Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday inaugurated the prestigious Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH) at Mangalagiri and launched hubs in Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Anantapur, and Tirupati via virtual mode.

Named in honour of industrialist Ratan Tata, the initiative aims to promote deep-tech, artificial intelligence, sustainable and inclusive innovation, and support startups to become global players.

Naidu emphasized that the state must transition from producing job seekers to cultivating job creators. “Young people should build businesses and contribute to the state's economic growth,” he said, urging families to dream big and think globally.

Praising Ratan Tata as a symbol of ethical business and philanthropy, Naidu said, “His ideals of simplicity and honesty inspire generations. These hubs aim to preserve that spirit and empower youth to innovate fearlessly.”

Naidu recalled founding Heritage Foods before entering politics — now a ₹5,000 crore enterprise led by his wife — and urged youth to look beyond Silicon Valley, highlighting India's own growing innovation ecosystem.

He criticized political reluctance to adopt technology, despite India rising from the 11th to the 4th largest economy post-1991 reforms. He also highlighted the state’s P-4 programme, which enables affluent individuals to support poor families.

Naidu shared the story of a young woman who, once a daily-wage worker, was trained under the programme by HCL and now earns Rs 1.8 lakh annually. “She now dreams of becoming a margadarsi (guide) for others,” he said.

Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran praised Naidu’s digital-first vision, calling innovation “everyone’s responsibility.” Bharat Forge Chairman Baba Kalyani also lauded Naidu’s leadership and said RTIH would drive critical innovation-led growth in India.