New Delhi (The Hawk): The first ever Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) at Gandhinagar concluded on a high note last night, with the AYUSH sector witnessing Letter of Intents (LoIs) of over Rs 9,000 crores.&nbsp;The investment proposals have come across major categories like FMCG, Medical Value Travel (MVT) and services, pharmaceuticals, technology &amp; diagnostics, and farmers &amp; agriculture.During the summit, more than 70 MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) were signed between countries, prestigious research institutes, the farmers groups and industry.&nbsp;Other than international exchanges, an MoU was signed between the Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Defence to start AYUSH facilities in over 35 cantonment areas across India.Speaking at the valedictory function, Union Minister for AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal said that the Summit has been instrumental in developing an enabling framework to attract investments in the sector. “The investors and the entrepreneurs of the whole world have realized the comparative advantages which AYUSH is offering, and its strengths” he added. Shri Sonowal further said the investment and innovation opportunities in the field of AYUSH are limitless.Also speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Sport &amp; Youth Affairs and Information &amp; Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur said the market size of the AYUSH has witnessed a quantum jump from just over $3 billion in 2014 to $ 18 billion today, clocking a phenomenal annual growth of 75%.&nbsp;The Minister expressed hope that the country will soon see many Start-ups and businesses investing in this sector.&nbsp;To encourage competition, Shri Anurag Thakur said we need better packaging of our products and this should be complemented with aggressive marketing and branding.The Minister further remarked that “The time has come for India to become Vishwa Guru in traditional medicine. We must work in the spirit of One Earth, One Health and promote Heal in India, making our country the hub of medical tourism” The Governor of Gujarat Shri Acharya Devvrat was the Chief Guest at the valedictory session of the Summit. MoS for Tourism Shri Shripad Yesso Naik and MoS for AYUSH Dr. Mahendra Munjapara were also present during the function.The Global Ayush investment and Innovation Summit, 2022 was a distinctive effort by the Government of India to attract the world’s attention to India’s ancient wisdom and traditional knowledge, and capitalize on it to pave the way for a sustainable future. The Summit was organized in line with Sustainable Development Goal Number 3 of promoting “Good Health and Well-being.”The Summit wrapped up with a total of five plenary sessions, eight roundtables, six workshops, and two symposiums, all packed into a short time span of three days. The summit witnessed the presence of 90 eminent speakers and 100 exhibitors. It also saw participation of more than 30 FMCG companies including Amul, Dabur, Kama Ayurveda, Accord, AyurVAID, Natural Remedies, Ambro Pharma and Patanjali.The Global AYUSH Investment &amp; Innovation Summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jagnauth and Director General of World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on April 20th.

 The first ever Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) at Gandhinagar concluded on a high note last night, with the AYUSH sector witnessing Letter of Intents (LoIs) of over Rs 9,000 crores. The investment proposals have come across major categories like FMCG, Medical Value Travel (MVT) and services, pharmaceuticals, technology & diagnostics, and farmers & agriculture.

First-Ever Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit In Gandhinagar Concludes

 The first ever Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) at Gandhinagar concluded on a high note last night, with the AYUSH sector witnessing Letter of Intents (LoIs) of over Rs 9,000 crores. The investment proposals have come across major categories like FMCG, Medical Value Travel (MVT) and services, pharmaceuticals, technology & diagnostics, and farmers & agriculture.







