Telangana aims to emerge as global innovation capital, says Sridhar Babu

Hyderabad: Telangana aims to emerge as a global innovation capital by placing artificial intelligence, research-led innovation, and ethical technology at the core of its development strategy, IT and Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu said on Saturday.

Telangana’s innovation push driven by AI and research

Speaking at the BITSAA Global Meet 2026 at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, the Minister said technology must serve society. He added that innovation should move beyond degrees and support national service and Atmanirbhar Bharat. Therefore, he stressed that innovation must deliver real social and economic value.

Meanwhile, highlighting India’s digital journey, Sridhar Babu said the country chose public digital systems over private monopolies. He pointed to Digital Public Infrastructure such as Aadhaar and UPI as global models. Moreover, he said Telangana strengthened this approach by launching the AI-enabled Telangana Data Exchange, the first of its kind in India. According to him, the initiative has already boosted research and innovation.

In addition, he said the proposed Telangana AI Innovation Hub and the upcoming AI University will set new benchmarks. He added that other states could adopt these models in the future.

Ethical AI and public trust take priority

The Minister said the AI era now values coordination and responsibility over intelligence alone. Therefore, he emphasised data privacy, ethics, and responsible AI adoption as top priorities.

Referring to business trends, Sridhar Babu said companies now focus less on scale and valuation. Instead, they value system design, data ownership, faster decisions, and public trust. Furthermore, he said future jobs will reward creative thinkers who solve core problems, not just coders.

He also stressed that AI must benefit rural communities. Therefore, he called for research that addresses challenges in agriculture, education, and healthcare to ensure technology reaches the grassroots.

Finally, inviting alumni support, Sridhar Babu urged BITS Pilani graduates to partner in the state’s “Telangana Rising” vision. He said the government is ready to collaborate on AI, innovation, and advanced academic research. Several alumni and industry leaders attended the event.