AP FIRST To Take Shape In Tirupati

Vijayawada:With a view to positioning Andhra Pradesh as a future-ready knowledge and innovation hub, the state government would establish a largely-funded research centre in Tirupati.

The facility would be launched under the banner, AP FIRST (Andhra Pradesh Futuristic Innovation and Research in Science and Technology).

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu gave the green signal for the ambitious initiative on Friday, underlining that cutting-edge research and skill development would be integral to the state’s growth strategy.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting held at the CM’s camp office in Undavalli with advisers from the aerospace and defence sectors, as well as IT and digital transformation experts present. Senior officials from the Drone Corporation of AP were also present.

Naidu said the state government was focused on shaping the future of the youth and was fully prepared to extend all necessary support to help them acquire skills aligned with emerging global opportunities.

The AP FIRST research centre would be established in Tirupati by leveraging the combined strengths of two premier national institutions — IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati.

The CM stressed that this IIT–IISER combination should be developed into a highly prestigious and nationally recognised ecosystem for innovation and advanced research. He noted that AP was witnessing growing investor interest across multiple sunrise sectors.

Naidu identified aerospace, defence, space technology, artificial intelligence, cyber security, semiconductor devices and sensors, quantum technology, healthcare, biotechnology, green energy, and rural-area technologies as critical focus areas for the future.

The state, he said, is framing forward-looking policies and actively encouraging investments in these domains.

Referring to AP’ push in clean energy, the CM noted that the nation’s first green ammonia plant was being set up in Kakinada. The AP FIRST must function as a comprehensive platform that nurtures startups, supports new inventions and ensures the availability of highly skilled youth for incoming industries.

Naidu stressed that AP FIRST should be closely networked with universities, leading domestic and global companies, and reputed innovation hubs, including the Ratan Tata Innovation ecosystem. The centre should continuously track emerging technologies worldwide, coordinate with industries to identify skill requirements, and work with educational institutions to update curricula accordingly, he said.

The CM also called for strengthening the Drone Corporation and expanding the use of drones in agriculture, disaster management and medical emergencies. He directed officials to study global best practices, explore concepts such as drone taxis and drone ambulances, and examine the feasibility of a drone traffic management system akin to air traffic control.

By the next International Drone Day, he said, the State should visibly showcase how drone-based services can benefit citizens.

The meeting was attended by aerospace and defence adviser Satheesh Reddy, IT and digital transformation adviser Amit Duggar, IIT Tirupati Director K.N. Satyanarayana, Professor Senthil Kumar, DMTI director colonel PS Reddy and senior officials from various departments.