MANKIND TECHNOLOGY - TIME TO DECIDE PRIORITY

DR. ASOKE K. LAHA
Chairman-Emeritus and Founder, InterraIT

The other day someone sent me a video culled out from Radio Ceylon containing songs and commentaries of the anchor titled as Binaca List of Old Songs. I do not know how many of our youngsters can believe that it was a program that many people in India were looking forward to being heard. One may have to explain what Radio Ceylon is to drive home that our close neighbor and island country, a few decades ago was known as Ceylon, before it had rechristened. The video contained a few songs of Muhammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar et al and the anchors interjections which captivated Indians at that time.

Fast forward to the present times! One may tend to believe how old-fashioned were people of that age or even beyond when gramophone was the only instrument available to the song lovers to enthrall themselves in the sweet voice of their favorite singers. Widespread access to radio had come later. I am sure some children, even a significant segment of youth, may not be familiar about the old-fashioned radio.

Advent of transistors was a value addition, which soon caught up with the psyche of people, with receivers of various sizes and hues. That also led to massification of the use of transistors across the board.
 
Graduating to tape recorders and other sophisticated sound instruments followed as an organic continuation of the radio and now everyone can see what is there on the ground. There is an amazing number of brands of sound instruments, television sets, home theaters and even sets which boast of having over thousand channels across the globe, which was made easy through transponders. Now, even one can set up channels using WhatsApp and beam programs through the internet. One can expect many changes in technology as we move on value adding or even transforming the technology with incremental inputs.

Sound technology is only one archetypal segment how incremental changes have been scripting paradigm changes. Take any sector; tectonic changes are happening across. Let us take the Internet and its applications. The incremental progression internet technology and applications have undergone over the years is mindboggling. There are predictions that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, if not restrained and allowed a seamless flow, it can overtake human mind. There may be exaggeration in such assertions.

Internet is not the one segment, where transformation was tectonic. Take education and healthcare, important pillars of social sector. There was a time when doctors had treated patients feeling their pulse, heartbeat and facial changes et al. Those were the times, when pathology was not developed and testing facilities were limited. That has changed now. Not alone the treatment profile or pathological investigations, but also way the treatments are carried out has undergone major changes. Doctors or para medicos can monitor patients 24/7 keeping them in their own surroundings. Also, telemedicine has empowered medical professionals to conduct surgery and consult patients in distant places without their physical presence.

Education is not far behind. There are universities in the West, which conduct classes by expert professors using digital mode. That has empowered many universities to set up off campuses in different parts of the world and widening their ambit and coverage.

Agriculture is still another example where there has been quantum jumps in production, productivity and considerable depth of research. Genetic engineering, such as genetically modified seeds, precision agriculture, tissue culture, plant grown foods like meat and fish etc, have revolutionized agriculture in several parts of the world, particularly in the western countries. Research also proved how horticultural crops can be grown even in desert conditions.

In short, every layer of society has considerably improved the technology base and know-how. The paradox is that while the benefits from these breakthrough innovations and discoveries are happening, a major chunk of global citizens, particularly in the developing and least developed countries are overlooked by these achievements of science and technology. For instance, millions of people in Sub- Sharan Africa and elsewhere are still in the grip of hunger. According to the UN Agencies countries like Sudan, Gaza, etc; which are war torn are struggling to meet the challenges emanating from hunger.

The other aspect is the healthcare. While innovations and breakthroughs are happening at regular intervals in the developed world, developing world faces lack of accessibility of basic health infrastructure like primary health centers. Remote areas in Africa, Asia and Latin America, do not have hospitals and depend on quakes and others for treating basic ailments. Cholera, Mpox, Ebola, etc; are still at large in these destinations, killing thousands of people.

This is the real task that is posing the world leaders. They must give more focus to these challenges rather than precipitating issues based on narrow geopolitical considerations and animosities triggered by trivial issues. Yet, such things get peripheral attention other than becoming talking points in international seminars and summits, where speakers dwell on these issues eloquently and where follow up and pledges taken at the huddles are seldom chased or followed up.

A case in point is COP30, which is taking place in Brazil. There is a lot of talk on climate change across the world in different forums and consultations at the highest levels. Yet, it is a pity that heads of state of the world’s largest polluters, such as China, and the US are abstaining from the meet. That means countries that are represented at the hallowed forum will be mostly victims of climate change and not perpetrators. That is a sad commentary. For instance, Africa which contributes only 4% of the world pollution levels is bearing the brunt of 94% of environmental degradation will be a mute participant and spectator at the meet. It is time for us to think what purpose such big summits will serve if they do not serve the purpose for which they are designed to serve.

Now thought leaders are espousing the need for a clear direction and magnitude for the future technology revolution to guide the course of humanity. Happily, there are more bold narratives coming out that human race still needs to serve the basic needs of many people who have been bypassed by development. They also feel that while pursuing the next frontiers of technologies in AI, aerospace, ICT, entertainment, healthcare, etc, there should be focused attention to reach out to the people who have been overlooked and the so called destitutes. That is, indeed, a timely call if political leaders take it seriously.