He's India's richest man, but is he, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the greatest visionary in the country today? The man who has his imprint on the biggest infrastructure and industries in India, and the man who promises the fourth industrial revolution to the country, Mukesh Ambani says that "data is the oxygen" of 21st century.

The chairman and MD, Reliance Industries, and the muscle behind Reliance Jio, also the official porter of live-streaming in India Today #Conclave17, spoke on "Why Technology Will Change India | The 21st Century Optimist".

Photo: Indiatoday.in

Here are some of the highlights of his speech and Q&A with Raj Chengappa, India Today editorial director (publishing).

On technology in India

"India today is great but India tomorrow will be fantastic. India is the fifth largest economy and the fastest growing economy. The day is not far when we will the third largest economy in the world."

"The world is on the verge of fourth industrial revolution."

#Conclave17We are at the beginning of this tech based 4th industrial revolution :Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh pic.twitter.com/E8N8epH93Q — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"India is a very young nation and our youth adapt to technology very easily and I have seen this with my experience in the Jio business."

#Conclave17I am big believer in terms of executing things that can benefit millions of people: Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh pic.twitter.com/H7ZDzQUoIK — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"India is a huge and open market. India is fortunate to have a leadership which believes in connecting with the world."

#Conclave17The biggest beneficiary of this technology will always be the common man: Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"I have no doubt that India will propel itself to global level of performance."

#Conclave17Denial of opportunity is real impoverishment. We should not allow any Indian to suffer from that poverty: Mukesh Ambani — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"I believe the fourth industrial revolution is the first human centric industrial revolution. However, we need to create more jobs annually. The job creating potential of the organised sector is limited."

#Conclave17Digital enablement has laid the groundwork for broad availability of low value, high volume credit: Mukesh Ambani — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"In next 20 years, we will us exponential tech to collectively achieve more than what we achieved in 300 years."

On Jio

"Jio network can be upgraded to 5G and beyond. By the end of 2017, Jio's network will cover 99 per cent population of the country."

#Conclave17Jio has deployed an all IP network that is at par with any developed nation's: Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"In the last 170 days India has become the biggest data consumer in the world beating the US."

#Conclave17India has become the number one data consuming nation in the world in just 170 days :Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

#Conclave17More than 100 million customers have signed up our services in 170 days of Jio's launch: Mukesh Ambani — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

On education and technology

"India can overcome the challenges facing the education sector through digitisation. Through Jio we are connecting some 58,000 colleges and schools. Once this is done, we'll have most digital enabled education system in the world."

#Conclave17India can overcome the challenge of educational infrastructure through technology: Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh pic.twitter.com/8vKgMJWViK — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"A second green revolution is possible through the digital platform."

#Conclave17We have to combine global technology & Indian street smartness. That's an unbeatable combination: Mukesh Ambani — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"Like Make in India, Digital India, we need Keep in India to retain country's talented workforce."

On the future

#Conclave17India today is exciting & challenging but India tomorrow will be fulfilling & game changing :Mukesh Ambani — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"India today is exciting, India tomorrow will be fulfilling and game changing."

#Conclave17All things happen in the world at the right time & at the right place :Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"If you focus on the obstacle you'll never succeed, if you focus on the goal you'll achieve the target."

#Conclave17With good execution, we will exceed the expectations of the new generation: Mukesh Ambani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi

#Conclave17We are blessed to have a leader who understands not only people but world & tech: Mukesh Ambani on PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/3paTprtpmh — India Today (@IndiaToday) March 18, 2017

"The challenge for us is execution. We are blessed to have a leader who not only understands the people but the world and technology."

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