On 5th August, 2018, at the INOX Multiplex Courtyard, Panaji, Goa turned host for India’s very first International Blockchain Congress. Attended by the likes of Frans Kempen, Blockchain Head for Logistics and Supply Chain Industry, IBM Netherlands; Portia Conrad, National Security Agency; Jeremy Gardner, co-founder and managing partner, Ausum Ventures among many others, the event was organised by the Department of Information Technology in collaboration with NITI Aayog and Nucleus Vision.
According to Don and Alex Tapscott, the authors of Blockchain Revolution (2016), “the blockchain is an incorruptible digital ledger of economic transactions that can be programmed to record not just financial transactions but virtually everything of value.”
By allowing digital information to be distributed but not copied, this technology has created the backbone of a new type of internet. Originally devised for the digital currency, Bitcoin, the tech community is now finding other potential uses for the technology.
The goal of the IBC was exactly this; exploring the other uses for this technology such as in road safety, good governance and in transforming education. For this purpose, a number of panel discussions, talks and workshops were organised on topics like blockchain as a tool for good governance, adopting it in the Indian scenario, blockchain in healthcare, etc.
Nordic Intent’s CEO was also in attendance at the IBC. Of his experience there, he said, “Although it was originally devised for Bitcoin, this technology has moved far beyond that. The IBC was a great forum to learn about the various ways in which this technology can be practically implemented, of which we only had a vague idea till now.”