Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

From The Editor’s Desk

July 2, 2022
sumi_gupta

From being recreational tools to becoming versatile machines that can perform a wide range of tasks, in a little more than a decade, the evolution of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs), popularly known as drones, has been rapid and transformative. Over the years, UASs have become increasingly sophisticated with higher payload capacities. Given their ease of operation, drones have become a vital tool in rescue and relief operations for generating situational awareness. Now, they are being tested to deliver medical aid promptly in difficult to access places.

In our cover story, we have illustrated more than 50 uses of drones with the help of an infographic. This should give an idea of their potential for use in various scenarios. Another reason for their increasing application in various situations is because drones save time and cost when compared to conventional methods of observation and survey.

Given their increasing significance in the economic development of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared recently that India should become a drone manufacturing hub of the world. Our story analyses the drone manufacturing ecosystem and the opportunities and challenges that India needs to deal with to fulfil its ambition of becoming a global player in a more than $100 billion market.

In this issue, we have also dissected another vital issue: Can fortified rice tackle the problem of malnutrition among children and the marginalised? The government has taken a decision to introduce fortified rice as part of a bigger plan to produce biofortified food. The recently released 5th National Family Health Survey indicates that malnutrition and anaemia are two problems constantly simmering under the surface. Experts are divided over the benefits of fortified food in the absence of largescale studies and empirical data. One camp believes that fortified rice helps in improving the nutritional intake in children and the anaemic, the other lot is as yet unconvinced of its benefits.

Another engrossing read in this issue includes a detailed and data-driven analysis of how, despite the stupendous growth in digital payments in the country, a vast chunk of unseen India is excluded from availing of benefits provided by the state due to ever-increasing digitisation of the social welfare ecosystem, leading to an insurmountable digital divide.
Hope you enjoy the issue.

Sumi Gupta
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF