The very purpose was to strengthen the initiatives of NIF at regional level in a result oriented manner to help support the innovations/ innovators at grassroots. This is done by providing handholding support to the rural innovators and links them to the formal systems of technical, financial and marketing services such that a viable business model could be developed out of the rural innovation. In the GIAN model, emphasis is on a resource in which economically poor people are rich that is their knowledge, innovations or practices. GIAN tries to add value to this knowledge and facilitate the commercial and non-commercial diffusion. This generates rewards for the innovators and more efficient green choices for the consumers and people struggling with same or similar problems.
The mandate of GIAN (North) is to link grassroots innovation with enterprise development which includes:-
1. Incubation (Idea to product/practice)
2. Product development (development of product prototype)
3. Intellectual Property Protection (patenting, trademarks)
4. Market Research and Venture Promotion (Project Planning, Technology transfer, commercial launch, pilot and Commercial scale Production, distribution and vendor development and dissemination of information)
5. Cross-regional technology diffusion/ replication/ transfer.
The Augmentation activities are now supported through the Micro Venture Innovation Fund provided to NIF by SIDBI. HDFC has also come forward and sanctioned a fund for supporting such innovations
National Innovation Foundation (NIF) is the apex body established in March 2000 as an autonomous society with a corpus fund from the Department of Science and Technology, GOI and institutional support from IIM Ahmedabad. The Finance Minister in his budget speech of 1999 had announced the establishment of NIF. The objective of NIF is to unleash the true potential of innovators and traditional knowledge experts at grassroots who are economically poor but knowledge rich, who could neither, have privilege of formal education nor could mobilize any support required in augmenting their knowledge from organized sector. NIF helps such grassroots innovators by recognizing, respecting and rewarding their creativity. NIF scouts their innovations; helps them in nurturing them and finally scaling them up in the form of commercial enterprises. NIF honours innovators and traditional knowledge experts through a competition. In the year 2002 during second award function and in 2005 during third award function, the President of India gave away the annual awards to grass roots innovators at New Delhi and Ahmedabad respectively..
DR. R.A. Mashelkar, Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is the Chairperson of NIF and Prof Anil Gupta of IIM, Ahmedabad who has been instrumental in the whole initiative is its Executive Vice Chairperson.
| Patents Applications on Innovations from Northern India |
| SN | Comp | Innovation & Innovator | State | Country | Law Firm | Status | Application No. |
| 1. | First | Improved Multicrop Thresher.Madanlal Kumawat | Rajasthan | India | Anand & Anand, New Delhi | Appl put in order for grant | 1273/DEL/200217-12-2002 |
| 2. | Second | Pathfinding Android.Prem Singh Saini | Haryana | India | Anand &Anand, New Delhi | Filed(With provisional specification) | 40/DEL/200315-01-2003 |
| 3. | First | Moped LPG Kit.Ram Kumar | Haryana | India | Anand &Anand, New Delhi | Appl put in order for grant | 978/DEL/20038-8-2003 |
| 4. | First | Power saving PumpRam Naresh Yadav | U.P. | India | Subramaniam, Natrajan & Associates, New Delhi | Filed through GIAN-N | 354/DEL/200310-04-2003 |
| 5. | Second | Process - Medicine for Kidney-stone Ramesh Kumar Nehra | Rajasthan | India | Surana & Surana, Chennai | Filed through GIAN-N | 693/DEL/200325-04-2003 |
| 6. | Second | Tooth extraction MachineDr. Rahul Bihari | U.P. | India | Surana & Surana, Chennai | Filed through GIAN-N | 16-01-2003 |
| 7. | Third | Tile Making MachineSukhranjan Mistri | Uttranchal | India | Anand & Anand | Filed | 995/Del/200431/05/2004 |
| 8. | Third | Tea Making MachineAshok Kumar Dhiman | Haryana | India | Anand & Anand | Filed | 994/Del/200431/05/2004 |
| 9. | Third | A Nuts Digger cum Separator Device.Mohd. Yusuf Khan | Rajasthan | India | Anand & Anand | Appl put in order for grant | 1806/DEL/2004 |
| 10. | Third | Multipurpose BicycleMohd. Kamaruddin | Rajasthan | India | Anand & Anand | Filed | 1255/DEL/2003 13/10/2003 |
| 11. | Fourth | Mobile Operated Switch for Irrigation SystemPrem Singh Saini | Haryana | India | Anand & Anand | Filed | Awaited |
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An informal network of farmers, artisans, students, academicians and scientists began in late eighties. They believed in IPR of peasants and advocated development activity based on the knowledge system of local people. This network was called Honey Bee Network (HBN). The name Honey Bee signifies a philosophy of discourse which is authentic, accountable and fair. Honey bee does two things. Honey bee collects pollen without impoverishing the flowers, and it connects flower to flower through pollination. The idea of HBN is that when it collects knowledge of people, it ensure that people don't become poorer after sharing their insights. Further, it connects one innovator with another through feedback, communication and networking in their local language. HBN shares with the providers of knowledge what it did with the knowledge.
