From AI to Industry 5.0: National Technology Day Celebrated with Vision and Innovation 

Institute Innovation Councils of Apeejay School of Management (ASM) and Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication (AIMC) celebrated National Technology Day. Inaugurating the event, Professor Ashok Ogra, Adviser, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, observed that most of the innovations are driven by technology aimed at improving the quality of life of people by solving issues and problems in collaborative and fast-paced manner. Prof Ogra urged the faculty members to think differently through the lens of interdisciplinary paradigm to usher innovations in teaching, learning, and research. He also advised the faculty to nurture an ecosystem of innovation to augment passion, curiosity and purpose among the students for a better tomorrow.

Prof Sajal Mukherjee, Director, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, said that swiftness and frequency of innovation in all possible domains and sectors have forced people to adapt to change and do more things in less time at a lower cost. He suggested that faculty should also start innovating in terms of content creation, student engagement, and learning outcome assessments. Prof Mukherjee also suggested that the faculty can leverage technology to enhance research and social impact of their educational pursuits. He observed that the traditional ways of teaching-learning have attained their obsolescence in the wake of massive advancements in educational technology.

Dr Srirang Jha, Associate Professor and Convener, Institute Innovation Council, Apeejay School of Management, shared the purpose of celebrating National Technology Day. Dr Jha mentioned that the event commemorates the indigenously acquired nuclear capability. He said that educational institutions need to focus on reorienting students towards strengthening capabilities in indigenous technologies. Dr Jha observed that collective efforts of faculty and students can help in fostering a national ethos for innovations at different levels through interdisciplinary collaborative research projects. Higher Education Institutions in India are poised to contribute their mite towards the lofty goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, Dr Jha added. 

Dr Preeti Suryawanshi, Associate Professor and Area Chair Marketing, Apeejay School of Management, focused on the evolving role of technology in shaping human decisions, marketing practices, and education in her deliberations. Her session highlighted how digital platforms and AI-driven algorithms have transformed from tools of convenience into systems capable of influencing consumer behavior, attention, and decision-making. Using examples from companies such as Google, Amazon, Netflix, and Instagram, Dr Suryawanshi explained concepts like the attention economy, algorithmic marketing, influencer culture, and predictive AI. She spoke at length about the implications of AI in retail, sports, luxury branding, entertainment, and classrooms, emphasizing the growing importance of creativity, critical thinking, empathy, and ethical judgment in the AI era. 

Dr. Pragya Arya, Assistant Professor and Area Chair, Operations Management & Decision Science, Apeejay School of Management, explained the evolution of technology in business, tracing its journey from early mechanisation and industrial automation to modern Artificial Intelligence and Industry 5.0. Dr Arya highlighted the concepts, goals, benefits, and differences between automation and AI, emphasizing that automation focuses on repetitive rule-based tasks while AI enables learning, prediction, and intelligent decision-making.  She discussed intelligent systems and agents, showcasing the emergence of smart and adaptive technologies. Along with success stories, Dr. Arya discussed notable technology failures like Kodak, Nokia, Blackberry, and Google Glass to emphasize the importance of innovation and adaptability. Dr Arya further addressed key challenges such as lack of clear purpose for technology implementation, high implementation costs, data privacy concerns, skill gaps, resistance to change, and the growing need for continuous learning and human–AI collaboration.

Dr Mudita Raj, Assistant Professor, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, spoke on ‘Evolution of Communication Innovation: Technology, Content, and Society’. She discussed how communication evolved from a centralized and institution-controlled system into a democratized digital ecosystem. She emphasized that technology has transformed people from passive content consumers into active content creators. She also mentioned about the phenomenal rise of regional-language influencers in India. Dr Raj observed that communication innovation has fundamentally reshaped society, governance, education, psychology, and economic opportunities. Further, technology has transformed communication from a controlled institutional process into a decentralized and participatory social force that influences public opinion, learning patterns, and human interaction on a large scale.

Prof Sukriti Arora, Assistant Professor, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, delivered a presentation on the role of technology and digital media in transforming rural marketing in India. Her presentation highlighted the changing media consumption patterns in rural areas and discussed how brands are adopting mobile-first, vernacular, and hyperlocal strategies to engage rural consumers more effectively. Through examples such as Lay’s Smart Farm and Aroscop’s ad tech platform, the presentation demonstrated how innovations like AI, geospatial intelligence, and behavioral analytics are helping brands create more precise, localized, and community-driven campaigns in rural India.

Summing up the deliberations, Prof K G Suresh, Director, India Habitat Centre, observed that technology should not be viewed as a threat. He mentioned that technology has not only strengthened India’s defence capabilities but also touched farms, factories, transportation, infrastructure, management practices, urbanisation, education and social sector. He urged the faculty members to foster a holistic understanding of the applications of technology among the students, which in turn, can make them more innovative. Prof Suresh suggested that we should come out of the hangover of the past glory to write a golden future with technology-driven innovations, taking the first steps from our own institutions.