Hey folks👋, welcome to my new blog. Recently, I visited the G20 event held in Bhubaneshwar. It was a truly great experience, and the event itself was fantastic. In this blog, I'll share my experience, how I got to know about the event, my learnings, and everything else. So, let's dive into it!

Introduction

Before starting it is very important for you to know what G20 exactly is. I know that most of you might be aware of the event but many of you were not. So if you already know you could skip this part or else read it.

What is G20?

The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and it plays a crucial role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues. It's exciting news that India holds the Presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023. Isn't it fantastic? There's a great opportunity to experience this event in India, and I highly recommend that you attend it at least once.

G20 at Bhubaneshwar

The third G20 Education Working Group was launched with an exhibition featuring the integration of technology in traditional sectors, such as the promotion and value addition of Gond paintings to Dhokra art of Odisha, and the use of drone technology in agriculture. The exhibition also highlighted innovative delivery models and the impact of technology on the future of work, along with showcasing sustainable mobility startups that have already deployed 900 electric scooters in educational hubs. The event spanned seven days and attracted top institutions and global tech companies.

How did I get to know about the event

This is a significant international event, and I was aware that something like G20 was happening, but I didn't know it was taking place in my city. One day, while attending my college class, my phone rang, and it was my senior. She asked, "Akash, do you want to go to the G20? If you do, then join us. A bus from college will be leaving soon. Come to the bus at 3 pm." Although my class was until 5 pm, I got so excited that I went straight to the bus. Initially, I had little idea about the event, but after reaching there, I learned so much and enjoyed it so much that I went again with my senior. This time, we didn't have the bus provided by the college, and we went on our own. Before attending the event, I had very little idea about it, but after the first day, the experience I gained from talking with multiple people was mind-blowing. I would encourage my readers to attend such events if it's happening in their city. You never know when an opportunity will strike, and even if you don't get an opportunity, the experience is valuable.

Exhibitors and Startups

The event primarily focused on startups that offered an extensive range of products and services, from handmade arts to complex software, 3D printing machines, and robotics. Many fantastic startups showcased their products at the event, and while there were too many to recall, I'll share the exhibitors and startups that I loved the most.

(I've added the website links of the startups and exhibitors so you can visit them)

Who VR🥽

Me with the founder of the company.

This was a startup that aimed to marry ancient knowledge with modern technology, with a mission to provide immersive experiences in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for those who want to learn about their history, ancestors’ tools, and technologies.

The idea was great, and since I was more interested in the technical aspect of it, I talked to the founder of the project. Usually, we assume the founder and CEO of a company to be a serious person, but this was not the case with Ajit Padmanabh, the founder of the startup and a TEDx speaker. He was a humble personality, and his vision was amazing. I really enjoyed talking with him. He took my review and also asked me to give a video review of the same. I don't know what the future holds for him, but I liked how he treated me. Moreover, they brought some 3D models of ancient places, which were really pretty. No matter where you come from in the country, it was definitely something that would grab your attention.

Svitch🚴

Now, this was something really cool. As a cyclist, I don't know whether I should call myself that or not,😅 but I love cycling and going on long rides. However, there are a lot of problems for people like us that only we can feel, and the main problem is that you can get extremely tired riding a bike, and simple bikes don't have any features to help you. Suppose you have gone far and now you are very tired, and you can't ride anymore, but you are at a place where you can't stay. You have to ride your way back, no matter how tired you are. Svitch solves your problem with electric bikes. I know this is not a unique concept, but for me, it was the first time seeing an electric bike, and the best part about this bike was its design You can see it in the image above. Wow, what a style! I talked with the content writer of the startup, Mr. Tripathi Vaishnav. He told me many things about the company and how he got into it. The best thing about it was its vision. You can charge the battery while riding, with solar power, and by manually connecting it to a power source. It's really a game-changer for riders who ride for fun. With great tech comes a great price, and we should accept it. Since I'm currently a student, and I don't have that much money to buy it, but I'll surely buy one of these in the future. Before, I used to think that these things come from outside, but seeing this beautiful product, made in India, is really a proud feeling for me.

