -- I have in the figure you can see, health grid,
E-governance grid and the PURA grid.
Let us look at the knowledge grid. Interconnecting the universities with
socioeconomic institution, industries and the R&D organization. India is planning
to connect 5,000 institution across the country with [inaudible] network for
collaborating knowledge sharing platform. The first to face implementation of
knowledge in network has already been largely [inaudible]. How to bring the
quality education to the local corner of the country and the skill development
through daily education is major task, hundred years grid schedule.
If you take the healthcare grid, they are interconnecting the healthcare institution
of government and corporate and super specialty hospitals. Research institution,
education institutions and ultimately farmer R&D institution, India has already
connected on 300 remote locations so far with more than 30 super-specialty
hospitals and provides daily medicine and connectivity and purports to implement
the mobile medical services in public-private partnership.
If we go to E-governance grid interconnecting the central government and state
government and this particular level offices for G-to-G based, government to
government, G-to-C, government to citizen, India's creating state area network
across the country. India has the fiber connectivity up to the block level and it
needs to be lighted up. We have a national E-governance program with 25
percent more projects. In G-to-C domain, government-to-citizen domain, we also
need to implement G-to-G services, government-to-government services, across
the governmental units.
Also, many Indian states are in the process of establishing state area network by
2012. It may be operational in all the states. Computerization of over 15,000
district and subordinate [inaudible] are required to be completed. Other major
areas of activities for the IT industry are the establishment of 100,000 village
knowledge centers for the government-to-citizen service [inaudible] in
E-governance, the education and healthcare and other services by the
government and the B-to-C services in the rural-urban areas.
The software, hardware, and networking industry is to provide solution for all the
task within the next three to five years and participate in the development
operationalization of national E-governance plan. The establishment of a
hundred thousand community centers for G-to-C connectivity is already in
progress with public and private partnership mode.
Per our knowledge grid, the connectivity the PURA knowledge centers with the
village knowledge centers and domain service providers which will provide a
[inaudible] to agricultural sector, non-forming sector. Since this is the backbone
for rural development, all other grids will infuse the knowledge into this grid for
sustainable development, education, healthcare and good governance. PURA
[inaudible] the villages through scale enablement and knowledge enablement
thereby creating the economic connectivity, thereby creating economic
connectivity in the PURA cluster ensuring sustainable development. PURA grid
in the [inaudible] grid for the other grids.
Integrated village knowledge centers will act as an interconnected diluted
mechanism for teleeducation, telemedicine and E-governance [inaudible] apart
from [inaudible] access by the people written and between the village knowledge
grid, village knowledge centers through the PURA grid. Each grid is a system of
multiple portals. The aim is to maximize the vast domestic production and
productivity of the land and people through maximizing the performance of
E-sector and synthesized by the system of inter and intra-sectoring the electronic
connectivity to seven billion people.
This will bring prosperity to 700 million people in the rural areas and 300 million
plus people in urban areas. Apart from the governing schedule there are plenty
of opportunities available for the public-private partnership, and [inaudible] initiate
use of the industry not as a charity, but with the business proposition.
Certainly ICT industry like Microsoft and the foundation like Bill Gates Foundation
has a wider road to play in consolidating [inaudible] as a model project for India
in a big way and that will create a viable impact in uplifting the society for
providing quality education, quality healthcare and improvement in the overall
quality of life of the people in a remarkable way. Certainly India will extend all the
support in this direction in realizing the vision of developed India before the year
2020 and bringing sustainable rural transformation to the implementation of
product.
Recently, friends, some [inaudible] I launched a rural BPO, rural BPO in the
[inaudible] district of [inaudible], southern part of India. The object of the rural
BPO hub [inaudible] to establish the rural BPO in all the districts of southern part
of India. This hub will train, make the rural youth here employable, infuse
confidence in them and transform them in line with the other international BPO
forts. This has proven that migration of the youth to the cities from [inaudible]
area and promote resource migration with the national and state government
plans for E-governance, rural BPO could become a value-added employment
opportunity for the rural youth and take care of the E-governance activities of
each district apart from serving the international clients.