Honey Bee is an experiment in people to people learning: English language connects us globally but alienates locally. We can not reach the people from whom we have learnt. Thus, while we grow in our careers and achieve wider recognition and professional rewards, the people suffer, often silently. The ethics of knowledge extraction, its documentation, dissemination and abstraction into theories, institutions or technologies is thus the central concern. Honey Bee is brought out in six languages through collaborators. Honey Bee network supports National Innovation Foundation and GIAN.
HBN insists, in its work, that three principles are followed without fail
The Honey Bee newsletter is now brought out in seven local languages, the most recent entrant being the Oriya version in April 2002.
Informal and voluntary in nature and spirit, the Network has its partners spread allover India and 75 other countries. The Honey Bee database of innovations and valuable traditional knowledge now contains more than 23, 000 examples in its distributed database.
There are cases where such knowledge and innovations find its way to the problems of a different country. For example a practice by pastoralists in Mongolia solved selenium deficiency problem in the young calves in Canada; the know how of an innovative foot pump designed in Gujarat, India found a licensee in USA. This shows the potential of the network and the global dimension of the value chain.
The National Innovation Foundation (NIF) was set up in March 2000, by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (GOI), as an autonomous society under the chairpersonship of Dr R A Mashelkar, Director General, Council for Scientific & Industrial Research and Secretary, Dept. Of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India. NIF is pursuing the mission of making India Innovative and a global leader in sustainable technologies. The idea is to build upon Honey Bee philosophy and provide a nurturing platform to unsung heroes and heroines of our society who have solved a technological problem through their own genius without any outside help. The purpose is scouting, documenting, spawning, augmenting, adding value, protecting intellectual property rights, disseminating on commercial as well as non-commercial basis. Focus is on the contemporary unaided technological innovations as well as outstanding examples of traditional knowledge from individuals and communities. NIF is based at Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
In 1997, an International Conference on Creativity and Innovations at Grassroots (ICCIG) was organised at IIM, Ahmedabad, co sponsored by SRISTI, FAO, World Bank, NABARD etc. It identified the need for an institutional framework that would provide handholding support to the rural innovators and link them to the formal systems of technical, financial and marketing services. In 1998, the Government of Gujarat came forward to set up Gujarat GIAN with the missions of sustaining the spirit of innovation. Since then GIAN has learned to facilitate the transition of innovators into inno-preneurs, arrange formal negotiations with the prospective licensees and also organising interactions with critically appreciative peer group on behalf of the innovators. GIAN-G has successfully converted few green technologies into viable business models.
The lessons of GIAN-G (now GIAN-West) leads to a new model of innovation based enterprise development. Conventional models of development have built upon the resources in which people were often poor or inadequate. In the GIAN model, emphasis is on a resource in which economically poor people are rich that is their knowledge, innovations or practices. GIAN tries to add value to this knowledge and facilitate the commercial and non-commercial diffusion. This generates rewards for the innovators and more efficient green choices for the consumers and people struggling with same or similar problems.
