President Droupadi Murmu graced the Black Swan Summit, India, in Bhubaneswar today, an event organised by the Government of Odisha in collaboration with the Global Finance and Technology Network.
Addressing innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, the President highlighted the transformative power of rapid technological advancements while cautioning against challenges such as cybersecurity threats, deepfakes, and misinformation.
She noted that events like the Black Swan Summit provide critical platforms to explore innovative ways to harness technology for skilling, employment generation, and accelerating digital and financial transformation.
President Murmu described India’s fintech revolution over the past decade as a lifeline for millions, particularly farmers, small shopkeepers, and women, who now routinely use direct benefit transfers and digital payments.
“India’s fintech story should be remembered not only as a tale of technology but also as that of gender justice,” she stated, emphasising the need to view women not merely as end-users but as leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs in the fintech ecosystem.
She stressed that every new platform, product, or policy must be evaluated for its ability to make women active participants in the digital and financial economy.
The President pointed out that fintech alone does not guarantee inclusion, especially for citizens in remote, tribal, and rural areas unfamiliar with digital tools.
She called for focused skilling initiatives to bring these communities into the development journey, urging entrepreneurs to ensure “technology becomes a tool for social justice and inclusion.”
On cybersecurity, President Murmu highlighted the risks of financial frauds and the need for greater public awareness.
She commended government measures such as the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre and the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting System, while advocating for digital and financial literacy to be integrated into school curricula.
The President expressed appreciation for Odisha’s BharatNetra initiative, aimed at building a future-ready workforce in digital, financial, and insurance technology sectors.
She praised the state government and the Global Finance and Technology Network for co-organising the summit, expressing confidence that the discussions would have a transformative impact on Odisha, India, and beyond.
