It is mandated to build a National Register of green Grassroots Technological Innovations and Traditional Knowledge practices developed by various individuals and communities in the unorganized sector.
NIF's commitment to grassroots innovators and traditional knowledge holders is aimed at
(a) building their linkages with institutional scientists, technologists and designers to add value in their technologies (b) providing micro venture innovation fund (MVIF) - support to help convert innovations into enterprises, (c) protecting their intellectual property rights and (d) creating a culture of creativity and innovation in society.
Through its activities, NIF is striving to make India innovative, self-reliant and a world leader in sustainable technologies
The Honey Bee Network was established in 1988-89 to connect creative people across language cultures, acknowledge the contribution of innovators and expand policy and institutional space for local knowledge experts by ensuring fair share of benefits.
NIF, while building upon the Honey Bee philosophy, is trying to generate a movement in the country by linking green grassroots innovators with one another as well as with experts in modern science and technology, markets, design and other relevant formal sector institutions.
The national campaign is a means to build solidarity among creative people, by unfolding the potential of genius at grassroots. Several values (7 E's) are being blended such as ethics, excellence, efficiency, environment, education, equity and empathy. Creativity in that sense is being combined with compassion, conservation and concern for the disadvantaged people. The entries received by NIF are screened for their possible validity, uniqueness, potential social impact, creativity or embedded valuable traditional knowledge.
NIF solicits entries of unaided technological innovations and traditional knowledge developed at grassroots by an individual or group comprising farmers, artisans, fishermen and women, slum dwellers, workshop mechanics, students, local communities etc. The innovations can be in agriculture, machines, processes or products for farm/non-farm operations, household utility, transportation, energy conservation or generation, reduction in drudgery, development of plant varieties, development of herbal remedies for human/ animal problems, or any other low cost sustainable green technologies. These should be unaided/unsupervised and an outcome of one’s own creativity, without any technical support from external agencies. Special awards will be given for innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge of/for women. There will be prizes to recognize outstanding innovations by/for people with physical disabilities as well. Creative ideas for innovative technologies, which may not have been developed into prototypes are also welcome. Children in or out of school are also encouraged to send their original ideas for the competition.
| Sr. No | Award Name | Total Award (Rs) | Community / Nature (Rs) | Award (Rs) | Fellowship Amount (Rs) * |
| 1 | Lifetime Achievement | 750,000 | 112,500 | 250,000 | 387,000 |
| 2 | National - First | 500,000 | 75,000 | 200,000 | 225,000 |
| 3 | National - Second | 300,000 | 45,000 | 100,000 | 155,000 |
| 4 | National - Third | 100,000 | 15,000 | 50,000 | 35,000 |
Monthly Fellowship = Fellowship amount /Total fellowship period (in months)
Interest accrued on the fellowship amount will be given to awardees with the last month's fellowship.
There will be several consolation prizes of Rs 10,000 each in different categories depending upon the incremental inventiveness and potential social and environmental impact. In addition, individuals and/or organizations that make extraordinary contributions in scouting grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge may also get recognition and awards worth Rs 100,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 besides recognition to many others.
Three most outstanding innovative ideas may be given prizes of Rs 50,000, 25,000 and 15,000 in addition to consolation prizes of Rs 5,000 each. Certificate of appreciation may be given to herbal and traditional knowledge holders whose claims may not have been validated but whose contributions are worth emulating for the society.
Technologists adding significant value to the people’s knowledge and creativity, and electronic/print journalists promoting grassroots innovations will also be recognized. Entries may be submitted along with copy of the reports.
Young inventors and innovators (upto class 12th) are invited to 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. There will be prizes worth Rs 30,000, 25,000 and Rs 20,000 for the best three entries and several consolation prizes of Rs 10,000 each in this category.
Individuals, from the unorganized sectors of the society, who have achieved distinction in improving quality and productivity without the aid of formal institutions, are invited to participate in the 8th National Biennial Competition for Unaided Green Grassroots Ideas, Innovations and Outstanding Traditional Knowledge. Ideas for innovative technologies which have not yet become products are also welcome.
The resources of NIF are dedicated to supporting innovators and traditional knowledge holders from the unorganized sector only with no/limited exposure to formal system of education and/or professional/technical training. Therefore, entries from professionals that is, those having professional/ post graduate degrees or affiliation with formal institutions or those who have gained long professional experience in public or private sector, are not accepted. Projects of students enrolled in engineering, bio technology or any other professional/ post graduate courses will also not be considered.
However, if anybody develops a technology in their individual capacity without any institutional help and that has grassroots applications, it may be considered for inclusion in a separate database of innovations by professionals, inclusion in which would not be eligible for any recognition, technical or financial support. NIF may help them only through linkages.
For considering eligibility of participation in its National Competition, NIF will take into account BOTH education AND occupation of the participant. The detailed competition guidelines are available for download below.
Individuals or groups may send as many entries as they wish on plain paper providing
a) technical details of the idea/innovation/traditional knowledge
practice along with sketches, photos or videos wherever
available/necessary b) genesis of idea/innovation or traditional
knowledge c) educational qualification of the innovators/ traditional
knowledge holders and occupation, d) complete postal
address with pin code and contact number(s) and e) any other information
that may seem necessary.
National Coordinator (Scouting and Documentation), National Innovation Foundation, Satellite Complex, Bungalow No 1, Premchandnagar Road , Jodhpur Tekra, Ahmedabad 380015 Gujarat.
Email: campaign@nifindia.org
Note: Any doubts/queries may also be sent to the above mentioned address/email.