They're also doing international BPO work for the rural area and are able to
compete with the other counterparts working in metropolitan cities.
I have suggested the application of this model in many parts of the states and
country for serving the governance needs of the country.
Now I would like to share with you, finally, how Microsoft and Indian enterprise
can work together on a specific mission, which will result in knowledge product
that will capture the world market. I call it world knowledge platform. With the
Indian experience of successful international cooperative [inaudible] from
concept to realization and marketing such as [inaudible] missile and [inaudible]
African unit work, India is in the mission of establishing the world knowledge
platform. This will bring together the world knowledge platform, will bring
together the core competence of multiple nations and India in a science and
technology leading to the development of unique system for global applications.
World knowledge platform will enable joint design, development, cost of
production and marketing of the knowledge product systems and services in
various domains based on the core competence of their partner nation to the
international market.
World knowledge platform is a meeting place for science and technology
industry, management and marketing. This world knowledge platform will
provide an opportunity for IT software industry transform from they prove
transform from present day system powerhouse to knowledge system
powerhouse. Now, the convergence of bio, nano, and IT sector for the area of
[inaudible] to humanity. The world knowledge platform will take up the mission in
some of the areas discussed further are of at most [inaudible] to all of us to make
our world a safe sustainable peaceful and prosperous place to live.
Out of water, energy, healthcare, agricultural, ICT, automobile and transportation,
disaster prediction, aerospace and capacity building, these are the area. I would
like to focus only on certain important mission which are 11 to you. One is
healthcare. The second one knowledge products. Knowledge. And the third
capacity building like quality human resource developments for all the areas.
Finally in conclusion, friends, Microsoft and the Indian industry have an
established business relationship. I will touch upon the IT and knowledge
industry requirement as a social business challenges requiring cost effective
viable solution with wide application to all six of the world population.
I believe that the innovative creation of new markets for development of rural
India will promote new events in other parts of the world will have a large scale
support potential. India will certainly explore the opportunity work with Microsoft
in ICT missions linked to develop India 2020 particularly for our missions.
I greet the Microsoft professionals, leaders and Microsoft on this occasion from
here and various locations. My best wishes to all the participants, success in
their mission of promoting development through software and services. May God
bless you all, friends.
[applause].
>> Akhtar Badshah: Thank you very much. We have some questions. I believe
that there are some mics in the room.
>>: Professor Kalam, it's our distinct honor to see you here and share and learn
about your vision as always. I am on the advisory board of a company that's
near and dear to you. It's a telemedicine company that works, has got about 150
hospitals in India and also with your pan-African initiative they are now expanding
into Africa.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: They are doing well?
>>: They are doing well. But telemedicine, as you very well know is a good idea.
People have to figure out how to make money out of it. The interesting thing
about the telemedicine is, since you asked me, is it's going to come into
developed countries from developing countries. And I think in the United States
we have a pay problem. The technology was invented here, but I think it's going
to explode in countries like India and then come back to the United States
because of the satellite infrastructure that you're creating.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: So what's you're suggestion?
>>: No. My question really was, you have created the vision for India and you
have also had a platform to promote it. President Obama has now a Chief
Technology Officer, and if you think about your talk here, would it be interesting
for India to adopt a Chief Technology Officer as a cabinet post moving forward.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Anyway, your suggestion -- see, actually what happened,
the develop -- the mission calls for five areas of development, agricultural, food
processing, their own cabinet minister full-time there. And then information -- the
healthcare and the education, two ministers full-time. And then the information,
communication and technology, one full ministry. Then infrastructure
development we need for that exclusively one or two cabinet ministers. Then
self-reliance and critical technology. These are the five areas I have mentioned
we had to progress. So I agree as one aspect that mission mode operation,
there should be -- what we need now then before 2020 if we are to finish it, then,
yes, mission -- your book should be established, your mission should be
established, and then if you [inaudible].
