The Gadgets Now Awards 2024 brought together some of the biggest names in tech to celebrate the year’s most groundbreaking digital innovations. This esteemed panel of industry leaders, including Paavan Nanda, co-founder and CEO of WinZo games, evaluated the latest and greatest in technology. He provided valuable insights during the judging process and was thoroughly impressed by the level of innovation on display, specifically when products by Indian brands competed with international counterparts.
“This platform [Gadgets Now Awards 2024] is very critical from that lens of how as a nation, we are performing in today’s discussion. When we checked out different categories and the kind of products that are coming out, the pace of innovation is phenomenal but what really touched me was, of course, there are global companies, who are continuing to gain market share in India, trying to fight it out,” Nanda told the Times of India on the sidelines of the jury meet.
“But what was the best part is that there are a bunch of fellow Indian entrepreneurs who are also competing shoulder to shoulder. You know, there is Boat, there is Noise, there are many other products which are actually competing with their International counterparts and we should definitely ‘make in India’, [make] for India to start with, and continue to make India for the world,” he added.
Nanda on two key areas that need focus
Nanda said that the gadgets’ market is a crucial indicator of where innovation is heading. He noted that it’s very important for people to drive digitisation of Bharat that has been happening over the last 10 years, while saying two areas that need work.
“Affordability. We need to continue to bring down affordability so that more and more people can get inclusive. People are able to afford smartphones. People are able to buy laptops and the second is productivity. I think we all can see how AI came in and now there is AI in almost all laptops, mobile phones in different apps,” he said.
AI use cases will increase productivity of Indians
He said that different use cases are going to continue to emerge. I think that will significantly improve the productivity of the Indians.
“They [Indians] integrate that [AI] in their daily lives and all in all as we continue to increase this penetration both in terms of affordability as well as productivity. This is going to have a tremendous impact on the way. We are furthering ourselves as a nation. I mean, if you look at the way education gets penetrated, healthcare gets penetrated, even governance,” Nanda highlighted
Other jury members included Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), who lent his expertise on manufacturing and market trends, offering a crucial perspective on the industry’s trajectory.
Prasanto Kumar Roy, technology advisor at FTI Consulting, contributed decades of experience in technology journalism to the panel’s deliberations.
CP Gurnani, the co-founder and executive vice chairman of AIonOS, who expressed his admiration for the innovation demonstrated by the showcased products.
Prasad Sanyal, Business Head of Times Internet Ltd, lent his keen acumen to the jury, providing a crucial analytical perspective to the selection process.
The Jury meet was moderated by Manisha Singh, editor, TOI Tech.
The winners for the Jury’s Choice Awards, along with the Popular Choice Awards—for which voting is open until February 7, 2025 – will be announced on February 14.