Encouraged by the GIAN-G success, NIF decided to setup four more GIANs in four regions of the country with the help of respective local governments. Besides GIAN (West), two other GIANs viz. GIAN (North-East) and GIAN (North) are operational now.
Setting up of GIAN (North)
To strengthen the spirit of creativity and to give voice to the hitherto unnoticed innovations of the region, Government of Rajasthan joined hands with NIF to set up a GIAN for the north Indian States and Union Territories viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Delhi and Chandigarh.
Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of Rajasthan has provided space and basic infrastructure for GIAN(N) office at its Science Park premises at Jaipur. Government of Rajasthan has also provided financial assistance of Rs. 50 Lakh, through Dept of S&T, towards Corpus Fund of GIAN (N). NIF, on the other hand has committed a set up fund support of Rs. 30 Lakh over 2-3 years. NIF presently bears all operational expenses of GIAN (N).
GIAN (north) was registered as a society in November 2002 with an empowered Governing board comprising of members from government, academics, industry, NGOs, NIF and innovators. To mark its formal launching, a two-day programme of regional exposition and workshop on grassroots innovations was organised at Jaipur, Rajasthan, in January 2003. People from different places and fields attended the programme: scientists, government representatives, industrialists, students, teachers, social workers, bankers, media persons and the grassroots innovators- villagers, farmers, artisans, mechanics and traditional knowledge holders. It was an extremely productive meet between the formal sector and informal sector of knowledge, creativity and enterprise.
Main Objectives of GIAN-North:
In the second NIF National Campaign of contemporary unaided technological innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge, an encouraging number of innovations were received from 300 districts all across the country. This tremendous achievement was reflected in the Honourable Finance Minister’s Budget speech last year: “The National Innovation Foundation was set up in March 2000.......This initiative has shown a good result. In the second annual campaign NIF has received more than 11000 entries from all over the country, up from 948 entries in the first year. Encouraged by this enthusiastic response I propose to set up a micro venture capital fund for small innovations......... to facilitate the transition of innovations to enterprises.”
Governing Board of GIAN-North has members from Government, Academics, Industry, NGO etc. Members of the Present Governing Board are as under:
Chairperson
Sh. Inderjit Khanna
I. A. S. (Retd.)
GIAN-North
Science Park, Shastri Nagar,
Jaipur – 302 016
Ph:- 0141 – 2304161 / 2523340
Email :- ikhanna@rajasthan.gov.in
Ex-Officio Members
Principal Secretary, Finance
Govt. of Rajasthan
Main Building,
Secretariat, Jaipur
Phone: 0141-2227664
Add. Chief Secretary & Development Commissioner
Govt. of Rajasthan
278, Main Building,
Secretariat, Jaipur
Ph: - 0141 – 2227587
Principal Secretary
Technical Education,
Govt. of Rajasthan
Secretariat, Jaipur
Ph: - 0141 – 2227132
Nominee
National Innovation Foundation
Bungalow No. 1, Satellite Complex,
Jodhpur Tekra, Premchand Nagar Road,
Ahmedabad – 380015
Ph.:- 079 – 26732095/ 2456
Professor Kuldeep Mathur
B-083, Belvedere Park
DLF City – III,
Gurgaon - 122002
Ph.:- 0124– 5069938/39
Email:- kuldeepmathur@airtelbroadband.in
Professor S. S. Acharya
(Former Chairman, CACP, GoI)
Honorary Professor (Former Director)
Institute of Development Studies
8 B Jhalana Instt Area,
Jaipur-302004,
Ph: - 0141-2705348; 2709825
Email :- ssacharya@idsj.org
