India, Jan. 16 -- I spent last weekend in Pune at the India Science Festival and left with real confidence in the country's future. The event brought together students, scientists, teachers, policymakers, and families in a buzzing atmosphere of ideas and discovery. Young people from across the country, including children from the poorest villages, were talking about AI, sensors, and quantum computing, and proudly demonstrating their projects. They spoke openly about failed experiments, what they had learned, and what they would try next. This was learning by doing, not memorising; they were collaborating, tinkering, and thinking like builders.

This is exactly what India needs more of to inspire the next generation. For the first time in ...