India can build anything: Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala; Food Pharmer’s shift to food startup founder

What happened

Speaking at TechSparks 2026, Padma Shri Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala emphasised that while India possesses world-class engineering talent, a heavy reliance on importing physical products persists because technical education prioritizes theory over hands-on building.

Hello, While Swiggy’s existing users continue to order, the real expansion lies in tapping into the nearly 90% of Indians who have never used food delivery. Speaking at YourStory’s TechSparks 2026, Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy's Food Marketplace, highlighted that driving future growth hinges on attracting these new consumers. Peak XV Managing Director Mohit Bhatnagar said the success of companies such as Zomato and the growing acceptance of startups in India's public markets have fundamentally changed what founders and investors believe is possible.