CELEBRATING CREATIVITY

By: Debamitra Mitra, The Times of India, April 10, 2005

To recognise, respect and reward unsung heroes and heroines of our society who have made a difference in the field of technology without outside help, the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, established the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) in 2000 under the chairpersonship of R A Mashelkar, Director General, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

It's mandated to build National Register of Green Grassroots Technological Innovations and Traditional Knowledge Practices developed by various individuals and communities in the unorganised sector. NIF's commitment to grassroot innovators and traditional knowledge holders is aimed at building their linkages with institutional scientists, technologists and designers to add value in their technologies; mobilising venture capital support to help convert innovations into enterprises; protecting their intellectual property rights and creating the culture of creativity and innovation in society.

Who can participate?

Traditional knowledge or unaided technological innovations attempted by individual farmers, fishermen and women, slum dwellers, local communities in managing natural resources, generating herbal remedies for human, animal and plant health or developing new technological implements, gadgets or machines or processes for farm operations, transportation for improved efficiency, energy conservation and low cost sustainable green technology related to various aspects of survival in urban and rural areas are eligible to participate in the competition.

The entries received by NIF are screened for their possible validity, uniqueness, creativity or embedded valuable traditional knowledge. Young inventors and innovators can send their ideas or innovations for a special category of awards for them. These should be unsupervised, an outcome of their own creativity without any support from their teachers or outsiders. Students are encouraged to join Student Club for Augmenting Innovations or SCAI to help other innovators. scai@nifindia.org)

Awards

The first best three innovations and traditional knowledge practices will be awarded Rs 1,00,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 each in different categories. In addition three individuals and organisations who make extraordinary contributions in scouting grassroot innovations and traditional knowledge get the award of Rs 50,000; Rs 25,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively. There will be several consolation prizes of Rs 7,500 each in different categories depending upon the number of entries and incremental inventiveness and potential social and environmental impact. Special awards are given to women for their innovations.