New Delhi (The Hawk): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Earth Sciences, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Science and Technology, MoS PMO and Minister of State Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances Dr Jitendra Singh today laid stress on building Sustainable Start-ups with indigenous innovation. He said, for Start-ups to remain sustainable, innovation has to become a dynamic process.Speaking at the inaugural event of “Iconic 75 Industry Connect (‘i’ Connect)” at Jorhat, Assam, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the innovative Start-ups by the young entrepreneurs have to shoulder responsibility for the next 25 years of glorious journey, when we celebrate 100 years of India’s Independence as a frontline nation in the world. He said, the aim of industry connect is to explore globally benchmarked technologies and products for making the country self-sustaining and self-generating. He said, while our research establishments are well equipped and competent to develop the world class technologies and products in laboratories, there is a gap in terms of taking these to market and ultimately to the society for the benefit of common women and men of the country.<img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/Jorhat01IRM2.jpg">&nbsp;Dr Jitendra Singh said, research and industry share a reciprocal relationship to thrive and grow and he urged the industry to have an equal stake in R&amp;D through meaningful investment for making and taking the world class products from laboratories to market. He also underlined the need for Brand building of the products to carve a niche in Indian and world markets.Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Government-Industry Connect, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the iconic 75 Industry Connect ('i'-connect) events are aimed at forging partnership with industry in 10 thematic /focus areas. He said, this is the consolidate efforts of DSIR/CSIR, DBT, DST, MoES and other scientific departments of the Government of India to reach out to industry. Coming together of several scientific departments for the cause of science is a phenomenon seldom seen before and the “Team Sprit” is the key mantra of the Government, the Minister added.Dr Jitendra Singh said, the reason to start the series of industry i-Connect from Jorhat in Assam stems from Prime Minister’s high priority for the development of the North-Eastern Region. He reminded that in 2014 itself, Modi had made it clear that the priority of the government is to bring the underdeveloped regions of North-East, J&amp;K and other Hill states and Island territories at par with developed region of the country. The Minister expressed hope that N-E region as a land of unexplored potential will become destination of future Start-ups, entrepreneurship and new investment, due to its rich bio-diversity and huge bamboo resources.Dr Jitendra Singh lauded the role of scientific organizations like CSIR, ISRO, DAE, DRDO, ICAR on one hand and DBT, DST and MoES on the other, to name a few, in India’s progressive journey and at the same added that the industry knows the intricacies of process of taking the technologies from labs to land. He said, in view of this, the forging of partnerships with industry is of paramount importance and called for further strengthening of ties between academia and industry to develop cutting edge technologies and products and deliver them in shortest possible time frame to realise the vision of Prime Minister for “Samarth” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.<img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/Jorhat3S65P.jpeg">Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that CSIR, the country’s premier industrial research organisation is known for its close relation with the industry and said that in the past it had contributed to the development and support to industries in areas like catalyst industry, agrochemical, pharma and leather to name a few. The Minister informed that each 'i'-Connect event would include a variety of programs such as mega industry conferences, plenary talks, technical exhibitions, B2B meetings, round table discussions as well as breakout sessions which would enable promotion and fostering of business(es).Dr Jitendra Singh said that today’s event will provide a platform for interaction amongst important group of technology experts, government leaders, academic scholars, industry captains and start-ups; reaching out to MSMEs and Start-ups in consolidated manner with focus on funding, technology development, technology transfer;&nbsp;identification and establishment of Network (Govt scheme, R&amp;D setup, Industry, MSMEs, startup, Academia) around focus areas; and finally capturing the requirements of industry. He hoped that this would pave the way for more synergistic collaboration with industry and other stakeholders.In his concluding remarks, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this unique series of 75 Industry Connect ('i'-connect) events put up by the Ministries of Science &amp; Technology &amp; Earth Sciences to showcase the achievements in diverse S&amp;T areas is part of several iconic events in line with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations of the Govt. of India which commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. He said, the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is dedicated to every countryman who has played active role in evolutionary journey of the country and potential and determination to support the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s initiatives for self-reliant India and a global economy.The Minister said, as outcome of these events, he will look forward to receiving the White Papers for thematic areas for collaborative research and technology development. This should have definitive targets and well thought plan / roadmap for achieving the same with strict timelines.In his address, Shri Keshab Mahanta, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology and IT, Assam Government said that CSIR Compendium of Technologies for Entrepreneurship of Relevance in North East India will help in building technology-based entrepreneurship in the entire region. He said that Assam Government is financially supporting local innovations and start-ups to help them scale at national and global level. He said, Climate Change has emerged a key area of concern and research and the government is roping in industry and academia to find out green solutions to face such challenges.Dr V. K. Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog in his address said that in the last 7-8 years, India has jumped from 85 to 47th rank in Global Innovation Index and that has created a major cultural shift in the start-ups culture in the country. He said, we can further leapfrog in the Innovation Index by bringing more and more industry in innovation eco-system.A Presentation on CSIR Technologies in areas like Medicinal, Aromatic &amp; Floriculture plants and their value addition, Food technologies and Leather &amp; leather products were made before the august gathering.Dr Jitendra Singh also released CSIR Compendium of Technologies for Entrepreneurship of Relevance in North East India on the occasion.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Earth Sciences, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Science and Technology, MoS PMO and Minister of State Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances Dr Jitendra Singh today laid stress on building Sustainable Start-ups with indigenous innovation. 

