ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Wednesday said his ministry was endeavouring to provide academic and entrepreneurial growth opportunities to the youth.

He was addressing a ceremony held to award winners of the National Grassroots ICT Research Initiative (NGIRI) Championship.

The ceremony was organized by Ignite–National Technology Fund.

The minister appreciated the students’ technological acumen, which, he said, was not only commendable but would also bring homegrown solution to local and international problems.

He congratulated winners of NGIRI Championship and said that winning was important but the journey should not stop here.

“Winning students must take their prototypes to next level and those who could not make it this time should improve upon their ideas and prototypes,” the minister said.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, CEO Ignite Yusuf Hussain said the work force of the future would need creativity, programming and other practical skills, and soft skills like team work for advancements in their careers.

Cash prize of Rs400, 000 was awarded to the first position holder from Usman Institute of Technology, Karachi for their project: White Coal Machine. Second position was won by University of Management of Technology , Lahore with cash prize of Rs300, 000 for their project titled Control and Operation of Micro-Grid while the third position with cash prize of Rs200,000 went to GIKI for their project titled Crypto Currency Predictor.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2019