>>: I think just to make it simple, would it be possible for people to just line up in
the center so this way I can get the mic much more quickly rather than moving
back and forth.
>>: Thank you, Dr. Kalam, for spending your valuable time with us in Microsoft.
In your talk you mentioned about the super specialty hospitals being built in India.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: No, it's there already.
>>: Right. So can you explain how -- and you mentioned that the ICT can help
improve and grow some of these hospitals and the rate in which they are being
built in India. Can you provide us some insight on your vision into how you
believe the ICT can actually help expand some of these super specialty hospital
programs being built in India?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: See, for example, we [inaudible] active program in India,
you have 53 countries of Africa being connected telemedicine, teleeducation and
connectivity [inaudible] countries. In India it's a major development partner. And
there we have taken about 15 hospitals in the various capitals for African
countries. Similarly 15 hospitals from here in India we have connected through,
you know, both the fiber optics and satellite linked to the last connectivity. So
this started working.
Similarly [inaudible] islands have been connected so when some of the big
hospitals in [inaudible] connected and the data, database is something like this a
doctor in [inaudible] will diagnose there's a problem. And then he all the images
in a vehicle, particular day, the both doctor conference takes place in [inaudible]
and they communicate to each other with the images of the database and then
the consultations pass through to the patient.
And also sometimes a serious case, the patients [inaudible].
>>: Thank you.
>>: It's an honor listening to your talk. Thanks to Microsoft for giving us the
opportunity, truly once in a lifetime opportunity. So my question is one of -- on
one of your core areas which is education. And I just want to start with a
quotation. This is a quotation from a television serial that ran here for about five
years. It's by the fictional character the White House communications director,
and it goes education is the silver bullet. It is everything. We don't need also
changes. We need gigantic revolutionary changes. Competition for the best
teachers should be fierce. They should be getting six figure salaries. Schools
should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free for its citizens.
Just like national defense.
So just like we have the last mylaxis [phonetic] which is a frustrating problem in
broadband, there is this last mylaxis problem for citizens. We've established
schools but in India schools are expensive for its citizens. The concept of
government schools is something that we've failed upon several times. How
does this factor into your vision 2020 to make basic education beyond high
school, not just up to high school, but beyond the high school level available to its
600,000 ->> Dr. Abdul Kalam: In the education system through the world primary,
secondary, higher education, these are the three types. My concern concentrate
mostly primary education because the primary education nearly 250 million
children are there for up to age 14 for getting education and yet creativity of the
children has to come out of the early age. For that primary school has to
function.
So we are putting all our effort how the best teachers we must train them and
pump in the primary schools. And also government has decided a bill is coming
up shortly, free [inaudible] education up to age 14. This solution is most
important. If base is good, development will be good, okay.
>>: So I have a second question.
[applause].
>>: I have a second question, a more selfish one. At some point would you be
considering signing -- book signing? I have a copy of your book.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: No problem.
>>: That I cherished for several years.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: No problem. That's a simple problem. No problem.
[laughter].
>>: Dr. Kalam, to repeat what the others said, it's just amazing to finally see you
in person. I never thought I would actually be able to do this. I read a lot of your
work, and I know that you're a big supporter of free and open source software.
Now, frankly [laughter].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: When Microsoft [inaudible] India [inaudible].
>>: I remember that you mentioned. Yes, sir, I remember that you mentioned
that your [inaudible] Bill Gates was interesting due to this topic. So one of the
challenges that Microsoft has in interacting with Indian government is frankly will
this ideological push towards open source software. So has your thoughts on
this changed? What's your thoughts on the place of proprietary software like
Microsoft and free and open source software?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: See, you don't need to worry [inaudible] [laughter]. Reason
is if you take your PCs today the world, you [inaudible] the PCs, 93 percent of the
PCs have got Windows, okay. That's a situation now. But now you are going all
out, also, to the software giving the software, making to open source. You
should compete. After all it's a competitive situations. And the people user are
very comfortable sometimes the open code software. The reason is they can
play around. They can put their need.
