Tamil Nadu Governor stresses need to combine traditional knowledge and contemporary technology

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Tamil Nadu governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar speaks at the IMECE – Sustainable Future and Mechanical Engineering Congress at the Chennai Trade Centre on Thursday | Photo Credit: M. Srinath

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday (September 3, 2026) called for combining traditional knowledge and contemporary technology, so that lessons could be learnt from both for the betterment of society.

He was addressing the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE) at the Chennai Trade Centre.

Mr. Arlekar said though many people say the Mahabharata is a myth, “for all of us, it is a history of us.” The Udyoga Parva , a part of the Mahabharata , provided lessons about management as far back as 5,000 years ago. “It will certainly be of some lesson to us. There are some engineering references in the Udyoga Parva ,” he said.

India was working towards an ‘ Aatmanirbhar Bharat ’, Mr. Arlekar said. Referring to the ‘ Viksit Bharat ’ national vision plan, through which the country aspired to become fully developed by 2047, the Governor said: “To have this vision fulfilled, we all have to work towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat . All our goals, intentions, and efforts are to be directed towards self-reliance.”

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) Executive Director & CEO Thomas Costabile said India’s rapid growth in manufacturing, digital technologies, energy systems, transportation infrastructure, and advanced research was creating opportunities not only for itself but for the world.

“As engineers, we know that the future belongs to those who can turn bold ideas into real-world impacts,” Mr. Costabile said. “I encourage you to think boldly. I encourage you to collaborate openly and seize the opportunity. Most importantly, do it together,” he said.

During his speech, Congress Chair K. Shanmuga Sundaram of IMECE India said that India was no longer a country which needed just engineers. The country needed engineering solutions for clean energy, mobility, water, manufacturing, climate resilience, healthcare, and infrastructure, he said.

Tamil Nadu had a special place as it had remarkable strengths in manufacturing, automobiles, aerospace, energy, electronics, infrastructure, and research, he said. Chennai was a city where knowledge and industry met and therefore, it was an ideal city to host IMECE 2026, he said.

145th ASME President Janis Terpenny, Council of State Industrial Development and Investment Corporations of India (COSIDICI) Director General Hansraj Verma, and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) Director Balaji Ramakrishnan were also present at the inaugural session. ASME India Director & President Madhukar Sharma proposed the vote of thanks.

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