Empowering The Future Of Education In India: Dinis Guarda Interviews Prof. (Dr.) Milind Pande, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Of MIT-WPU Pune

In the latest episode of the Dinis Guarda Podcast, Prof. (Dr.) Milind Pande, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at MIT World Peace University, Pune, India, discusses building a legacy of peace, innovation, and entrepreneurship, highlighting its transformative educational initiatives and societal impact. The podcast is powered by Businessabc.net, Citiesabc.com, Wisdomia.ai, and Sportsabc.org.

Prof. (Dr.) Milind Pande is an Educationist and institution Builder, currently serving as the pro-vice-chancellor at MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) in Pune, India. He holds two Doctorates (PhDs): one in International Trade and another in Wireless Technology. Prof. (Dr.) Milind has earned a triple Master’s degree in Electronics (ME), Marketing (MBA), and Personnel Management (MPM). 

He has over 70 research publications and 10 internationally and nationally granted patents. In 2021, Prof. (Dr.) Milind received the prestigious VASVIK Industrial Research Scientist Award in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

During the interview with Dinis Guarda, Prof. (Dr.) Milind Pande explains the World Peace:

“MIT WPU was the first to host the G20 Interfaith Conference. India was leading the G20, and we had the privilege of hosting more than 20 countries to discuss diversified topics such as environment, education, and employability.

The World Parliament is held at our world’s biggest dome to promote the culture of peace. We discuss various topics on the environment, education, diversity, and religious scriptures, which are nothing but life-guiding scriptures on how to live and how not to live.

The World Parliament has been conducted in multiple cities: Pune, Paris, Switzerland, Varanasi, and Delhi. In every session, we bring together top academicians, educationists, and environmentalists to discuss and collaborate.”

MIT World Peace University: Innovating and empowering future leaders

At our university, we learn and practice the best aspects of all religions. The focus is on creating a peace-loving, holistic global society.

MIT is a large institution with six universities, 80 institutions, 82,000 students, more than 10,000 staff, and over 1,000 acres of land. The turnover is more than 2,000 crores. Dr. Karad’s success as an academic and his leadership have helped transform the first-generation entrepreneur into a global institution.

The university starts with a prayer that transcends caste, greed, religion, and national boundaries. The prayer encourages students to pray to their mother as if she were a god, emphasising respect and devotion to nature. Yoga and meditation follow as part of our holistic approach.

At MIT, we are not just training minds; we are transforming hearts. Character building is integral. It’s important to earn a degree, but equally important is to build a strong character. A flower without fragrance has no meaning, and a person without character is the same.

The goal is to produce professionals who are not only academically sound but also spiritually elevated and socially responsible. Our students are taught how to behave in society, how to respect elders, and understand their responsibilities. The university’s impact on students is profound. Currently, we have more than 25,000 students, 700 full-time faculty, and 2,000 non-teaching staff across one campus.”

"We have nine centres of excellence on campus, including partnerships with companies like Tata Technologies, Oracle, Cisco, and Revity, a major biotechnology company. We also have 142 technology labs and a dedicated business incubator.

My major focus is on innovation and incubation. We have regular events and programs to systematically foster an entrepreneurial mindset among our students.

We implemented a unique system called co-creation. From the first year, we assign students a project related to a social problem, asking them to create solutions before we teach them anything.

In the second semester, we introduce the Social Leadership Development Program (SLDP), where we invite top social leaders to guide our students on how they evolved and made a difference.

In the third semester, we focus on Research, Innovation, and Design (RID), where we invite successful startup owners and mentors to interact with the students about how their businesses made an impact.

We conduct two types of hackathons: one for solving government problems, where students are given problem statements by 28 ministries, and one for societal issues within the campus.

The rural immersion program, inspired by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, requires students to spend five days in rural villages, understanding the challenges of farmers related to energy, education, and the environment.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam proposed the solution for employment and societal issues through entrepreneurship. He gave a formula: 347, which stands for the transformation of society through technology, ecosystem development, and policy implementation.

The 347 formula says that the solution for environmental and employment problems lies in assured startups. 'Assured' stands for operable, sustainable, and simple startups, which are the key to solving these issues.

Assured startups are the solution for all societal challenges. We must learn from failures like Blackberry and Nokia to create startups that are operable, sustainable, and simple."

Building a Legacy of Peace: Prof. (Dr) Milind Pande shares the Focus of MIT World Peace University (WPU):

"At MIT World Peace University, our major focus is to promote the culture of peace in the world. India is known for three people who made a large impact: Gautam Buddha, with his philosophy in China and Japan, and Mahatma Gandhi, who gave the message of peace to the entire world.