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh calls for Sustainable Start-ups with indigenous innovation

Bengaluru: Enhanced cooperation between India and Bangladesh can go a long way in strengthening their position in the apparel industry and making South Asia the hub for apparel and textile innovations, Bangladesh's High Commissioner H.E Muhammad Imran said here on Saturday."Efforts are being made to boost cooperation between the two countries, and am confident that the Apparel Sourcing Week (ASW) 2022 will play a key role in this," he said.The ASW 2022, Asia's premier sourcing show for the apparel industry, has been held successfully in Bengaluru with new opportunities and avenues to strengthen India-Bangladesh collaboration and bilateral trade and make Asia the global Apparel Sourcing Hub. Organised by Apparel Resources, ASW is taking place in Bengaluru with an overwhelming response from all partners.Some of the topics to be covered on Saturday of ASW 2022 include Mitigating Risks in Sourcing, D2C Opportunities for Fashion, among other panel discussions and industry sessions.Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran, Shelley Salehin, Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Chennai, and Faruque Hassan, President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), were the guests of honour at the inauguration held on Friday. ASW 2022 features an expanded line-up of manufacturers from leading apparel hubs from across the globe including India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh who are showcasing their manufacturing prowess to established and emerging brands.Major Asian economies including India, Japan and China are making Bangladesh their sourcing destination for garment items. In fiscal 2020-21, Bangladesh exported garment items worth 421.86 million to India, which was $420.73 million in fiscal 2019-20, according to an official statement.ASW 2022 also endeavours to take India-Bangladesh collaboration in the industry to the next level by building on the existing and potential synergies between the two countries. The event is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors from India and overseas, representing the biggest Indian and international apparel retailers/brands and buyers from traditional markets like the US and Europe as also non-traditional markets like China, Japan, and Australia. —IANS

Enhanced cooperation between India and Bangladesh can go a long way in strengthening their position in the apparel industry and making South Asia the hub for apparel and textile innovations, Bangladesh's High Commissioner H.E Muhammad Imran said here on Saturday.

'Enhanced Cooperation Between India, B'desh Will Make S Asia Hub For Apparel Innovations'

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has scored the highest in business environment, that is 40.80 and has improved its performance by two places in India Innovation Index 2021 - a comprehensive tool for the evaluation and development of the country's innovation ecosystem.The State has been ranked 'seventh' amongst the major states as compared to ninth rank in the year 2020. The India Innovation Index 2021 report was released by NITI Ayog.It is due to improvement in overall business environment, high cluster strength and significant share of manufacturing and service sector as a percentage of GSDP.According to the official spokesman , the state has emerged in the top five states under the knowledge-output pillar. This high score is an outcome of a rise in start-ups and new businesses.Chief Executive Officer of Invest UP, Abhishek Prakash said: "Innovation led entrepreneurship is key to 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' programmes and we are determined to create an innovation-friendly environment to give further impetus to start-ups, manufacturing and services."With the score of 6.18, Uttar Pradesh has scored above the national average of 5.81 in Knowledge Diffusion due to a high share of ICT exports, high-tech exports and citations.Knowledge Diffusion indicates knowledge absorption capacity of the state. It has two sub pillars -- knowledge dissemination, and creative goods and services.Knowledge Dissemination includes indicators linked to sectors that are key to innovation, such as- software exports, high-tech exports, high and medium-high-tech manufacturing entities.India Innovation Index, prepared by NITI Aayog and the Institute for Competitiveness, is an assessment framework which ranks the states and the union territories on their innovation performance.The third edition of the index released by NITI Ayog highlights the scope of innovation analysis in the country by drawing on the framework of the Global Innovation Index.The number of indicators has increased from 36 (in the India Innovation Index 2020) to 66 (in the India Innovation Index 2021) which are distributed across key pillars like human capital, investment, knowledge workers, business environment, safety and legal environment, knowledge output, and knowledge diffusion. —IANS

Uttar Pradesh has scored the highest in business environment, that is 40.80 and has improved its performance by two places in India Innovation Index 2021 - a comprehensive tool for the evaluation and development of the country's innovation ecosystem.

