NIF Governing Council

Dr. R. A. Mashelkar Chairperson, NIF, President, Sh.A.K. Joti Chief Secretary Global Research Alliance,CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow, Government of Gujarat, Former DG, CSIR, Govt. of National Chemical Sachivalaya, Block no : 1, 3rd floor, Laboratory Dr. HomiBhabha Road, Pune - 411 008 020- Gandhinagar - 382 010. Phone:23220372, 2590 2605 / 2197, 020-2590 2607 (Fax)E- 23221105, 23250301 . Fax: (23243330, 23250305) mail:[email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Dr. S. Ayyappan Director General ICAR, Prof Anil K Gupta Executive Vice Chairperson, NIF Krishi Bhavan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, Indian Institute of Management New Delhi - 110 001. Phone: 011-23386711, 23382629 (O).Fax : Vastrapur, Ahmedabad - 380 015 011-23384773, 23387293. 079-2630 7241, 6632 4927 (O), 6632 7341 (D) E-mail: [email protected] Fax : 079-2630 7341, 98250 14437 (M) Dr T Ramasami Secretary, E-mail: [email protected] Dept. of Science & Technology Ministry of Science & National Innovation Foundation Ms. Elaben Bhatt ,Chairperson Self-Employed Women Technology Technology Bhawan, AssociationSEWA Reception Centre New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi 110 016, Opp: Victoria Garden, BhadraAhmedabad 380 001. India 011-26510068, 26511439 (O) Phone: 079-2550 6477, 44, 41(O), 2755 2215 Fax : 011-26863847 [email protected] (R)Fax : 079-2657 5965 E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Vijay Kelkar Chairman, 13th Dr. Samir Barua Director Indian Institute Finance Commission Hindustan Times House, Fourth of Management, Vastrapur, Floor 18-20 KasturbaGandhi Marg New Delhi 110 001, Ahmedabad - 380 015 India Phone:(O) 91-79-26324838(D), 26324831(Sec). Tel: 011-23359912, 13, Fax: 23705716 (R) 91-79- 26325501 Fax : 91-79-26306896. [email protected],[email protected] E-mail:[email protected] Mr. Ashok Chavla Mrs. Sheila Sangwan ,Financial Finance Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of Advisor, DST,Department of Science & Technology, India Ministry of Finance, Government of India Financial Advisor,DST Ministry of Science & North Block, New Delhi 110 001 ,India Technology, Ministry of Science & TechnologyTechnology Bhawan, New Mehrauli Road, 011-2374 2100 Fax : 011-2334 3478 New Delhi - 110 016 ,India 011-26513883, Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala The Telecomm. 26963689, Fax : 011-26513883 [email protected] and Computer Networking Group Department of Electrical Engineering Sec -Jeyanti Prof. Inderjit Khanna I. A. S. (Retd.) Chairperson, GIAN-North A-241, Shivanand IIT-Madras, Chennai- 600036 MargMalviya Nagar, Jaipur - 302 017, Rajasthan Phone :Ph: 044 22570120/ 22574408, 98400 16781 (M) 0141-2523340 Fax : 0141- Fax : 044 22570120 [email protected] [email protected] Ms Ranjana Kumar Plot No. 81, Whisper Prof Kuldeep Mathur Retired Professor Valley , Dargah/Jubillee Hills Down Road, B - 083, Belvedere Park, DLF City, Phase - III - 500 008, Andhra Pradesh, India Gurgaon - 122 002

Mr D Rajgopalan [email protected] Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat, Sachivalaya Shri R Gopalakrishnan Executive Director , Block no : 1, 3rd floor, Gandhinagar - 382 010 Tata Sons, Bombay House, 24, Homi Mody Street, Fort, 400 001 022-66657646 / 8282 Fax : 022-6665 8017 [email protected] Prof. Kuldeep Mathur Retired Professor Chief Innovation Officer B - 083, Belvedere Park, DLF City, Phase - III Gurgaon -National Innovation Foundation 122 002 0124 -406 9938/39, 98680 90038(M) Bungalow No 1, Satellite Complex [email protected], Premchandnagar Road, Satellite [email protected] Ahmedabad – 380 015 1 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge The Genesis Green Grassroots Innovators The National Innovation Foundation (NIF), supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, was set up in Honey Bee Network F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 0 u n d e r t h e chairpersonship of Dr R. A. Mashelkar, State / Regional Collaborators, Nodal Officers, Vo lunteers, R&D Institutions, NGOs, Students, Innovators Associations, GIANs President, Global Research Alliance and former Director General, CSIR to fulfill the long felt need for recognizing, respecting and rewarding innovations Dissemination & Incubation , Micro a n d o u t s t a n d i n g t r a d i t i o n a l Scouting & Information Value Addition & Venture &

knowledge at the grassroots. The Documentation Technology Pro duct Business IPR Management Honey Bee Network, starting with a Applications Develo pment Development handful of volunteers twenty years ago, triggered a movement to scout, spawn and sustain unaided creative and innovative urges in unorganized sector of our society. NIF, while building upon the Honey Bee philosophy, has taken this initiative forward. Advisory Committee of Advisory Committee of expert grassroots innovators Nat ional Coordinators Science and Technology NIF provides an institutional platform for the knowledge-rich, economically from Informal Sector Experts poor people to learn from each other as well as formal scientific and other institutions. It is committed to making India innovative by documenting, adding value, protecting the intellectual property rights of the contemporary unaided grassroots technological innovators, as well as of Chief Innovation Officer outstanding traditional knowledge holders on a commercial as well as non- commercial basis.

Objectives Executive Vice Chairperson

· To help India become an innovative and creative society and a global leader in sustainable technologies by scouting, spawning and sustaining grassroots innovations. Chairperson · To ensure evolution and diffusion of green grassroots innovations in

a time bound and a mission oriented manner so as to meet the socio- economic and environmental needs of our society. · To facilitate scaling up of grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge with or without value addition through commercial Governing Council and/or non-commercial channels.

NIF Update 2009 2 3 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge · To influence public policy and conduct, co-ordinate as well as support Scouting & Documentation research, design and development efforts in the country on grassroots innovations so as to strengthen technological Scouting and Documentation of innovations is the first step towards the competitiveness of farmers, artisans, mechanics, etc., in the informal fulfillment of the mission of NIF. sector.

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A Organizational Structure Scouting involves extensive fieldwork,travel in rural and urban areas, NIF is governed by a Governing Council consisting of several distinguished organizing Shodh Yatras in search of ‘odd balls’ – the experimenters – local members and is chaired by Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, former Director General, community and knowledge experts in the society. The purpose is: CSIR. Prof. Anil K. Gupta, IIM, Ahmedabad is the Executive Vice Chairperson. · Scouting innovations and traditional knowledge practices with the help of grassroots level functionaries of education, agriculture, rural development, small scale industry, Panchayati Raj institutions, NGOs, Functional Areas: building the value chain around grassroots innovations students, innovators and other individual volunteers, etc. · Screening, documenting and verifying the claims about these innovations NIF mobilizes a large network of stakeholders to provide all necessary help to and traditional knowledge through various networks of scientific and innovators and traditional knowledge holders, right from adding value to other institutions as well as through the Honey Bee Network their innovations, filing patents on their behalf to the collaborators, study of existing databases, prior art, and field visits. possible business development or social diffusion. Details of five functions of · Experimenting with material and non-material incentive mechanisms for NIF are described here. Conceptually, every scholar or professional working encouraging innovators and traditional knowledge holders to produce, in NIF or its affiliated institutions is a multi-tasking person and role share and valorize their knowledge. distinctions are only meant for facilitating better coordination. · Obtaining Prior Informed Consent (PIC) of the providers of knowledge, innovations and practices.

NIF Update 2009 4 5 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge · Disseminating details about the innovations that the knowledge providers agree · Mobilizing support for product development proposals through different to share by putting them in the public domain through Honey Bee Newsletter and programs / projects either at local or international level. other media in order to enrich the repertoire of the local communities and · Building up of product development teams on contractual basis to get the informal knowledge experts. products and/or services developed through licensees/mentors · Supporting Shodh Yatras and other formal and informal mechanisms for sharing ensuring appropriate benefit sharing arrangements. knowledge in different parts of the country. · Establishing grassroots incubation centers like GIANs or GIAN cells to Value Addition & Research and Development coordinate regional product development activities jointly with other National Coordinators. Most of the innovations and/or traditional knowledge practices need optimization in · Seeking advice of domain expert members through Research Advisory design and/or product formulation through blending with modern science and Committee (RAC) meetings or otherwise, to scrutinize the innovations for technological inputs. Market prospects for many innovations will be very low their novelty, value, cost effectiveness, social impact etc. Further, the without proper value addition. The synergy is sought between formal and informal process of incubation is tracked through an Incubation Advisory science and technology, institutions and knowledge system. The tasks include: Committee so as to increase the probability of commercial success of the · Coordinating with public and private sector R & D institutions, academic innovations or traditional knowledge. institutions, private associations, industry clusters and innovation · Formulating strategies, undertaking detailed product planning and intermediaries. prototype development to improve energy efficiency, ergonomics and user convenience. · Analyzing the database/National Register and study the patterns in the nature of knowledge systems, networks and exchange mechanisms at

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NIF Update 2009 6 7 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge · Coordinating with various entrepreneurs, industry associations, · Pursuing with the government authorities, the possibility of NIF management institutions and incubators to mobilize mentoring and providing a certificate of inventions/ unique Traditional Knowledge management support for grassroots innovators and TK holders. accompanied by medium term protection so as to reduce transaction costs · Coordinating with private and public sector industrial and financial of the IP offices and the innovators. institutions and associations to link innovations with investment and · Coordinating with WIPO and other international patent offices to secure enterprise wherever possible. IP protection for grassroots innovators globally, wherever applicable. · Encouraging various industry associations and other developmental bodies to set up mechanisms for licensing innovations for business development. The benefits may be shared in an equitable manner with the Dissemination and Information Technology innovators and TK holders. In addition, a share may be contributed To help in developing databases at NIF based on knowledge, traced across towards conservation of nature, innovators association and for the country so far viz., National Register of Grassroots Innovations and community development. Outstanding Traditional Knowledge, People’s Knowledge Database (PKD · Providing financial assistance to innovators, TK holders and other i n c l u d e s p u b l i c d o m a i n b u t v a l i d k n o w l e d g e ) players in the supply chain for all activities related to technical and and Database of Knowledge from Professionals (i.e. entries received from business incubation. professionally trained knowledge holders). Other activities · Promoting entrepreneurship development for spreading various include: innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge through market and non- market channels. · Developing and maintaining the multilingual National Register of Innovations (contemporary innovations and traditional knowledge), Intellectual Property Rights Management people knowledge database and other information, electronic n e t w o r k i n g , w e b b a s e d m a n a g e m e n t o f v a l u e The only resource, as mentioned earlier, in which poor people are rich is their chain for grassroots innovations, designing and managing knowledge. Protection of their knowledge through intellectual property National Grassroots Innovations and TK Management Information rights and generating incentives for them becomes necessary to ensure System. knowledge-based approach to work. The activities necessary to achieve this · Coordinating with village level kiosks or common service centers at goal are: various public places, educational institutions and local bodies and help · Conducting and pursuing prior art search so that innovators can maintain establish decentralized Indian language databases of innovations and their competitive edge and uniqueness of each practice can be properly traditional knowledge. assessed. · Coordinating dissemination and publication activities of NIF in various · Coordinating with various intellectual property institutions and languages. Helping in diffusion of innovations and traditional attorneys to mobilize pro bono or paid help for grassroots innovators to knowledge on sectoral and regional basis to trigger experimental and file patents, trademark and other means of IP protection besides filing innovative ethic. applications on their behalf directly. · Managing the archive of all communications and maintain effective touch · Helping in licensing technologies to firms or individuals within or with latest trends in technologies which can be harnessed in support of outside the country with appropriate benefit sharing arrangements. grassroots innovators, develop an effective management information · Screening patents and other prior art on the traditional knowledge system, design and develop softwares in open source for use by the included in the National Register and oppose improperly issued patents, Honey Bee Network, and maintain websites of NIF and other partners. wherever possible.

NIF Update 2009 8 9 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network (GIAN) NIF organize biennial national award function to give away the national and www.gian.org state awards to grassroots innovators and outstanding traditional knowledge holders, children and local creative communities. NIF has been The first Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network (GIAN) was privileged to have had the last three awards given away by the Hon’ble established in Gujarat with the help of Gujarat Government, SRISTI and IIMA President of India. The next round of awards at Fifth National Grassroots with the primary objective to link innovations, investment and enterprise. Innovation Awards function will also be given by Hon’ble President of This idea was mooted at the International Conference on Creativity and India. This helps in boosting the morale of unsung heroes of our society, who Innovations at Grassroots (ICCIG), January 11-14, 1997, held at IIM have solved various technological problems on their own without any Ahmedabad, where the need for a micro-venture promotion and finance outside help. India is the only country in the world, which has taken such a support system to cater to the need of grassroots green innovators was bold initiative since 2000 to honour grassroots innovators from the informal recognized. sector of our society at the hands of the Head of the state. In addition, NIF also honours children for their creativity apart from those who scout and Following this model, another independent GIAN was set up at Jaipur contribute to the value chain or help in disseminating these innovations. (GIAN-North) in collaboration with Rajasthan Government. In addition, GIAN cells have been set up at different places with the active involvement of regional collaborators and technical institutions to incubate innovations for

product development and eventual setting up of enterprises.

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NIF Update 2009 10 11 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge A competition is to bring out the hidden creativity in the children and make them think beyond their text books.

Devices that The third such contest- IGNITE 09 (April 15, 2009 to September 15, 2009), saw can be inserted inside the exhaust pipes of all automobiles, that will participation of students from 82 districts of 21 states of the country. Over all not allow it to move, as soon as it releases 1344 entries were received, which ranged from sectors like energy, more than the specified limit of pollutants in the air. This device if removed will induce a environment, transport, general household utility items and solutions to very heavy penalty. many other societal problems. The award winners were announced on Satanik Pal, La Martiniere October 15th, the birth day of children’s favorite Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, for Boys, Kolkata former President of India, celebrated as the Children’s Creativity and Innovation Day by NIF.

Presently IGNITE 10 is in progress and the last date for receiving entries Harnessing creativity of children through post/courier or e-mail ([email protected]) is August 31, 2010. The result will be announced on October 15, 2010. NIF recognizes creative children through IGNITE - the National Competition for students’ technological ideas and innovation organised in In 2005, NIF collaborated with SRISTI in bringing out a special issue of Honey partnership with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Navodaya Bee celebrating the creativity of children. Hon’ble Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Vidyala Samiti, Society for Research and Initiatives in Sustainable then President of India wrote an inspiring editorial. He has again written the Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI) and others. The idea to organize such editorial of the last issue, April-June 2009. Buoyant by the success of the special children’s issue, NIF brought out a special multimedia CD featuring

children’s creativity.

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NIF Update 2009 12 13 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge (JIC) comprising Directors of leading CSIR labs, CSIR Headquarter and Knowledge through ICMR laboratories.

nominees of NIF has been constituted under the chairpersonship of DG, Under this MoU, only such claims would be

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Linkages with other distinguished institutes

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NIF Update 2009 14 15 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge validation, prototype development etc. NIF is working for prototype typhoid bacteria but also the ones taken from those patients who were development, testing and performance evaluation of mechanical, resistant to all the known drugs. ICMR virology Lab in Kolkata has agricultural and animal health related innovations. Fellowships have been demonstrated potential of this lead in the last one year. Likewise, a herbal provided to innovators from its own resources as well as through external drug developed by pooling traditional practices of several healers in Gujarat contributions such as CSIR. has proved effective against several veterinary diseases like bloat and mastitis. Bombay Veterinary College and Bangalore University have undertaken four practices for bloat, osteoblast and endoparasites. So far 209 projects have been taken for validation and value One practice related to fruit ripening and five products were analysed in addition in collaboration with CFTRI, Mysore for their food processing and nutritional properties. Recently different laboratories and Jabalpur Veterinary College has initiated screening of practices related to universities. Following the endoparasites. 27 practices related with plant protection and plant varieties MoU with CSIR and ICMR, are in different state of incubation in IHBT, Palampur, CPCRI, Kerala, cooperation with ICAR labs, NRCRM, Bharatpur, IIPR, CSUAT, and BHU, Varanasi. In addition, a n d S t a t e a g r i c u l t u r a l nearly 129 projects have been taken up for preliminary validation by universities, a large number of Sadhbav- SRISTI-sanshodhan laboratory in different categories. The reports projects have been taken up of 83 projects completed so far have been received and the rest are in progress. for validating technical claims Ribbed Tawa by Late Ravjibhai Savaliya, A great deal more can be achieved if only more resources could be allocated Gujarat of grassroots innovators or for value addition in at least five thousand leads at a time instead of only 50- traditional knowledge holders 100 leads. in formal research labs. Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun and Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur, are Intellectual Property Rights Protection actively involved in undertaking 14 engineering projects. Ten of these projects are being completed while remaining are in progress. Seventy-five NIF has filed 219 patent applications in India, seven patent applications in US practices have been screened for different ailments like diarrhoea, dysentery, and one under PCT. Out of these 33 patents have been granted in India and jaundice, malaria, stye, pain and inflammation in NBRI & CIMAP, Lucknow five patents in USA. Besides the above patent applications, 15 Trademark and IGIB, New Delhi. Ten traditional knowledge practices related to typhoid, applications have been filed, out of which three have been granted in India. jaundice, arthritis, hypertension, and diabetes are in process of validation in Apart from these, applications for registration of five designs and 11 farmer ICMR, Kolkata, Loyla College, Chennai and LM College of Pharmacy, varieties in PPV&FRA have also been filed. Ahmedabad. In the recently concluded Joint implementation sub-committee Information Technology and Dissemination meeting (Mechanical and energy group), part of MoU with CSIR, several projects have been considered for value addition. NIF has taken up several steps to use ICT based applications to create wider awareness about innovations at grassroots. Currently a major exercise is Outstanding results have been achieved in some of the cases. A herbal lead underway to create people oriented MIS for NIF with the cooperation of a from Jharkhand, proved effective against not just the ordinary private company.

NIF Update 2009 16 17 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge Business Development Maldives, Brazil, and U n i t e d S a t e s o f

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s M a c h i n e : M a l a w i , termite infestation and promoting plant growth. Seven veterinary products 1 2 Bangladesh. This has for curing ailments viz., Coccidiosis, Immunity in birds, Mastitis, strengthened the model Galactogogue, Diarrhoea, Wound and Bloat were also licensed to the developed by Honey company though these have not taken off in any major way. Bee Network called as G2G (grassroots to global).