So it looks to me both will exist. And finally Microsoft also will go for open source
until you are going to [inaudible] [laughter].
>>: So it's an honor to interact with you today. I was really glad to hear you start
your speech with how environment, a good environment is important for igniting
the mind and that leads to other good things. Now, as we know that the global
environment is suffering, in India many of our cities are almost becoming
unlivable because of pollution, neglect, and so on. I was hoping to hear more
about that as part of your vision for 2020 vision for India. So my question is, I
didn't see it there, but I would like to hear it also on how important is
environmental protection for India? I know that we have big -- other big problems
to solve, but is this something we can really ignore if [inaudible].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: What are you doing now? What are you doing?
>>: Me?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: What type of work do you do?
>>: I'm a corporate strategy manager at Microsoft.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: You know, you go to my website, www.abdulkalam.com.
There you click for the energy and [inaudible] you'll get an answer. Okay? It is
something like this. What I have suggested and your American president also
discussed when he visited India last time, it is like this. Your doctor it is going to
be translated into action. There's a three-dimensional approach. Number one,
the type of fuel you use, the car you drive here, the car I will drive in New Delhi
and the [inaudible] all attribute 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide, okay? This
comes from the fossil fuel. We get the fossil fuel at a high cost. And also
[inaudible] also get release of carbon dioxide.
So I have suggested you should come out energy independence means how you
come out of fossil fuel? I have suggested three dimensional approach. One is
solar power. Solar power you should use now solar cell efficiency 15 to 20
percent. Carbon [inaudible] technology has come in, combination of carbon
[inaudible] and polymer, you can [inaudible] efficient 60 percent some of your
laboratory research institution in the university in USA and India's doing that. In
three to five years time our solar cell efficiency going to increase to 50, 60
percent. Then in that situation we should go for solar power.
Number two, India's going for sodium based nuclear reactor because we have
got [inaudible]. It will be totally invest nuclear reactor.
Third is biofuel for all cars will be driven by cars and trucks will be driven biofuel
either ethanal or biodiesel. Okay? These are three routes if you go then a safe
planet yet you'll have. Okay.
[applause].
>>: Thank you, sir, for being with us today. Most of what you shared is
completely new to me. So thanks so much. And it's a great vision.
One of the basic question which is similar to what I didn't see in the presentation
is your vision about how all of this could eliminate the basic problem of poverty
and hunger in India. Because, you know, I said many of the newspapers even
locally in India or even the films that's taken about India and whatever news we
hear on the Internet is all highlighting the poverty and hunger, right, and not
about all the advancement.
But so this is a great presentation. I really, really appreciate it. I want to
understand from your vision how any of this -- I think education is going to help,
health -- improving healthcare is going to help. But I am not able to still connect
how all of this is able to solve the fundamental problem that we have, which is
[inaudible].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: What you are doing now?
>>: I'm a senior auditor at Microsoft.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Auditor. Very good. [laughter]. No, it's like this. It's a
good question. The vision India 2020 vision, what is the purpose? Purpose is
220 million people who are below the poverty line how to lift them up. That
means you are to increase the GDP 10 percent, 7 percent now, help increase the
GDP 10 percent, and then assume the five areas, five areas interconnecting the
five areas and PURA. The idea is PURA, providing urban amenities to rural
area. There is a cluster of villages need physical connectivity, electronic
connectivity and knowledge connectivity so that the economic connectivity will
come.
You should remember the independence we got about 60 years back, okay? So
we are progressing and definitely by another 11 years time these [inaudible] that
20 percent of the people poverty line then the economic prosperity will come and
India will become a developed nation. Okay?
