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Dr Sam Pitroda described poverty as the biggest challenge for society, governments, industry, and the general public, and expressed his concern at India moving into the 21^st century with the high levels of poverty. He focused on the importance of technology in poverty eradication and in meeting basic the needs of health and housing. However, he felt that the issue of poverty could be addressed only to a small extent by technology, policies, personal initiatives and luck; the main thrust according to him, had to be in controlling population growth and increasing literacy. Dr Pitroda described education as the fundamental agency to change mindsets and facilitate development. He related his life experience to impress upon the audience the role of education in wiping out caste barriers and in providing access to self-development.

Dr Pitroda concluded by stressing that the key challenge today was that of providing the rewards of technology to the real stakeholders.

"The issue of poverty is so complex as there are many dimensions to it. Policy is one small piece, technology is another, so is luck"

"Technology is the greatest social leveller – second only to death"

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"In India people do want to give something back even though they are frustrated with the system"