TM Students Club for Augmentation Innovations (SCAI) Chapters: Apart from Grassroots to Global (G2G): Technology partnership the existing chapters in various Colleges and Universities spread across India, offers for manufacturing and/or marketing during new chapters have been set up to work in collaboration with NIF for scaling the last years were received from countries like China, up various innovations for testing, validation, enterprise planning, etc. Taiwan, Nigeria, Uganda, Australia, United States, Students from various SCAI chapters have shown tremendous interest in Holland, United Kingdom, Iran, Germany, taking up various projects. The various annual Business Competitions, Philippines, Pakistan, etc. Though majority of these DISHA, SAAKAR, PRATYANCHA and Re-KRITI have been organized in Grassroots to Global have not yet materialized. But efforts are under way. coordination with IIM, Ahmedabad, IIM Indore, SPJIMR, Mumbai, XLRI, Jamshedpur and DAIICT, Gandhinagar etc. Till June 2009, NIF received more then 581 product enquiries, including 126 Micro Venture Innovation Fund (MVIF): NIF’s efforts for setting up a high queries from abroad. It is worthwhile to note that NIF has succeeded in risk fund dedicated to support grassroots innovation and traditional commercializing various products to various countries in five continents so knowledge bore fruit when MVIF was setup with the help of SIDBI in October far, for instance, 1) Pomegranate deseeding machine: Turkey and United 2003. Since its inception, a total of 143 projects have been sanctioned under Sates of America, 2) Coconut climber: Australia, West Indies, MVIF, which are at different stages of incubation.

NIF Update 2009 18 19 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge Technology Licensing: Since inception NIF through the GIANs and its other profiled a few innovators for its television program ‘Beyond Tomorrow’. It collaborating partners have undertaken 50 cases of technology licensing. has shown these beautifully filmed stories many times afterwards. To highlight the role of the grassroots innovators, NDTV India ran a regular Dissemination: Photo Essays on Innovations from Indian States series ‘India Innovates’ in English and ‘Aavishkar India’ profiling innovators across the country for one year. In 2006, Eenadu newspaper, a premier daily In order to generate awareness about NIF’s activities and to involve published from Hyderabad carried an article every week on grassroots governments more closely in the promotion and development of grassroots innovations, which generated tremendous response. Outlook India, a leading innovations, on the advice of Dr. Vijay Kelkar, Chairman, 13th Finance national weekly published an article on the innovators in its November 2006 Commission, NIF has brought out a series of photo essays on innovations edition. BBC London covered the 2006 December Shodhyatra in Northern from different states. The first of the series, a book on innovations from India and subsequently profiled some of the innovators in its program in Himachal Pradesh, was presented to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh January 2007. AajTak Channel, a leading Hindi news channel also carried out by Dr. Kelkar in June 2008. Following this, the books on innovations from all a small news series on these grassroots innovations in January 2007. NIF’s 4th the states have been presented to the Chief Ministers and Governors of the Award function was well covered by leading local and National Dailies. One respective states. These have been put up at the websites of NIF as well as the of our workshops in Manipur (July 2007) was elaborately covered by Chicago 13th Finance Commission. Tribune and a leading Manipuri News Channel, ISTV. CNBC TV 18 carried a Media Interaction series stories on innovations through 2007. CNN IBN aired a series of programme “Ideas to Life” in August 2008 showcasing rural innovations. Activities of NIF got a big thrust with the interest shown by premier National Currently leading newspapers like The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle and and International Television Channels. In 2006 Discovery Channel-India magazine Yojana are carrying out stories of innovations from NIF database regularly. Articles in The Hindu have generated tremendous business and

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The traditional knowledge is generating respect out of its efficiency. There is no need for scholars to pay attention to people’s knowledge only out of social consideration. They should evaluate it in their own professional interest to generate more viable and sustainable solutions. Similarly, in the food processing sector, the first herbal fruit ripener might be contributed by the traditional knowledge holder members of the Honey Bee Network through CFTRI. Recently, another CSIR lab, IHBT brought out the stabilizing effect of a plant amendment to neem based pesticide such that neem based active

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NIF Update 2009 22 23 In support of Grassroots Innovations & Traditional Knowledge