Mr. Sanjit (Bunker) Roy
Director
Social Work Research Centre
Tilonia, Via Madangarh- kishangarh
Ajmer- 305816, Rajasthan
Phone: 01463-288203-15-5
Email :- bunker@vsnl.com
Sh. Arvind Ojha
Secretary, URMUL TRUST
URMUL Bhawan,
Near New Roadways Bus Stand,
Bikaner- 334001
Ph.:- 0151-2545097/2523093
Email :- ojhaarvind@gmail.com
Mrs. Vibha Puri Das
Principal Secretary & Commissioner,
Forest & Rural Development,
Government of Uttrakhand,
Secretariat, Subash Road,
Dehradun-248001
Phone: 0135-2712001
Email :- vibhapuridas@gmail.com
Mr. Vikram Golcha
Director, Golcha Group
Golcha Gardens, Agra Road,
Jaipur – 302003
Ph.:- 0141-2640301
Sh. Sundaram Verma (Kumawat)
Dhabayali Kothi,
Gram Post Danta,
Zila -Sikhar,
Rajasthan - 332702
Ph: - 01577 - 270074, 270221
Email :- sundaramverma@yahoo.com
Sh. Samir Mathur
Financial Commissioner & Principal Secretary
Fisheries Department
Room No. 622, 6th Floor,
New Secretariat Building
Sector – 17, Chandigarh
Phone: 0172 – 2711952 (o
Ms. Nivedita Narain
Programme Director
Professional Assistance for Development Action
(PRADAN)
3 Community Shopping Centre,
Niti Bagh, New Delhi 110 049
Tel: 011 2651 8619, 51640611
Tel/fax: 011 2651 4682
E-mail: niveditanarain@pradan.net
Member Secretary
Sh. Rajeev Singhal
Chief Innovation Manager
GIAN-North
Jaipur
Phone: 0141-2304161
Email:- rajeev@gian.org
GIAN (North) has set up a Research Advisory Committee (RAC) to guide on matters of technologies, validation, evaluation etc. It draws from eminent scientists, technologists, academicians, medical experts etc. from various institutes of repute. The present RAC is as under:
1. Dr. S.S.Acharya
Instt for Development Studies
8-B Jhalana Insttl Area,
Jaipur-302004, Rajasthan
Phone: 0141-2705348
2. Dr. Pratap Singh, Director Research,
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology
Udaipur
Phone: 0294 - 2417334
3. Dr. S.D.Gupta, Director
Indian Instt of Health Management & Research
1, Prabhu Dayal Marg,
Near Sanganer Airport,
Jaipur
Phone: 2792135
4. Dr. P.Ghosh, Director
Birla Institute of Scientific Research,
Statue Circle
Jaipur
Phone: 2381183
5. Dr. B.L.Gaur, Director
National Institute of Ayurveda
Zoravar Singh gate, Subash Chowk,
Amer Road, Jaipur
6. Dr. Gopal Agarwal,
Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Malvya National Institute of Technology,
Jwaharlal Nehru Marg, Jaipur
7. Dr. Sandeep Sancheti,
HOD - Electronics & Communication
Malvya National Instt of Technology
Jawahrlal Nehru Marg,
Jaipur
8. Dr. Ashok Jain (Emeritus Scientist)
Coordinator,
EU-India Cross Cutural Innovation Network
Instt of Informatics & Communication
University of Delhi, South Campus
Benito Juarez Road
New Delhi – 110021
Phone: 011-4103938
9. Mr. Rakesh Goel,
Managing Director
SK Dynamics P. Ltd.
B-5, Industrial Estate
Roorkee – 247667
Phone: 01332 – 273616
10. Dr. B.L.Kumawat,
Department of Neuro Medicine
Mahatama Gandhi Hospital
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Few words on GIAN (North):-
GIAN (N) has prioritised about 20 innovations for value addition in the short-term. The projects are at different stages of incubation. A quick overview is given below:
IPR protection
A total of 11 patents applications have been filed in India for the grassroots technologies from Northern India.
Product Development
GIAN (N) has facilitated in development of three (3) product prototype from concept stage. One (1) more concept, which is a capital intensive arrangement for marble cutting machines, will be field tested soon in marble industry with some assistance from the private sector.
Work is being undertaken on seven (7) more projects where basic models are being developed/ improvised into final prototypes. In three (3) cases the development works are at completion stage.
