Vishakha Singh Instagram – I recently had the opportunity to speak at the Golden Jubilee of NATCON hosted by the Jaipur Chapter of the Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD). With the theme of ‘Innovating for the Future’; my session on ‘Art & Tech – The Brahmastra of the Future”, entailed me challenging the myth that art and technology are distinct from each other. Technology is not always just machines and tools. It is simply put – creative solution to human problems. Many brilliant minds throughout history have excelled at both science and art. Leonardo da Vinci was the ultimate scientist-artist. He studied anatomy and made engineering advances while also creating enduring works like the Mona Lisa. Galileo drew sketches mapping the moons of Jupiter that he discovered. Chemist Charles Dufresne invented an early plastic and was also a renowned painter. Actress Hedy Lamarr co-invented radio signaling technology that helped the Allies in WWII. Brian May of the band Queen earned a PhD in astrophysics. Innovators today like Tomás Saraceno fuse disciplines too, combining art, physics and environmentalism. Art has relied on tech innovations for centuries, just as changing art forms propel new tech like NFTs on blockchain. The two converge rather than run parallel. Rajasthan International