The biggest challenge before B.M. Baveja is building and sustaining an ecosystem aimed at promoting and supporting research, innovation and product development in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. “We aim to develop an effective and efficient ecosystem by channelising our research and resources into the economy’s ‘priority’ sectors. We hope that these initiatives will facilitate the design, development and manufacture of world-class products for the ICT sector, which, in turn, will provide significant value addition to the economy,” he comments.

Building the ecosystem would require the participation of several stakeholders – the government, private companies, start-ups, small and medium enterprises, and academic and industrial researchers. As senior director, research and development (R&D), convergence, communication and broadband technology (CC&BT), Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DEITY), Baveja is responsible for promoting R&D-related activities and growth of indigenous broadband and communications technologies through policy measures and financial grants. Baveja has many years of professional experience behind him. Since 1986, he has worked in various positions at DEITY. He was director of the professional electronics division and joint director at the standardisation testing and quality control directorate. Earlier, he was a senior engineer at Bharat Electronics Limited and an engineer with a UK-based software firm.

Establishing ICT centres of excellence across the country has been his most memorable assignment to date. “These centres were aimed at strengthening the country’s indigenous manufacturing capability and ensuring self-reliance for various strategic and futuristic technologies. Today, these centres are providing indigenous technologies for the defence and space sectors, as well as other strategic organisations in the country.”

According to Baveja, mobile broadband will be the key growth driver for the sector. “Broadband penetration is set to increase multifold over the next few years, driven primarily by mobile broadband. The market will shift from being voice driven to data centric, fuelled by innovative technologies and domestic intellectual property rights. Moreover, 4G and other advanced technologies will play a significant role in growth,” he comments.

Baveja unwinds by watching movies and going on holidays with his wife and two daughters.