On the first day of INDICOMMS 2021 organised by SMX Network, Prof (Dr) Sandeep Sancheti, Vice-Chancellor, Marwadi University, Rajkot, Gujarat, opined that though he belonged to a different era of communication, he cannot deny the importance of technology so he stressed to embrace it rather not resist it.
SMX Networks had organized a two-day Media, Entertainment, and Communication Summit named INDICOMMS 2021 in association with Adamas University (University partner), Innoserv Digital (Digital partner), ORAI Robotics (AI partner), ASMA, and Asentrek Global (community partner). This mega summit continued for two days on the 4th-5th March 2021, with the participation of eminent speakers from across the globe. This mega event aimed to examine the current scenario and identify new trends and best practices emerging in the media, communication and entertainment industries.
Prof Sandeep Sancheti known as an institution builder, holds a PhD from Queens University of Belfast UK, after obtaining a B.Tech (ECE) from Regional Engineering College, Warangal and M.Sc (Engg) from Delhi College of Engineering in 1982 and 1985 respectively. He was the former Vice-Chancellor of SRMIST, Chennai.
The Change is Here to Stay
Dr Sancheti said the changes which have ensued in recent times can also be described as a curious world as now we are much more connected. What we do here in India, we probably share it with others without any thought process. In communication, this is a common threat or all that to happen. We cannot be knowing about someone what he is doing unless the communication is there, we cannot remain connected unless the communication is there. He said, “I belong to a different world of communication, which is hardcore communication, the man behind the scene or the technology behind the scene. I believe technology can change and would change and has been changing.” Anything which we see in terms of geographical or social or political or financial boundaries across the world in the last 200 years, has all happened because of technology. The starting and ending of the world war are also because of technology. The technological way has transformed the world where modern civilisation got emanated from. He said, “We should sail with the wave of technology rather than resist it. We can control it but we should not resist it.”
Digital Provide
Dr Sancheti differs from the statement called the digital divide. He actually calls it ‘digital provide’. The reason for that is very simple, in this technology when anything new comes in its percolates to other levels. We have seen for a large amount of time any technology which has come from the western world takes time to come to India, but now it’s not so. Every new technology which is coming today getting launched in India simultaneously or sometimes in advance also. We cannot leave without mobile or automobile today. That’s the power of technology we are talking about. Dr Sancheti said one who comes to teach us, we empower them to become a good teacher, and empowerment doesn’t necessarily come from limited scope but through the support system of technology. “Today technology can make one the best teacher even if one is not good with the subject.”
Education During COVID Times
According to Dr Sancheti, the change due to COVID is a boon to education. There are three elements that have come together. The corona itself is the first change that happened, because of the corona, technology has started making progress which we were resisting through decades. Secondly, many of us said we cannot do it and we should not do it. Thirdly, he openly talked about the technology forum. We probably know that there was a curse in the system to the degree holder of the distance education or what we call online mode. But now virtual mode is the most acceptable. He also added the change in the last year from March 2020 till this particular march is a phenomenal thing. The rate of change in the adoption of technology has become fast. The cost of technology is becoming cheaper. Mobiles are at a throwaway price.
Solar Energy
The technology once again bringing the cost of energy at Rs2/- or Rs3/- a unit through solar. Once that happens the electrical vehicles will bring the cost of mobility very low. Ultimately, we can see, a possibly distinguish expert when they became a faculty as a young person or as a teacher, probably they needed 10 to 15 years of their salary to buy their fast car. But today a faculty can buy in their first salary or third or fourth salary. That is the power of technology that as it sets in probably use the cost made the life more comfortable and made ways for us, how we want to proceed our lives. “I see a lot of positive coming out of in the recent time, and I am sure some questions would be there on that, in time to come I will be ready to answer,” said Dr Sancheti.
New Age Education
Dr Sancheti. was asked what were the two points of the new age education? He answered in two points, first, everything will become multimodal in education and the mode can be changed. Things like artificial intelligence whether the situation is real or simulation-based doesn’t matter, it will be there. These all things will drive-by technology. It will give you a seamless connectivity environment where we can say and create those environments. The second thing is, education everyone thought that should be a pure education. In reality, every education is adulterated and the level of adulteration will be decided by the person who is to consume and not the person who is to serve it. The boundaries of education will be punctured. These are the two big changes which he sees in the future of most of the education facility.
The author, Debasmita Saha is associated with Adamas University Media School.