Symbiosis🎓

Symbiosis University is not a startup, but this is about the exhibitors. As a student, my only objective in visiting such an event was to gain an experience that I couldn't have gotten while sitting at home. Talking with the exhibitors, or rather, say professors who came to this event as exhibitors, served the purpose. The two exhibitors, Dr. S. Vijayakumar Bharathi and Mr. Yogesh Brahmankar, were so good. I had nothing to do with the university since I am already pursuing a course, but I made a personal connection with them.

Coming from a school where these teachers are so arrogant, we have an image of professors as such, but these people are the total opposite of that. I know that perception of mine changed as soon as I got into college, but these people were different. They asked me to sit with them, and we talked for like half an hour. We talked about various things and got to know and learn great things from these people. You are always learning and growing even with your friends, but talking with such experienced people, you never know what one thing they will tell and will change your mind. I asked for his thoughts on AI and the future of the industry, and as a student, it really matters to have an idea about what the future holds for us. And since he is a professor, he was the right person to ask. He answered all my questions very calmly and politely, and at the end, he even told me to connect with him on socials, and we also took a selfie. It's really a big deal to do it with teachers. You are never so sure about their mood. The behavior of the exhibitors was so good that it forced me to write about them. I am happy to know that such kind of people are there.

HunarPro🤖

Are you interested in robotics? If so, this is for you. Hunar Pro is a startup that is focused entirely on robots. Yesterday, they had two robots on display, one of which was used to collect waste from hospitals. As a human can't do all these things in a hospital without the risk of disease, robots are a great solution. If a machine is saving lives and helping doctors, it's worth more than any price you could pay for it. The robot they showed was a self-learning robot that can create a map of the location and work efficiently with over 60% accuracy. I really loved the machine. I spoke with Mr. Dhruv Patil, an engineer at the company, who explained to me the importance and future of the technology and how things work. In addition to discussing his project, he also helped me personally. I was building a project and got stuck on a part. I couldn't find a solution no matter how hard I tried. I had been trying to solve the issue for the last 4 months. Speaking with him, he told me the fault. It was really something I had not considered. Talking with someone more experienced in your field really helps you in ways you can't even imagine.

Skillveri

Skillveri is a startup that primarily focuses on giving manufacturing skills to students using AR and VR. They have simulations for everything, from real-world welding to painting guns. Although I am not someone who needs to train employees, the idea is great. Using spray paint for painting is very costly in terms of time and money. You can't use real paint and wielding guns to train employees every time.

The exhibitor for this was Deepa Umesh. She is the creative head at Skillveri. While talking with her, I came to know that she also has an art background. Now, let me tell you if you don't know me, I am also an artist. We deviated from the topic and talked about various things, from art to life and much more. I showed her my art, and she was so impressed by it that she complimented me. She even wanted to talk to my mother and said that I was doing great and would surely be very famous one day. These are just words, but when someone compliments you for something that you have done instead of something that you have got just because of luck, these words really mean a lot. We even shared our contact information. It was really a great experience talking with someone who has the same hobby as you, aside from the professional field.

Vikara

This was a startup that was selling eco-friendly handmade products such as bags, clothes, purses, and much more. As a tech guy, this doesn't interest me that much, but their cause is something great. The business is entirely run by women, and they promote women empowerment. Today, we can see many feminists not doing anything productive and instead abusing the government and people, spreading hate everywhere in the name of women empowerment. But what these ladies are doing is real women empowerment, according to me. I don't know your views, but you can comment. Although I don't have a picture with them or any picture of their product, I've added their Instagram link to this blog. You could visit it, and if you are interested, you should surely buy their product. It's great that people are doing this kind of stuff. When we are busy in our daily life, we ignore most things related to our culture, and handloom products are one of them. Promoting things like these is what I appreciate the most.

