While appreciating the contributions of young technology students invited to showcase their innovations at second Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Awards recently at IIM-A, Ms Ela Bhatt, founder of SEWA expected the youth to spread the Gandhian philosophy through their action. A number of innovations recognised on the occasion were empathetic in nature.

Problem of a line man worried about electrocution, a blind person, an unsafe woman, scaling of fish, reminder system for pregnant women, a patient tracking system, energy from poultry waste, head load carrier, etc. were some of the triggers for innovative solutions shared by the students. There were many examples where students had made a trade-off between career-oriented projects and a socially relevant project.  

New interpretation of Gandhian values was necessary and Ela felt that the young boys and girls were imbued with the spirit of keeping solutions simple, frugal, socially relevant and sustainable. There were solutions that pushed the technological edge. Dr Mashelkar was unequivocal in his appreciation of the students pushing the technological edge and practising the spirit of MLM [More from Less for Many].  Instead of value for money, he stressed that the challenge was to produce value for many. Dr Gopi Katragadda, MD, GE India Technology Centre appreciated the range of innovations explored by students and underlined the importance of medical devices and diagnostics. Students have developed silk fibre based bio material to cure lower back pain, device to fix clubfoot orthosis, vision for the blind using ultrasonic senses, nano finishing of freeform surface of prosthesis knee joint implants, prognosis of diabetes based on non-invasive estimation using infra red thermography, vitamin B 12 diagnosis instantly, electronic support for deaf and dumb, etc.

Other technologies which impressed people are rubber-rubber nano composites, old saree cutting machines for making handlooms, robotic dredger for cleaning lakes, a memory aid for old people, niosome based drug delivery system for tuberculosis, self-cleaning functional molecular material, semi-automatic rubber tapping machine, high performance cooking stove, a cellphone for the visually challenged, a laser ignited internal combustion engine, a cow dung based microbial fuel cell, a jute bag making machine, bamboo epoxy, a digital pen which could write on any surface, a filter for sub micron particles from fluids, a device to estimate mineral composition of water through a portable spectrophotometer, etc. 

Ninety-three young people comprising 21 awardee teams and 22 appreciated innovations from all over the country demonstrated how excellence could be combined with what Dr Mashelkar underlined  as relevance. 

It is a pity that there is no fund in the country to take these ideas forward. The so-called India Inclusive Fund ignores the nascent ideas of youth, professionals and of course the informal sector. But things will change. A young country cannot ignore the innovations by the youth for too long. Hiranmay and his team of volunteers could manage a very complex process of scouting, documentation, screening and logistics of participation in a joyful and collegial manner. Prof Ganesh and his students at IIT-Bombay helped in the review process involving a very large number of institutions and experts in public and private sector in India and abroad.

The support from the unnamed volunteers from all the institutions of Honey Bee Network has made it possible for SRISTI to assure recognition to the young innovators. Dr Akshay Agrawal, vice-chancellor, Gujarat Technical University inducted 12 grassroots innovators from the state as visiting faculty of the university. Innovators felt highly empowered and charged that they can imbue the young generation with the lessons of their life about frugality and social connectedness. I hope other technical universities will take a cue and replicate the experience in respective states. We also hope that the young innovators will be mentored by the industry and academic leaders so that conversion of innovation into enterprise happens faster and more effectively. 

Department of Science and Technology [DST] has demonstrated that with a small support, a significant transformation can be brought about.  My only hope is the platform of techpedia.in will blend the passion, the purpose and the performance of technological youth of the country to create a new benchmark of originality, social relevance and excellence.