Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Trust, has said the young generation has the potential to build a more prosperous India.

India can be a real economic power in the future and make other countries to look up to it.

Addressing a gathering of school children and executives of top corporates here on Friday, Tata said there could be some doubts but there was tremendous potential.

“I regret I’m not 20 years younger,” he quipped, reposing faith on the younger generation.

He inaugurated a technology platform called Indian Impact. The technology-based initiative was started by a team of Wharton Business School alumni to provide contact and location information of Anganwadi centres to corporates and others who might want to support them.

Tata, however, has a word of caution. He warned of a civic unrest if the country fails to provide food, nutrition, education and jobs to the growing population.

“Each year we are adding about 17 million people. Or, we are adding an Australia or Malaysia to our population. Inability to attend to their basic needs would lead to distress and disregard for law and order,” Tata said.

G.M. Rao, Chairman, GMR Group, too, said the multi-national companies made it a point to have India presence.

India housed as many as 700 R&D centres and all business schools in the world look up to Indian businessmen.

“India is the future of the world because we are a knowledge-driven country. We, however, need a strong policy support to achieve this,” he said.

An Indian Impact representative said about 1,500 children die every day due to malnutrition.

About 42 per cent of Indian children were impacted by malnutrition, said Ridhima Parvathaneni, President, Impact India.

>kurmanath. kanchi@thehindu.co.in

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