Bengaluru, India – Sep 26, 2024: The Centre of Data for Public Good (CDPG) at Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) recently hosted the highly anticipated second edition of the Symposium on Data for Public Good in Bengaluru from 19-20th September 2024. The event shone a spotlight on data’s transformative power to address societal challenges across a wide range of domains, from geospatial, healthcare and agriculture to urban mobility and beyond. The event was co-organised by the Department of Computational and Data Science (CDS) and the Centre for Society & Policy, IISc, along with Maruti Suzuki as the Platinum Sponsor and IEEE Bangalore Section as the Knowledge Partner.

The symposium attracted an impressive footfall of over 1,000 visitors, in addition to thought leaders, policymakers, and industry tycoons from various sectors who shared their valuable insights on leveraging the power of data for public good over the course of two action-packed days. It addressed critical challenges in data modelling, standardization, and AI while emphasizing the importance of privacy, governance, and data monetization.

Dismantling barriers, empowering stakeholders to leverage data for societal benefit

Day 1 kicked off with a vibrant mix of workshops and demos, where participants actively engaged with expert presenters on practical sessions related to AI, remote sensing, geospatial data, and secure data handling. Presenters included leading scientists, academicians, researchers and domain authorities in their respective spheres, from prestigious organisations, including ISRO, IISc, IIT, Wipro, and Siemens. The workshops resonated strongly with learners, securing positive feedback and sparking new ideas and solutions.

Key tracks included:

• Education and Training for Responsible AI
• Harnessing the Power of Remote Sensing Data
• Secure Data Handling Using Privacy Enhancing Technologies
• Young Researchers’ Forum on Data and AI for Public Good
• Geospatial Data Processing on the GSX Platform
• Healthcare Knowledge Graphs and Analytics
• Data for Urban Good: Perspectives on Data Science and MLOps

On Day 2, keynotes and invited talks transformed the atmosphere from one of learning and collaboration to ideation, aspiration, and thought leadership, featuring esteemed speakers from the government, industry and academia. Discussions spanned topics from public health and sustainable mobility to data privacy and AI in healthcare, reflecting the wide-ranging impact of data on societal progress. The day culminated in thought-provoking panel discussions and an inspiring keynote address on the roadblocks to achieving sustainable mobility, followed by the awards ceremony for phase 2 of the highly subscribed Bengaluru Mobility Challenge.

Eminent speakers on Day 2 included:

• Sharad Sharma – Co-Founder, iSPIRT Foundation
• Jayesh Ranjan – IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Department of ITE&C & Department of Industries & Commerce, Govt of Telangana
• Hitesh Kumar Makwana – Surveyor General of India, Govt of India
• Abhijeet Sinha – National Program Director, Ease of Doing Business, Project Director, NHEV, President, CPOs of India, & Ex-CAG Member
• Tulika Pandey – Senior Director, MeitY

One of the event’s standout moments was the grand finale of the Bengaluru Mobility Challenge Hackathon, co-organised by the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) and IISc, aimed at uncovering data-driven solutions to tackle Bengaluru’s traffic challenges. Over the course of the last two months, young researchers, professionals, and innovators had competed in this extensive two-phase challenge, which came to an exhilarating close on Day 2 of the symposium. Finalists from phases 1 and 2 presented their solutions to a panel of experts and were evaluated on multiple criteria.

The event focused on solving problems related to traffic congestion, improving public transit, and enhancing the overall urban mobility experience in one of India’s largest and most dynamic cities, Bengaluru. IEEE Foundation generously sponsored the prizes, adding further excitement.

Winners were announced in the concluding segment of Day 2:

Prof Inder Gopal, Chairman, CDPG remarked, “The Symposium on Data for Public Good is focussed on the issues and challenges in using data effectively for the benefit of our citizens. With the second edition being significantly bigger than last year, we’ve seen an incredible expansion in both scope and participation. By bringing together brilliant minds from different fields, we’ve fostered collaboration that will lead to innovative, impactful solutions for society.”

The Symposium on Data for Public Good 2024 continues to be a platform for knowledge sharing, innovation, and building the digital future of tomorrow. With the conclusion of the second edition of this remarkable event, CDPG and IISc reaffirm their commitment to harnessing the power of data to benefit communities, industries, and governments alike.

About the CDPG

The Centre of Data for Public Good (CDPG) focuses on leveraging data to address societal challenges. It serves as a hub for multidisciplinary research, bringing together experts from academia, industry, and government to harness the power of data to enhance public services and drive equitable growth. With a focus on ethical data use, privacy, and responsible AI, the centre aims to develop solutions that positively impact areas such as smart cities, agriculture, logistics, geospatial, environmental sustainability, and so on.

For more information visit – https://dataforpublicgood.org.in/

Namrata Agrawal
namrata.agrawal@datakaveri.org
Ph: 7829121121