That is the purpose of this presentation. And also you can read a book India
2020, a book is there. Transforming India into a developed nation that also has
lot of details.
>>: And just a follow question on this presentation which is what's your
confidence level, given the current political situation in India? Right, so turbulent
governance, you know, corrupt in all states and [inaudible].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: I had a professor, I had a professor. His name is
[inaudible]. So he gave me a big project, that is build a satellite launch vehicle
and put the satellite in the arbiter. He give all the money, all the money, all the
human [inaudible] required. In seven years time you'll put the satellite in the
orbit. [inaudible]. I found the job was too big because there's a lot of senior
people out there, a lot of [inaudible] how do bring them all together? I was
hesitating.
Then he gave me advice. There's an answer for your question. The idea is if
you don't do anything, no problem. You agree? If you don't do anything, no
problem. [laughter] but if you do accomplish program of a national development,
then big problems. But problems should not become your captain. He address
me. You should become the captain of the problem, defeat the problem and
succeed. Okay. Do you understand?
[applause].
>>: We have time for two more questions. So please be very brief.
>>: Great to see you here, Dr. Kalam. I just have a very simple question
actually. There's an education problem in the United States that says basically
schools don't deliver, the kids don't learn anything. In India we have a different
problem that's not a problem I would say. We are producing probably more
engineers in India than anywhere in the world. But still what would it take for, I
would say, a kid who's growing up in India today to get very enthusiastic and
remove all the public apathy that he's been seeing? What would it take?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: See what a fantastic question you asked. It is something
like this. We have India today the required money, okay? And we have required
resources. We have the material resources. Water. And the other thing we
have. And we have 540 million youth, the most powerful resource on the
[inaudible] okay? [laughter]. Okay. Then what is missing? Lot of young people
[inaudible] hundred thousand [inaudible]. I tell them if you want 2020 some
people ask me why not before 2020 India become a developed nation, then I say
I can't do it confidence. Each one of the youth if they build I can do it then it
becomes we can do it and India can do it. That one thing we are pushing.
Okay?
>>: Thank you.
[applause].
>>: Before you go. Let my repeat at least one point from you. [laughter].
>>: Dr. Kalam, you have been my idol since I was like in school, so I'm very
nervous, feeling very nervous right now. So my question is I read your book a
few years back. So basically two questions from that. One is how satisfied you
are with the progress that we are making as country and learning with your
vision. And secondly, the big challenge of our learning both governmental
agency [inaudible] are learning with your vision to kind of move towards
[inaudible] how do you like deal with that kind of challenge?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: See, one of the minimum requirement is the GDP growth
should be when the document will say you will read the document will say 10
percent GDP growth maintained for one decade. [inaudible] that we reach 9
percent [inaudible] we do 11 percent. And what happened is the economic
turbulence came in. It is brought down to seven percent. But there's still
however [inaudible] economic [inaudible] by September we'll be out of the woods.
Okay? Out of the woods.
So I believe that 2020, the target in 11 years India become transformed to
developed nation. We -- I still believe it is possible. The only one problem is the
confidence that I can do it. Problems not defeater of people, problem in a
democracy nation with two billion people, okay, but you know [inaudible] million
people they are going for work this month, 30 million people. Imagine. They are
going for working. Electronic working they are going. So in such a situation we
confident that what we have to pump in in the schools, the youth should be a
powerful force.
>>: So thank the lord being here. You will be [inaudible] to come. My question
is I saw everything on your slides except execution of law and order.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Execute?
>>: Except execution of law and order. I feel however of much interest you
provide, no matter how many facilities you provide until the law is enforced
properly and people are taught to provide by the law, nothing is going to work.