This is not it and there were many more startups but these are few that holds my interest the most.

NGO Participation

Some NGOs participated in the event along with the startups.

National Association for the Blind

NAB Delhi's prime objective is to make visually impaired individuals both self-reliant and contributing members of society.

As someone who wears glasses and does not have a correct vision, I can fully relate to the cause they are working for. I am very much involved in athletics, and my main sport was taekwondo. However, I had to quit due to my glasses. We face many difficulties in our daily lives if our vision is not correct, and we cannot even imagine the pain of those who cannot see. The exhibitors at NAB Delhi have done an outstanding job of assisting those who are visually challenged. They had excellent tools that assist visually impaired individuals in performing their daily activities with ease, such as magnifying readers, electronic sticks with advanced features, tools for learning and writing braille, and many more. The exhibitor showed me everything and even taught me how to write my name in braille. I never thought that I could write and read in this language. Although I only learned my name, it is still a great accomplishment for me. People who do the right thing and work for a great cause deserve recognition, and NAB Delhi is one of them.

Quest Alliance

I talked with the exhibitor of an NGO called Quest Alliance and was impressed by their vision to create a world where young people thrive as self-learners and drive economic and social progress. Their mission to transform learning ecosystems through education technology, capacity building, and collaboration is admirable. It is great to see their goal to impact 4 million learners and facilitators across the country by 2023. I appreciate their efforts to involve educators, civil society, industry and the government to create an environment conducive to self-learning, which can help today's youth find and create purpose for themselves. Quest Alliance is making a significant contribution towards building 21st century skills for learners and facilitators and transforming the education and employment sector to empower the youth of India.

Change inkk

Those are the comic books written by students with dyslexia.

This NGO helps people with dyslexia, as the exhibitor mentioned to me. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words. Change inkk helps people with this disorder to learn, read, write, and achieve great things. The exhibitor showed me comics written by their students and the great achievements they have made. Meeting this NGO made me believe that nothing is impossible and everyone has something in them; they just need the right path. Change inkk provides the right path for many. In life, we often take the most valuable things for granted and do not focus on our abilities. We should see the bigger picture and realize how fortunate we are. With NGOs like this present, I believe young people do not need to worry about their abilities. It is a really great cause.

Some of the Key Takeaways for my readers

📍 There are many organizations out there that are doing great work to help people in need. By visiting these organizations and learning about their work, we can gain a better understanding of the world around us and find ways to make a positive impact.

📍 By talking to people who are more experienced in our field, we can learn a lot and find solutions to problems that we may have been struggling with for a long time.

📍 People who have hobbies or interests similar to our own can be great to talk to, even if we don't know them professionally. It's always nice to meet people who share our passions and can offer a new perspective.

📍 It's important to see the bigger picture and realize how fortunate we are. By focusing on our abilities rather than our disabilities, we can achieve great things and make a positive impact on the world around us.

Conclusion

In conclusion, attending the G20 exhibition was a truly enriching experience. I was able to meet exhibitors from various fields, each with their unique vision, mission, and contributions towards society. From startups focused on robotics and skill training to NGOs dedicated to improving education and empowering the youth, each exhibitor had a story to tell and a cause to champion. It was inspiring to see so many individuals and organizations working towards making a positive impact in the world, and it left me with a sense of hope and optimism for the future. The exhibition reminded me that every individual has the power to create change, no matter how big or small, and that by coming together and supporting one another, we can build a better world for ourselves and future generations.💪

Thank you for reading my blog on my experience at G20 Bhubaneshwar. I hope you found it insightful and informative. If you were inspired by the work of the various exhibitors, I encourage you to take action in your own way to support their causes. You can also subscribe to my newsletter and connect with me on social media to stay updated on my latest posts and projects. Let's work together to create a positive impact in our communities. Thank you, and I look forward to connecting with you soon!❤️