VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday delivered a vision-setting lecture on quantum technologies, marking the formal launch of the world’s largest quantum skilling programme in the State.
The lecture served as the keynote address for a landmark State initiative aimed at building a future-ready quantum workforce and strengthening the Amaravati Quantum Valley ecosystem.
The programme is being implemented through a strategic partnership led by WISER (The Washington Institute for STEM, Entrepreneurship and Research) and Qubitech as the India partner.
The initiative has already witnessed strong traction, with 50,000 registrations secured within just ten days, underscoring the enthusiasm among students and young professionals. Notably, women constitute 51 per cent of the participants, reflecting the inclusive nature of the programme.
Recalling his earlier call of “one IT professional per family,” the Chief Minister issued a similar call for quantum, urging students to understand the vision and plan their futures accordingly. He also announced a `100 crore award for the first Nobel laureate in Quantum Science from Andhra Pradesh.
The Chief Minister addressed students through a structured presentation titled “Silicon Valley to Quantum Valley,” using a detailed PPT to outline Andhra Pradesh’s roadmap for leading the global quantum revolution. Setting the tone, the Chief Minister said, “Twenty-five years ago, I presented a vision for IT.
Today, I am presenting a vision for Quantum.” Drawing a parallel, he added, “Just like Silicon Valley anchored the digital age, Amaravati’s Quantum Valley will anchor the knowledge economy of the future.”
The Chief Minister outlined four key strengths driving India’s future: the 1991 economic reforms, early adoption of IT in the mid-1990s, India’s demographic dividend until 2047, and the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also spoke about the complementary role of the public and private sectors in advancing technological revolutions and cited global Indian leaders such as Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai as inspirations for students.
“IT and AI have already transformed our lives. The next breakthrough will be the speed and efficiency of computing driven by quantum,” he said, adding that India would take first-mover advantage in this global transformation. He further announced that quantum computer production would begin in Andhra Pradesh within two years.
The Chief Minister appreciated organisations such as WISER, Qubitech, and QKrishi for inspiring over 5.4 lakh students to take up quantum skilling, stating that the initiative represents a full skilling roadmap, not just a classroom session. He called upon students to think out of the box.
The programme was attended by Prof. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras; Prof Satyanarayana, Director, IIT Tirupati; Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India; and experts from various institutions.
The CM congratulated IT Secretary Katamaneni Bhaskar and CMO Secretary Pradyumna for effectively organising the quantum technology programme.
