Telemedicine in India is spearheaded by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and has matured beyond technology demonstration to enter an operational phase in its history. This article attempts to bring out the evolution and development of telemedicine in India: the genesis, the approach followed, the stakeholders involved, and the results so far, with an outline for the future. ISRO has coupled its prowess in satellite communication technology with medical science and information technology to project specialty healthcare to the doorsteps of the rural, remote, and distant populace across the country. Having set the telemedicine program as a model for benefiting society with advances in modern technology, India is advancing to international dimensions the proven domestic program to people in other parts of the globe. More specifically, the article attempts to bring out the role played by ISRO, its vision, goals, and partners in the program along with the technology and observed impact.

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<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Digital India program aims to transform India into a knowledge economy with Smart Cities / Smart Villages etc. It depends significantly on Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). It requires enormous computing Infrastructure and RS-GIS trained professionals along with Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Satellite based Earth Observation (EO) data volumes are increasing at a rate of several Terabytes a Day in heterogeneous formats (different spatial and temporal resolutions in optical, thermal and microwave). The recent trends towards free and open access policy creates unprecedented opportunities for both industrial and academic research communities for Big Data applications.</p><p>During the last decade, Engineering Institutions across the nation have improved significantly in terms of high end computing, Wi-Fi campuses and qualified faculty to help students. Agricultural Universities/Colleges are also making extensive use of RS-GIS technology. Many research papers are also being published by students from Engineering / Agricultural Institutions in the domain of RS–GIS. Here lies the scope for enhanced collaboration between ISRO / Industry and Academia in the form of Student Remote Sensing and Geospatial programme (SRSGP) for scaling up operational services to sustain Digital India and boost the <i>Geospatial Readiness Index of the nation</i>. It will expand the hands-on experience of the student community and enrich their job-readiness in the industry and lead to development of trained RS-GIS professionals. It has the potential to make Digital India the global destination for RS-GIS applications similar to how Y-2K made India the global IT-destination.</p>