Dr. Ruchi Saxena: "This Program has provided a platform to share ideas, co-create projects, and forge lasting partnerships"

Dr. Ruchi Saxena, Founder of Caerobotics and a pioneer in the use of drones for public health and disaster response. Caerobotics is a social impact consultancy that promotes the adoption of emerging technologies—such as drones and geospatial data—for public health, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development initiatives. A physician by training with an MBA in Health Services, she also holds certifications as a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma, a quality systems auditor, and a professional coach.

For the public, drones are seen as technological curiosities, but without any real useful application. What are the main uses that Caerobotics highlights for these devices?
At Caerobotics, we see drones not just as flying gadgets, but as transformative tools for social good. Our work demonstrates how drones can bridge gaps in healthcare delivery, disaster response, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

For example, drones are used to deliver essential medicines and vaccines to remote areas, map disaster zones for faster relief and quantify damages, support precision agriculture by identifying stressed crops, and build digital twins for smart city projects.By combining AI with drone imagery data, satellite data and molecular sensor data, we empower communities to make timely, data-driven decisions.

When integrated with other technologies such as Telehealth and Blockchain, drones have the potential to transform a region through a holistic development.

Thus, drones are helping us create more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable systems, especially in the communities that are most vulnerable to effects of climate change. 
So, drones have absolutely important real life applications, that surely steer the technological curiosity as well! Each time a drone flies over a community, it inspires a new generation of change makers. Isn't that absolutely needed?

So far, what has been your most important project or the one that has given you the most satisfaction?
The most important project for me as been the capacity building program that I designed for Drones and Data in Disasters. This project was delivered in several states that are most vulnerable to climate emergencies and brought multi-stakeholder groups together to learn, implement and adopt drones in public safety.

This project not only gave our work with emerging technologies an extremely meaningful dimension, it convinced us that when vertical collaborations happen at scale, impact accelerates.

In a recent LinkedIn post, you talked about the "ruralization" of drones. What benefits does this technology offer in hard-to-reach areas?
The “ruralization” of drones is about democratizing technology: taking it out of labs in urban centers, and putting it in the hands of rural communities.

In rural and hard-to-reach areas, drones and related technologies are used to survey farmland, detect crop stress, and enable precision interventions, can help small farmers increase yield and reduce losses.

When integrated with last mile healthcare systems, drones can deliver life-saving supplies across rivers or mountains, where roads are unreliable or non-existent.

Most importantly, by training and building capacity of the local youth and service providers to operate and maintain drones in the places where they operate, we create new livelihood opportunities and nurturing a culture of innovation at the grassroots.

What can the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem learn from the Spanish and vice versa?
India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is vibrant and rapidly evolving, with a strong focus on scale and frugal innovation. Spain, on the other hand, excels in fostering close collaboration between academia, industry, and government.

The Spanish model’s emphasis on strong networks where startups, universities, and institutions work hand-in-hand, can inspire Indian entrepreneurs to build more integrated, multidisciplinary teams and leverage institutional support more effectively.

Conversely, Spain can learn from India’s agility, resilience, and ability to innovate under resource constraints. Both ecosystems have much to gain from deeper partnerships, knowledge exchange, and joint programs that bridge these strengths.

Both the countries have the opportunity to learn about each other's culture and regulatory framework, helping businesses in both the countries to scale and exchange knowledge as well technologies.

Your professional profile includes knowledge of medicine, business administration, and quality system auditing, among others. Is having a wide range of knowledge necessary to be an entrepreneur, or is it something you acquire through entrepreneurship?
A wide range of knowledge is both a foundation and a result of entrepreneurship. My background in medicine, international health system, management, emerging technologies, and quality systems has certainly helped me connect dots across disciplines and design holistic, human-centered solutions.

However, the entrepreneurial journey itself is a powerful teacher. It constantly pushes you to learn new skills, adapt to changing contexts, and collaborate with experts from diverse fields.

This base education and experience propelled with curiosity and a never ending appetite to learn, pushes me to build new capabilities, ask new questions, and build collaborations across the globe.

What stands out most about your time on this program?
What stands out about the Spain India Council Foundation's Indian Leaders Program is the spirit of collaboration and the exposure to diverse perspectives.

Interacting with fellow leaders, mentors, key stakeholders, legacy leaders and innovators from different backgrounds has been a game changer for me. I now have a better understanding of not just what is Spain looking for, but also what the systems expect from a business that wants to set foot on Spanish soil.

The program has provided a platform to share ideas, co-create projects, and build lasting partnerships. It’s been inspiring to see how shared values and collective action can accelerate impact, especially when supported by a nurturing ecosystem.

What do you think is the main purpose of programs like this one we develop at the Spain-India Council Foundation?
Programs like those at the Spain-India Council Foundation serve as bridges. It connects people, ideas, and opportunities across borders. The main purpose is to foster mutual understanding of people and processes, facilitate knowledge exchange, and catalyze collaborations that address common challenges. By bringing together leaders from different sectors and countries, the program helps build trust, spark innovation, and create pathways for joint action in areas like sustainability, technology, and social impact. 

In a world facing complex, interconnected problems, such platforms are essential for building inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking societies.

VIII edition activity summary