“There is a need to develop the spirit of entrepreneurship among the youth,’’ Rahul Shindhe, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer, said in Belagavi on Friday.

He was speaking before distributing prizes to school students at Ramanujan Spark Quest 2026 and Avishkar Science Fest 2026.

The event was organised in association with Excellent Science and Commerce PU College, Moodabidri. Over 350 students participated in the event organised at the KPTCL hall in Belagavi.

“We need to look beyond the traditional roles of serving as employees in private companies or as government servants. There are several avenues of employment and business in entrepreneurship,’’ said Mr. Shindhe, an alumnus of IIT Bombay.

He explained in detail the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, an incubation centre at IIT Bombay that he helped set up. “It has created great brands like Ola Cabs and Housing.com. They were all started by my friends, seniors, and juniors. If you have an idea that can be developed into a useful tool for society, you can consider monetising it or expanding and scaling it up. Events like science fairs help kindle interest in such areas,’’ he said.

He asked the students to consider a wide range of professions, including research and development, teaching, public service, and entrepreneurship.

Earlier, S.B. Patil, retired assistant director of agriculture, inaugurated the session. He spoke in detail about the contributions of agricultural scientists like M.S. Swaminathan and others who contributed to the Green Revolution.

He urged youngsters to take up their studies along with extracurricular activities like sports and cultural performances. “The youth should develop the spirit of scientific inquiry to evolve into responsible citizens of the country,’’ he said.

“All of us need to understand that all challenges of life should be faced with the right attitude. This is cultivated only by a spirit of scientific inquiry. This is especially true at a young age. Children and young people should develop the mindset where they do not accept anything without questioning,’’ he said.