IT Minister unveils startup pavilion at event

Tamil Nadu’s greatest asset is its human capital, Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said.

“Equipping the next generation with the right skills and having the courage to reform education for them is the only way Tamil Nadu can sustain high growth over the next two decades,” he said while addressing participants at the United Economic Forum (UEF) Trade Summit 2025.

The Minister also pointed out that education systems must be reoriented towards building skills that differentiate humans from machines, as automation and artificial intelligence are increasingly absorbing routine tasks. He also unveiled the startup pavilion, where several firms incubated at Crescent Innovation Incubation Cell displayed their products and ideas.

Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman of Farida Group, said that the leather industry was inseparable from Tamil Nadu’s industrial history.