Diffusion of technology
Three (3) technologies pertaining to Water conservation (arch shaped, low cost Check Dam), Drudgery Reduction of Women (Well Pulley with stopper) and dryland forestry (plantation with minimal water) are being replicated in different places of Rajasthan with help from Dept of S&T, GOR and leading NGOs of the state. First two innovations are from Gujarat and this is an inspiring case of cross-regional technology diffusion.
Project studies
Students of premier Technology Institutes and B-schools have undertaken several studies on the grassroots innovations. Eight (8) students of different IITs have worked to help in technical documentation of various innovations. Thirteen (13) students of different business schools including IIMs, have undertaken projects on market feasibility and business planning on various innovations. Besides, GIAN (N) has independently done several validation, evaluation works on different innovations.
Venture support & Business Development
Apart from techno-economic viability studies as above, GIAN (N) has provided handholding support to innovators in setting up unit, extension of product line, business development and licensing of technology. Two (2) new units have become operative. Licensing arrangement for one (1) venture is under process. Besides, mentoring, financial assistance and market linkages have been provided to three (3) existing units. Commercialisation of one (1) new system is at an advance stage of implementation with support from private sector industry.
Scouting
Presence of a GIAN has invigorated the efforts of scouting by the associates and collaborators of Honeybee Network. Substantial number of new entries- both technological innovations and traditional knowledge- has been collected from remote corners of the region. Exemplary works have been done by Honey Bee Collaborators of Rajasthan and Uttaranchal in this respect. Some other state governments like Govt. of Delhi have taken special initiative to identify such outstanding innovations through the government machinery. This year womens’ contribution has increased significantly.
Dissemination Programmes
Eight (8) expositions and workshops were conducted/ participated in the region for dissemination and outreach. This includes workshops and expositions in Delhi, Chandigarh, Kanpur, Jaipur, Ajmer and Pilani. Active support from governments, industry associations, IITs etc were received in the programmes. Besides GIAN (N) has represented the cause of innovators at various forums and through print and electronic media.
Alliances for innovation augmentation
Effective linkages have been established with many organisations (totalling about 20) from the fields of science & technology, patent attorneys, NGOs, trade associations and development funding organisations. Objective is to strengthen the process of innovation at grassroots by linking student projects, technology inputs from faculty experts, facilitate design improvement, product development, testing and evaluation of the innovations, IPR protection as well as mentoring/ facilitating commercialisation and social diffusion of technologies.
The Road ahead
A humble beginning has been made. But there is long way to go to before the aspirations of the creative people at grassroots are met. New frontiers in value addition, IPR, commercialisation have opened up where formal sector has lent full support to the efforts of the informal sector. Now a renewed drive is needed to churn out viable products/ solutions from the immensely potential indigenous knowledge system and to link them with enterprise/ livelihood options.
NIF and GIANs have been systematically building synergies with organisations and institutes to facilitate up scaling of grassroots innovations with inputs on design, development, testing, IPR, diffusion and promotion of technologies. Now, with NIF’s convincing advocacy to the government, a micro venture fund is being set up to incubate and commercialise the outstanding innovations and traditional knowledge based best practices. This would lead to the socio-economic upliftment of the underprivileged section by way of employment generation, wealth creation, wider and better choices for the consumer and eventually usher in the paradigm of “innovative society”.
While GIAN (N) is committed to augment innovations from the Region, it has limitations too. Some concern areas are:
• Scientific/ technical validation of substantial number of innovations from diverse fields and wide geographical spread is a great. Answer lies in the involvement of scientists, specialists, students and volunteers in this great task. Also, availability of facilities for fabrication, testing and guidance on technological issues are essential for scaling up. Closer institutional linkages, access to and effective sharing of the resources/ knowledge of the formal sector is essential in overcoming this challenge. Technical Institutes, Research & development bodies, subject experts, techno-professionals and students can make a difference in this respect.
• Handholding support to innovation based micro enterprises is another issue of import. The commercialisation process involves market studies, business planning, assessment and valuation of technologies and outreach to prospective venture partner/ licensee. In addition, setting up and sustaining a new business in present day competitive environment is a formidable challenge. A virtual mentoring framework will be needed to show ways to the grassroots inno-preneurs. EDIs, business schools, industry associations, concerned government departments, economists, social entrepreneurs and business leaders can catalyse the required change process.
