| More
Information |
|
|
|
|
| Category |
News and Views |
|
|
| Title |
BBC profiles Indian grassroots innovators |
|
|
| Details |
A Workshop on Green Grassroots Innovations, Incubation and Enterprises was organised by SRISTI, GIAN and NIF on January 22, 2007 at, Indian Institute of Management campus, Ahmedabad. Slected innovators were profiled, innovations documented and discussions for valorizing there rural technologies were held. Sessions on strategies for taking ideas to markets and training on micro incubators were also organized. A team from BBC specially flew in from London to witness the event and record it. The same was telecast on August 20, 2007 BBC channel two and later also at Discovery channel in India.
The pool of innovators present was an interesting mix of young and old. On the one hand, we had student innovations like pedal operated washing machine of Remya Jose, battery charger using cow dung by Nirrottam Kumar, balance for the blind by students from Kerala, while on the other we had innovations from seasoned innovators like the mobile operated switch byPrem Singh Saini, chaff cutter with clutch and brake arrangement by Kamruddin Saifi, Appachchans' tree climber, modified wood stove by Bharat Agrawat, tongs and natural water cooler of Arvind Patel amongst others. The main attraction though was the amphibious bicycle and the water skating shoes by a septuagenarian, Dwarka Prasad Chouraisya, who made these more than three decades ago.
Students from IIM also actively participated in the discussion and gave their suggestions to scale up these activities. Innovators having workshop facilities offered to extend all possible support to those who needed such an infrastructure for their work.
Partnering in the pursuit of knowledge
Wishing to be a partner in the innovation movement and boost creativity among the students, the Directorate of Public Instruction, Government of Kerala organised an orientation workshop for students and teachers at Peermade, Idduki from 19th-21st May, 2007. Honey Bee regional collaborator, Peermade Development Society was the co-organiser of the event. A team from NIF also participated in the event.
The students and the district science club secretaries from all over Kerala participated in the workshop, where they were sensitized about the value of grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge and the concept of Prior Informed Consent. They were told about the scouting and documentation process, which was followed by a brief field visit for documentation and subsequent discussion.
Gujarat innovators profiled by Al Jazeera
A team from Al Jazeera Channel, London visited Gujarat on 13th-14th April, 2006 when innovators Premjibhai from Saurashtra, Arvindbhai Patel and Sheikh Nazim from Ahmedabad, Mansukhbhai Patel from Viramgam, Amrutbhai Agravat and Bhanjibhai Mathukia from Junagarh were profiled. Later the team visited IIM and also recorded some of the proceedings of the Herbal Healers Workshop organised by SRISTI and NIF.
Vanrai Tractor gets the nod!!!
The 10 HP tractor, Vanrai, developed by innovator Bhanjibhai Mathukia from Junagarh, which was sent to CFMTTI, Budani, MP in May 2005 for testing has finally been cleared and the reports received in June 2007. The tests were performed for roadworthiness, safety and agricultural operations norms. The tractor has already been patented in India and USA. Now after the go-ahead from the certifying authority, work on its commercialization has started.
|
|
|
| Volume No. |
Honey Bee, 18(2):25, 2006 |
