PM Modi leads mega roadshow in Guwahati
Guwahati (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a massive roadshow in Guwahati on Saturday evening, witnessing diverse cultural elements of Assam on the first day of his two-day tour to the state.
The roadshow began outside the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Sarusajai on National Highway 27, and concluded at the state BJP headquarters near Basistha Chariali.
Modi, who was sitting in the front of his black SUV, was seen waving to the enthusiastic crowd that gathered on both sides of the road. The air reverberated with resounding chants of 'Modi-ji zindabad' and 'Bharat Mata ki jai', creating an electrifying atmosphere.
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Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita, and state BJP president Dilip Saikia joined the roadshow in their respective vehicles.
The roadshow was a showcase of the BJP's strength in Assam, where assembly polls would be due early next year.
The event was marked by a strong presence of BJP workers and volunteers, who had tried hard to ensure a grand reception for the PM.
Several platforms were erected on the roadside to showcase cultural performances from various parts of the state.
"We tried to present a cultural showcase of dance, songs and instruments from our ethnic and indigenous tribes," the party's state media relations convenor Dhruba Jyoti Maral said.
He claimed that more than 50,000 people gathered to witness the roadshow, which was held amid a heavy security deployment.
After landing in Guwahati, the PM unveiled a statue of the state's first CM Gopinath Bordoloi, and a new terminus of the airport, and addressed a public meeting on the occasion.
He then went to Sarusajai for the roadshow. After it concluded, he chaired a crucial meeting with the BJP's state leadership, with an eye on next year's assembly polls.
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