• Adoption and diffusion of technologies at a wider scale is of paramount importance. Initiatives of government departments, non-govt. development organisations, development funding institutions in this direction will ensure that desired benefits reach to the larger masses.
• To broadbase the innovation movement spearheaded by NIF/ GIAN, dissemination and awareness generation is critical. Role of media is extremely significant. Adequate space for representation of the grassroots endeavours needs be given in all media as well as in formal events/ forums. Such exposure in the public media can make a lasting impact on the cultural psyche of the nation towards this cause.
• Field officers and workers of government and NGOs can make a very big difference in identifying creative works and knowledge resources from remote corners and hinterlands of the country. They need to be sensitised and empowered to undertake this invaluable job of unearthing the hidden treasures. Similarly the efforts by individual volunteers and scouts need to be encouraged and strengthened. Integrating the scouting and dissemination process into Government and Non-Government sectors rural programmes will help immensely.
• The innovation orientation needs to be embedded in our learning system. Inclusion of exemplary creative works by unsung heroes and heroines of our society should find place in the curriculum. This surely will ignite the young minds to break away from beaten track. A proactive approach by the academics can surely make a sea change in this respect.
GIAN (N) with its limited capacity can hardly meet the challenges. But it believes, with effective networking and harnessing the power of distributed knowledge and shared resources, much can be achieved.
Institutional Networking
In the first year itself, effective linkages have been established with many organizations from fields of science & technology, technical & business education, legal & IPR, NGOs, trade associations and development funding organizations etc. GIAN (N) has been instrumental in forging alliance with IIT, Kanpur; especially with the SIDBI Innovation & Incubation Centre there. Similar associations are on the anvil with Universities of Agriculture & Technology in Udaipur and Panth Nagar and Entrepreneurship Development Institutes of Jaipur and Delhi. Also to scale up the innovations pertaining to agriculture and herbal practices, livestock management and farm machineries; GIAN (N) has formally entered into an understanding with Morarka Foundation for incubating and help commercialising these innovations from North India as well as other parts of the country.
• Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of Rajasthan
• Indian Institute of Technology -Delhi
• Indian Institute of Technology -Kanpur
• MNIT, Jaipur
• Aravali Institute of Management, Jodhpur (www.aravali.org )
• Birla Institute of Scientific Research, Jaipur (www.bisrjaipur.com )
• J.K. Agri Genetics, Jaipur
• SK Dynamics, Roorkee (www.skdynamics.com )
•Entrepreneurship & Management Development Institute, Jaipur (www.emirajasthan.org )
• Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur
• EMPI, Delhi (www.empiindia.com )
Patent Attorneys
• M/S Surana & Surana, Channai
• M/S Subramaniam, Nataraj & Associates, New Delhi
• M/S DP Ahuja & Company, Calcutta
• M/S Anand & Anand, New Delhi
• M/S Global Business Solutions, Chennai (http://www.gbsindia.net)
Industry Associations
• CII, Chandigarh
• CII, Jaipur
• TiE, Kanpur
Development Organisations
• SWRC, Tilonia
• URMUL, Bikaner
• Seva Mandir, Udaipur (www.sevamandir.org )
• Morarka Foundation, Jaipur
• SRISTI Gyan Kendra, Panthnagar
• National Innovation Foundation, Ahmedabad (www.nifindia.org)
• Honey Bee Network, Ahmedanad,
• SRISTI (www.sristi.org)
• Other GIANs
Students involvement
Students of premier technical institutes like IIT-Delhi, IIT- Kanpur and IIT- Kharagpur have worked on the technical documentation and technology gaps of innovations of North India. Market research/ techno-economic viability studies have been carried out students of premier management institutes like Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, Xaivier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar, IIT- Kanpur, IIT, Mumbai, Aravali Institute of Management, Jodhpur, MNIT, Jaipur on various innovative products from the region.