We aim to prepare our students to be peace engineers and peace managers. All of our engineering students, management students, and liberal arts students should promote the culture of peace in the world.

To establish a peace-loving, holistic global society, we want our students to make use of our peace laboratory, called the World Peace Dome, to practice this culture of peace. We are not restricting this only to our university; it is open for all countries, all nations, and all universities across the globe.

I hope to leave behind institutions not just with infrastructure and innovations, or just graduates, but with transformed hearts. We are not just training minds but transforming hearts. At MIT WPU, we want ideas to grow into movements.”

Transforming Research into Real-World Impact

My first paper, which turned into a product, was the H2A2 hybrid hexagonal energy-efficient system for farmers. We used various IoT devices and sensors on a 6x6-acre farm. The farmer could receive updates on his mobile, in the local language, regarding dew points, wind speed, rainfall, soil moisture, and more. The water pump and sprinklers were automatically activated when needed.

Farmers came to me and said, 'Sir, you’ve made our lives easier. We no longer need to go to the farm at midnight to start the water pump or sprinkler.' This was the power of technology, and the cost was negligible. It was a funded project by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India.

In 2013, we developed a system where you could prick your finger, and all your blood parameters would be displayed on your Android mobile. Though not rocket science today, it was an innovative idea back then.

We gave solar-based tablets to farmers and their children who were dropping out of school. The tablets had three icons: Education, Health, and Market. When a student clicked on the school icon, they could access lessons and videos in their local language, with an animated professor teaching the subjects.

The tablet offered interactive lessons, and for every correct answer, a Santa Claus animation would reward the student with a chocolate. This was a moment of great satisfaction for me as we used technology to impact health, education, and agriculture.

We developed a white box to be installed in cars on the busy Mumbai-Pune highway to reduce accidents. It monitored the driver's behaviour, including sharp turns, high-speed braking, and signs of sleep. The system alerted the controller, who could intervene if the driver was in danger.

Currently, I have five products in the market. The satisfaction of seeing my research and patents turn into real products that improve lives is the greatest achievement for me, the university, and society."

India’s Education and Innovation

"Our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said, 'Immersive technologies plus Indian talent is equal to India tomorrow.' 

The Digital India mission started with the National Knowledge Network, connecting 72,000 villages and cities across India. This is an essential part of taking India to the next level."

Prof. (Dr.) Milind Pande shares the concept of the 'DNA of Success' for universities:

"The DNA of success of any university is how many startups graduate from the university. The definition of a university is the universalisation of the mind.

C is for Campus Recruitment, how many companies like Google or Microsoft come to the university?

D is Degree Bundling, which is how many students go abroad to study. 

E is Entrepreneurship, which is the most neglected aspect—only 1% of students are thinking of entrepreneurship. 

F is Freelancers, who don't know what to do yet.

We started the Smart India Hackathon, where we encourage students to become solution providers, not problem creators. We want them to think critically and come up with real-world solutions.

We introduced 10 key technologies like AI, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Data Science, and more. I made it compulsory for all students to learn about these technologies.

We want job creators, not job seekers. We aim to teach students how to take ideas from their minds to the market. M2M, P2P, and I2 are key aspects of this approach.

We set up a technology business incubator to help students take their ideas from paper to product. In India, startups and unicorns are thriving. More than 80 unicorns were created in 2022 alone.”

Evolution of Education from 1.0 to 5.0

"Education 1.0 was the ancient education system where kings funded students, and it was a limited structure. Then came Education 2.0 with the advent of brick-and-mortar schools, libraries, and institutions.

Education 3.0 started with the invention of the World Wide Web in the 1990s. It revolutionised education, introducing online learning, PowerPoint presentations, and interactive labs."

Education 4.0 was the rise of intelligent, personalised learning through machines, allowing for a more individualised approach. For instance, a teacher could know that a student struggled with multiplication and personally help him."

After the pandemic, Education 5.0 emerged, which integrates technologies like VR, AR, and XR. This is a blended learning system where students can immerse themselves in practical, hands-on learning through virtual and extended realities."

With the introduction of VR, AR, and XR, students can work on projects, improve their thought processes, and learn in a more interactive and practical manner. It offers a dimension that traditional education methods couldn’t provide.

The 10 technologies we’ve incorporated into the curriculum, such as AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, and drones, are helping students understand complex topics better and enabling a paradigm shift in education.

The goal is to provide education that empowers students with the ability to adapt and thrive in the rapidly evolving world of technology and business."