In defense of grassroots innovators: Celebrating the creativity of unsung heroes of our society

1. First time, a national register of inventions and innovations is being built so that (i) linkages between excellence in formal and informal science can be forged, (ii) innovators themselves can network each other, and (iii) global and domestic market can be created for local innovations to generate employment and remove poverty through knowledge intensive approach to development. This is a task too big for any one organization. NIF therefore, appeals to various members of civil society, besides the media personnel to help locate such individuals who have solved the technological problems entirely through their own genius

2. Building upon the experience of Honey Bee Network which has more than 10000 innovations and outstanding examples of traditional knowledge in its database,  NIF and SRISTI are trying to provide multimedia and multilanguage interfaces for rural and urban disadvantaged people to learn about the innovations and also become part of the creative and innovative interactive community.

3. A model registration system has already been initiated at the website of NIF (http://www.nifindia.org) initially in two languages but eventually it will be in all Indian languages. Innovators can register through any community or public internet kiosks or can post innovations on a plain paper directly or send it through anyone else. Anyone who is not innovator but knows one can also write. There are special prizes for those who scout innovations. We have micro lending and micro finance opportunities for the people widely available. It has changed the credit climate at grassroots level. But micro venture capital is still absent from the scene. NIF would invite private sector as well as individual contributions for setting up autonomous micro venture capital funds in different parts of the country to help convert innovations into enterprise.

4. GIAN (Gujarat Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network) set up by SRISTI (Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions), IIMA (Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad) and Gujarat Government has already demonstrated the scope of this linkage. GIAN has filed patents on behalf of the innovators, helped mobilise funds from TePP programme of DST and individual donors such as Friends of SRISTI in Singapore (comprising former students of IIMA) for supporting innovators and has also helped in licensing the technology to entrepreneurs. In one case, Rs. 84000/= have been paid by three entrepreneurs for licensing the right to manufacture and market a tilting bullock cart viz., Aruni in five districts for five years. Never before a technology has been licensed on district basis. That too when patent has only been filed and not granted and technology is easily copiable. NIF would help multiply such experiences all over the country. Already discussions are going on to set up GIAN in Tamil Nadu and South Bihar in collaboration with private sector.

5. NIF will provide a clearing house facility to the innovators so that they could mobilise resources or market their innovations anywhere in the world.