So what do you have to say about that?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: I believe this area of law and order there is certain problem
certain area. Definitely our judiciary [inaudible] the best system we have in the
country, and the crime detection, crime detection, there are certain types of
crimes have increased. Definitely the government as well as the private social
workers, they are joining together to put an end to these type of problems. You
know, our population a billion people many problem come in. Definitely we can
defeat the problem. Okay?
>>: I'm going to take one last question.
>>: I think I'm the luckiest one.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: [Inaudible] there's one more, only one person, we will finish
it up.
[applause].
>>: This is my dream come true like I never thought like in my life like I could see
like Abdul Kalam so closely with my eyes, and really thanks for the Microsoft
organizing such an event. Thank you, sir.
And I have a question like now in India like on the vision like the way we are like
2020, like there are so many [inaudible] happening like when I close to India.
Like are you building anything in our vision like how to like people should be
aware like how we can minimize those things?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: I have a proposed and it's followed also what's called
national campaign for combatting the terrorism. National for combatting
terrorism. It's got three components. The first component is unified intelligence
system. For that government has already passed a bill for a unified intelligence
system.
Second thing is the type of terrorist any action, any event takes place
immediately we must take action, finding and judiciary has to work very fast from
the [inaudible]. Third, people should be the partner. People should be the
partner. And it is very important to -- for that. Because when the evil minds work
together and the good minds also to combine to stop this mess. Okay? So
these are nationally efforts we are pushing.
>>: Why don't you ask the next couple of questions together and then we can
just have you answer. So if you can just ask a question and then he can just ->> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Let us see how they are integrating the questions.
[laughter].
[applause].
>>: Thanks, Dr. Kalam. I am aware that vision 2020 has been in force since
almost eight years and within that period you have been a president. I have
three questions. First is that when you [laughter] -- first is when you were
president, did you get the government of India to commit, you know, to achieving
this mission and achieving the target and the same thing continues? Second is
as a project where do you see the status, is it green, orange, red? [laughter].
And going forward ->> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Yellow.
>>: And the last is what are some of the actionable things for us here in
Microsoft that we can do to contribute towards vision 2020?
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: No, no. No, no, one thing I felt I don't know whether he will
cooperate with this question. Should I finish up this question?
>>: Please finish.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Number one, the [inaudible] in 2020 before becoming the
president, there were two prime ministers, I helped to manage two prime
ministers. [laughter].
One is [inaudible] has announced in the parliament that India 2020 will be a
national program. Then when the present prime minister [inaudible] in [inaudible]
he said he's going to commit to India 2020. Government commitment is there.
Now, the important question is what is the status? Status I said just now that it
was so far it was green. Then suddenly it becomes yellow because of a -- the
economic turbulence. But whether the economy experts say India experts say
that people again will pick up their GDP to eight to nine percent. And then the
possibilities by India 2020 still that 11 years are there with the youth power
definitely we can achieve. Okay. Next.
>>: The important question is what do you think Microsoft and what do you want
these ->> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Well, see, I didn't answer that for simple reason [laughter]
wherever you are, wherever you are working for a country, for a government, for
a country, for an institution, you work for that country's benefit. You work for that
country's progress. And definitely your political connectivity is there. Your
knowledge and experience you share. But then you should not live on that. That
is you should -- as long as you are in Microsoft, Microsoft 2020 and you work for
that country, whichever country you are there. That is my view. Okay. Next.
[applause].
>>: Thanks for the opportunity, sir. We know agricultural is a backbone of India,
and the problem I see in villages is everyone is trying to study and go into jobs
and some of the jobs for their living agricultural part. So the problem is, the
resourcing problem in two agricultural. Even my dad is into problem because I'm
here. Okay? [laughter]. So how technology can help directly into agricultural to
improve agricultural in India. Like go and [inaudible].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: See, it is like this. You'd like to ask ->>: It's different [inaudible].
