At the TNWISE 2025 event held at the Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology (PMIST) in Vallam, near Thanjavur, R. Thendral, vice-president of Corporate and Industry Relations at the Tamil Nadu Centre of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing (TANCAM), delivered an inspiring address at the Women’s Day Hackathon. Her message was clear: innovation often begins with small ideas, and these ideas can emerge from the most mundane of daily activities.
Thendral emphasized that even the smallest notions that occur during routine tasks at home can be the seeds of groundbreaking innovations. She encouraged attendees to network these basic ideas, suggesting that collaboration and sharing can significantly enhance the development of innovative prototypes and products, ultimately leading to successful market launches.
The vice-president also underscored the importance of staying updated with the latest technological advancements. She highlighted a notable increase in the adoption of internet-of-things (IoT) and drone technology among women agriculturalists. In the 2018-19 period, only 18% of women agriculturalists had embraced these technologies, but this figure has now risen to 30%. This trend indicates a growing acceptance and integration of advanced technologies in the agricultural sector, particularly among women.
Earlier in the event, K. Sushil Kumar, a consultant with the Tiruchirappalli Engineering and Technology Cluster (TREAT), praised PMIST for its visionary initiative of establishing an incubator facility for the manufacturing of ‘instant idiyappam’ products 15 years ago. This forward-thinking move has likely paved the way for other innovative ventures in the region.
The event, organized by TANCAM in association with Dassault Systèmes at the TIDEL Park, aimed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly among women. The presence of such initiatives and the increasing adoption of advanced technologies in agriculture signal a promising future for the sector, driven by innovation and technological integration.
