While speaking at the 7th edition of Digital India Awards, Murmu said that India would develop into a knowledge economy only when the digital divide is substantially bridged through the use of technology.

She expressed confidence that India is setting the right example of ensuring the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalised sections of society and strengthening economic, social, and cultural rights in our journey towards Digital Antyodaya.

President Murmu said that India’s story of digital transformation is a story of innovation, implementation and inclusion. She emphasised the need to create collaborative platforms to find innovative solutions to make the world a more accessible and equitable place.

The President said that Indian IT companies have done a remarkable job in making the world realise the value of Indian talent. “We should leverage the prevailing policies and avail the ecosystem to position the country as a global powerhouse of software and hardware products by building made-in-India technology,” Murmu said.

The President said that data is the cornerstone of creating new knowledge, insights and thus solutions; and leads to whole new fields of application. “We should focus on democratising the use of government data so that young technology enthusiasts can use it to build localised digital solutions,” she added.

At the event, the President conferred awards to 22 government entities in the field of digital governance.