On February 8, 2026, a webinar titled ‘Biotechnology Education: Skills and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future’ was held by VIT Chennai and The Hindu. Experts discussed how biotechnology is key to a sustainable, tech-driven future that supports healthy living. Pooja Shivanand Breh from the University of Brunei said India’s bio-economy grew from $10 billion in 2014 to $165 billion in 2024, and targets $300 billion by 2030. She explained, “Bio-pharma, agri, services, IT and industrial sectors are the major contributors to this growth; and the idea of sustainability will rest on three pillars – environmental suitability, economic viability, and social utility.” Dr K.S. Nagabhushana from Bengaluru stressed that sustainable development must “meet the needs, and not the greed, of the present.” He highlighted biotechnology’s role in green processes and zero waste management. Dr G. Jayaraman from VIT Chennai said biotech skills in microbial culture, gene manipulation, and data analysis will lead to many job opportunities in a green and bio-enabled economy. Dr. Jayanthi Velayudhan, a researcher at VIT, shared her personal journey in biotech research. This webinar is the second in the series “Biotechnology: Role in Industry 5.0 – Sustainable Future Pathways” and can be watched online at https://newsth.live/THVITBTSY.