Bhubaneswar: Indus tries, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain Friday urged a 50-member student delegation from Himachal Pradesh (HP), visiting Odisha under the Yuva Sangam programme, to adapt to emerging technologies and equip themselves to become innovators, entrepreneurs and job creators.
Highlighting the growing influence of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital technologies, Swain stressed the need for continuous learning, skill development and innovation to succeed in a rapidly changing world of work.
The minister underlined the link between industrial growth and skilled human resources, noting that investment in talent was as important as investment in infrastructure, technology and industries.
He said inter-state youth exchanges offered valuable opportunities to experience the country’s diversity, exchange ideas and build lasting relationships across cultures.
Encouraging the delegates to forge friendships with their counterparts in Odisha, Swain urged them to remain curious, embrace new experiences and look beyond seeking employment to creating opportunities for others.
The delegation is visiting the state from October 13 to 18 under Phase VII of Yuva Sangam, organised by the Union Ministry of Education under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative. IIM Sambalpur is serving as the nodal institute for Odisha.
The programme seeks to strengthen people-to-people ties among young people from different states through exposure to the host state’s culture, natural landscapes, institutions and development journey.