IIT Mandi iHub Introduces ‘Drone Didi’ - An Exclusive Drone Training Program for Women in Himachal Pradesh
In a groundbreaking move aimed at revolutionizing agricultural practices and promoting gender inclusivity, aided with Human-Computer Interaction technologies.
IIT Mandi iHub proudly unveils its innovative, inclusive, and interactive ‘Drone Didi’ program.
It is designed with a focus on training young women from Himachal Pradesh. This initiative prepares them to become certified drone pilots, empowering them to utilize drones for a range of applications in different sectors, as users, service providers, and entrepreneurs.
Initial batches will be trained for agriculture applications such as crop pesticide spraying.
This marks the first-ever initiative of its kind in Himachal Pradesh, emphasizing women’s empowerment in this fast-emerging device-led technology. Upon successful completion, these highly skilled individuals will proudly don the title of “Drone Didi”.
Beyond just mastering the art of drone piloting, the program ensures participants secure a Remote Pilot License – a mandate to operate drones legally in India. To ensure their seamless transition into the professional sphere, participants are introduced to potential job opportunities with leading Drone Service Companies.
Realizing that entrepreneurship can be an appealing path for many, IIT Mandi iHub has further enriched the program by integrating capacity-building entrepreneurship modules. Participants are groomed with essential skills to spearhead their ventures. Alongside top-tier training with rigour, they also benefit from invaluable mentorship and receive crucial support in establishing credit and market linkages.
Speaking on this momentous occasion, Somjit Amrit, CEO, remarked, “This program epitomizes IIT Mandi iHub’s unwavering commitment to societal upliftment. Our host institute, IIT Mandi has the highly acclaimed Drone Laboratory, which has been leveraged for high-quality training.
Through ‘Drone Didi’, we envision a future where technology becomes a tool for inclusive growth, bridging socio-economic disparities and unlocking untapped potential in hitherto unexplored domains with a high employability quotient.
We have already started training the first batch which has both women and men. We shall be starting the women-only batch shortly.”
The ‘Drone Didi’ initiative is more than just a training program. Supported by the Department of Science and Technology’s National Mission for Cyber-Physical Systems, this program on Skill Development is a beacon of hope, exemplifying how emerging technologies, when applied thoughtfully, can forge pathways of empowerment, transformation, and progress.