Cyber Sashakt Uttar Pradesh Charts Roadmap for Secure and Resilient Digital Governance

Lucknow: Artificial intelligence readiness, cybersecurity resilience and citizen trust emerged as key themes at the Cyber Sashakt Uttar Pradesh conclave organised by TrendAI in association with Tech Observer Magazine in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Held under the theme “Building a Secure Uttar Pradesh for Secure India”, the conclave brought together senior government officials, cybersecurity experts and technology leaders to discuss strategies for securing the state’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure, public services and citizen data ecosystems.

Awanish Kumar Awasthi, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and chief guest at the event, stressed the need for wider awareness and adoption of artificial intelligence across sectors.

“Everything is now in the digital domain. You do not need to physically move to create problems of any nature,” Awasthi said, highlighting the evolving nature of cyber threats in an increasingly connected world.

Calling AI a critical future skill, he urged professionals and students alike to embrace emerging technologies.

“Whether you are an engineer, a doctor, or a social scientist, if you do not learn AI, your work will not move forward. I am 64 years old and I am trying to learn it myself. Please, study AI,” he said.

Awasthi also highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s efforts to build future-ready capabilities through initiatives such as the Centre of Excellence in Gorakhpur, focusing on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, drone technology and 3D printing, as well as the state’s plans to introduce AI education from the school level.

Sharda Tickoo, country manager, TrendAI India and SAARC, said cybersecurity in government should be viewed as a commitment to citizen trust rather than merely a technology function.

“In the case of government, cybersecurity is a trust commitment made to citizens. As Uttar Pradesh builds its digital ambitions, we want that ecosystem to also be safe, secure and trusted,” she said.

Tickoo noted that the next phase of government cybersecurity must move beyond reactive measures and embrace predictive, AI-enabled security frameworks capable of identifying threats before they disrupt critical public services.

“As states like Uttar Pradesh expand digital services across departments, cybersecurity has to move from incident response to early detection, risk anticipation and resilience,” she said.

Mukesh Meshram, additional chief secretary, animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries departments, attended the event as guest of honour.

Dr GK Goswami, director of the UP State Institute of Forensic Science, cautioned that traditional crimes are increasingly migrating into digital spaces and emphasised the growing importance of data protection and legal compliance.

“Physical crime has shifted to the digital space. You just put an ‘E’ before any crime and you can commit it,” he remarked.

Dr Omkar Rai, former director general of Software Technology Parks of India, said Uttar Pradesh’s scale and pace of digitisation make cybersecurity a strategic necessity. He called for stronger innovation ecosystems and startup participation to develop indigenous cybersecurity solutions.

Kumar Vineet, special secretary, sports and youth welfare department, underscored the need for stronger cyber preparedness as the state’s digital footprint continues to expand.

The conclave also saw participation from senior officials and technology leaders, including Ashesh Kumar Agarwal, Deputy Director General and State Informatics Officer, NIC Uttar Pradesh; Prateesh Pranjal, CISO, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited; Dr Rajesh Harshwardhan of SGPGIMS Lucknow; Pavitra Kaushik of TrendAI; and Mohd Ujaley, Editorial Director of Tech Observer Magazine.

TrendAI said the event reflected its commitment to working with government institutions and industry stakeholders to strengthen cyber resilience and support secure digital transformation across Uttar Pradesh.