>>: Answer. Answer.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Okay. It is like this. You know, we have in the PURA,
providing urban amenities to rural area, agricultural is one of the focus. Now,
what happened is we have got 700 million people working for agricultural. No
country can [inaudible] 70 percent of the people work in agricultural. By 2020,
2030 should come out to 30 percent. Many of the farmers have to move to
service sector and industry sector. We are to train them and put them there.
Mainly agricultural we need by 2020 food from 200 million times we are
producing now. We need 380 million times. That means the -- we have to do the
technology on the outcome in a great way. And also my -- the multi-cropping
system, the farmers now we are [inaudible] them will [inaudible] biodiesel
consideration. And in addition to the normal agricultural they do.
And then they should not stop the produce, agricultural produce. They should do
the value edition marketing. These are the two solutions we are pushing through
PURA. Okay?
>>: Hi, Dr. Kalam thank you for this opportunity. It's truly an honor. Given that
you've been part of the India political system, I wanted to ask you a question
related to political reform that we can bring about in India. The current political
system has this multi-party set up that really does not promote natural agendas
but MPs and MLEs or however they go, they go and try to fight for political office
on the basis of very parochial interests, like I'll build a bridge for you. But there is
no such form of like, hey, our nation needs this.
I mean, we have federal system, but whenever we are getting MPs elected to
parliament we are really fighting on local agendas every seat has like 52 people.
There is no real concept of, hey, this is what our nation needs to be five years
from now, ten years from now, and that is why I need to be part of the system.
No. I'm going to do this for you guys and it's very local, and that's how political
offices are secured. Do you have any ideas around whatever you are doing is
great at the [inaudible].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Yeah, I have a comment on what you -- what the concern
you are having. It is something like this. You know, the -- there are two things
happening in India. If you see they lost the elections, state elections, [inaudible]
politics there are two dimensions. One is political politics; the other is
development politics.
Development politics means the party which works for the economic
development of the state constituency, it will reelect it. So that's started. That is
the party which is contributing for the economic development [inaudible] three
times they are elected, two times or three times they are elected. So that's a
good sign that is -- unless you do the economic development your party's
[inaudible] economic development, that party will not get [inaudible] people
[inaudible].
Second message is the multi-party system. Now I am a two-party system for
law. Basically I put forth in the parliament two-party system very vital. It may
take some time to mature for that, but the big economic [inaudible] he says the
economic expert, he says last ten years India's growth pattern much higher as
compared to the previous years. The 10 years of multi-party system. Okay? So
it's different views are going on. But [inaudible] to go for a two-party system.
There's no doubt about it.
If I do happen in a [inaudible] happen.
Okay, friends. All of you, one minute, one minute, one minute, one minute. One
minute.
>>: One minute. [laughter].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: I got a mail from one of your Microsoft guys, so I have to
give an answer for that mail. He told me -- last night at 12 o'clock I open -- I find
a mail. Mail is how do you good human beings [inaudible] everybody in India
young fellows here and American young fellows here, how do you become good
human beings? You know? How do you become a good human being. Will you
repeat with me what I say? Will you? Are you at all hungry? [laughter].
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Will you repeat?
>>: Yes.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Where.
>>: Where.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Where.
>>: Where.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: There is.
>>: There is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Righteousness.
>>: Righteousness.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: In the heart.
>>: In the heart.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: There is.
>>: There is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Beauty in the character.
>>: Beauty in the character.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: When there is.
>>: When there is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Beauty in the character.
>>: Beauty in the character.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: There is.
>>: There is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Harmony in the home.
>>: Harmony in the home.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Harmony in the home.
>>: Harmony in the home.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: When there is.
>>: When there is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Harmony in the home.
>>: Harmony in the home.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: There is.
>>: There is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Order in the nation.
>>: Order in the nation.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: When there is.
>>: When there is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Order in the nation.
>>: Order in the nation.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: There is.
>>: There is.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Peace in the world.
>>: Peace in the world.
>> Dr. Abdul Kalam: Thank you.
[applause].
>>: Thank you very much.