India, Sept. 15 -- India produces more engineers each year than the population of some countries. Nearly 1.5 million students graduate annually, while over six million are enrolled in classrooms across the country. No other nation commands such a vast reservoir of technical talent. Yet when asked why they chose engineering, many students give a disarmingly simple answer: "It's safe."

On Engineers' Day, celebrated in honor of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, it is worth asking: Is "safe" the best we can do with this extraordinary pool of talent? For decades, engineering in India has been seen as a fallback option. But if India aspires to be a global economic leader, engineering must transcend individual career choices and become a collective mission ...