India will provide many skilled people to the world one day: Kiran Bedi

Singapore: India will provide a lot of skilled people to the world one day, especially to countries with ageing populations, Kiran Bedi, the former Lt-Governor of Puducherry, said on Wednesday, asserting that the country has "educated, skilled and literate youths".

Bedi, a former IPS officer, made the comments at the Asia Business Conclave 2024, which is being held in Singapore.

“One day, India will be providing a lot of skilled people to the world, especially countries with ageing populations,” said the Magsaysay awardee who runs the Navjyoti India Foundation, an NGO started in the 1980s when she served as a deputy police commissioner in Delhi.

“India has educated, skilled and literate youths both with experiences in urban and rural economies. These are English-speaking aspirational youths – that is a big advantage,” said Bedi, who works with youths from all communities.

She noted that Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have increased their focus on skills as part of training at their education centres and called for more collaborations among universities, institutions, skill development centres, professional institutions and NGOs.

Bedi asserted that foreign countries seeking skilled people from India should collaborate with Indian schools, skill institutions and other such bodies, for there is no dearth of Indian youth with aspirations.

She said that Singapore and India must increase student exchange programmes as both countries are ambitiously working to draw skilled manpower.

“The exchange programmes can be on a massive scale with a focus on internships and skilling youths,” Bedi told reporters, underscoring the need to build skilled Indian manpower for the world.

Indian NGOs are now reaching out to the youths, she said, pointing out that Navjyoti schools have produced teachers, engineers and other professionals.

Bedi started Navjyoti and India Vision Foundation while serving as a government officer in the 1980s to provide schools for children of economic migrants relocating to Delhi.

Recalling her early days of social work and dealing with children, Bedi said that there was an urgent need to provide schools for the children of economic migrants arriving in Delhi to ensure they are not led into criminal activities.

She said Navjyoti's partnership with international technology giant Dell has strengthened tech-driven programmes for over six years. “Our schools are providing AI learning in partnership with Dell in line with the Government-drive programmes on skilling the youths,” Bedi said.

The conclave, a single-day event, aims to bring together business leaders, government officials, and academics from across Asia to discuss the most pressing issues facing the region's economy, according to its website.