UP Scores Highest In Business Environment

New Delhi:&nbsp;Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday called for innovations in the field of ammunition for the creation of a “strong and self-reliant” base that keeps the Armed Forces fully prepared to deal with future challenges.He was addressing the inaugural session of the second conference on Military Ammunition (Ammo India) on the theme “Make in India Opportunities and Challenges” in New Delhi.The Defence Minister described advanced ammunition as the “reality of the new age warfare, which is a must for India, given its regional &amp; global imperatives and security challenges”.“Scientific &amp; technological as well as the economic development of a nation is reflected in the capacity of its weapons and ammunition. The development of ammunition is crucial not only for security, but also for socio-economic progress of the country. For India to become a world power and one of the leading countries in defence production, we must move forward in the indigenous design, development &amp; production of ammunition,” he asserted.Singh noted that the government, realising the “crucial role” that the private sector can play in strengthening the defence sector, has removed “many barriers”, which were earlier prevalent.He said, from capping the participation of bidders, criteria of financial eligibility or the issue of credit ratings, the government has given considerable relaxation.He exhorted the public and private sectors, research and development establishments, start-ups, academia and individual innovators to explore newer avenues which can create a base that caters to the needs of the Armed Forces, ensuring their enhanced preparedness.Singh also emphasised the importance of precision guided ammunition, saying that it will play a major role in future warfare due to its constantly-evolving nature. “The employment of precision guided ammunition at ‘Muntho Dhalo’ base played an important role in India’s victory in 1999 Kargil war. It also ensured success during 2019 strikes on terror camps in Balakot Earlier, only the size and explosive capacity of bombs mattered, but now their smartness is equally important.”The Defence Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to achieve “Aatmanirbharta in Defence”, and said that all efforts are being made to empower the domestic industry, which can equip the Armed Forces with home-grown world-class weapons/systems, crucial for bolstering national security.He pointed out that the three positive indigenisation lists notified by Ministry of Defence clearly indicate the government’s emphasis towards indigenous manufacturing of ammunition. “Be it Guided Extended Range rockets for Pinaka, Advanced Light Weight Torpedo, Anti-Radiation Missiles or Loitering Munition, there are 43 such items in the third list.”Singh appreciated the fact that six of the seven new defence companies, which were carved out of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board, have reported profit within six months of their inception.Munitions India Limited has received export orders worth Rs 500 crore, he said, terming the achievement as an indicator to the huge potential of the ammunition industry in the country.The Defence Minister also inaugurated an exhibition showcasing products developed by the Indian Navy, DPSUs and the private sector.—IANS

 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday called for innovations in the field of ammunition for the creation of a “strong and self-reliant” base that keeps the Armed Forces fully prepared to deal with future challenges.

Defence Minister Calls For Innovation In Ammunition For Self-Reliance

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday called for innovations in the field of ammunition for the creation of a “strong and self-reliant” base that keeps the Armed Forces fully prepared to deal with future challenges.

Chennai:&nbsp;The Tamil Nadu government will soon unveil a new Startup and Innovation policy to encourage new startups targeting the socio-economic development of the State, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Tuesday. In the process he would ensure the involvement of new entrepreneurs and youth into the economic mainstream and also work towards achieving the USD 1 trillion economy, he said. "My dream is Tamil Nadu should become the numero uno investment destination in South Asia. Development has been planned to ensure adequate representation of regions and districts in the State," Stalin said while speaking at the Tamil Nadu Startups and Incubators meet here. "The Dravidian model of governance aims at striving with the noble aim of making everything available to all," he said. Since his government came to power, six investor conclaves were organised with an investment commitment of Rs 2.20 lakh crore, he said. Previously, the Startup and Innovation Policy was launched in 2019 by the then AIADMK government for enabling the ecosystem for startups and make the State a global hub in the sector. The Chief Minister launched three Startup Tamil Nadu Regional Hubs at Madurai, Tirunelveli and Erode and also 5 accelerator programmes in Industry 4.0 besides the i-TNT Hub in Anna University here coming up at a cost of Rs 54.6 crore. The i-TNT Hub is India's first emerging and DeepTech Innovation Network coming up on about 25,000 sq ft area. It will function as an accelerator-cum-incubator for startups working in DeepTechnologies. Startup TN Accelerator is designed to propel growth stage startups with a minimum viable product to the next stage through rigorous upskilling, mentoring and access to the right resources. Under the third edition of the flagship Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Grant Fund (TANSEED), Stalin disbursed the first tranche of Rs 1.55 crore providing Rs 5 lakh each to 31 startup beneficiaries who included 18 women founders or co-founders, on the occasion.—PTI

The Tamil Nadu government will soon unveil a new Startup and Innovation policy to encourage new startups targeting the socio-economic development of the State, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Tuesday.

TN to unveil new Startup and Innovation policy soon: CM

Dr Krishna Ella* For me, the most inspiring story of our nation is the way our government pushed the start-up culture strongly, every policy and governance initiative have a huge in-built innovation factor. &nbsp;I deeply missed this culture when I returned to India way back in 1996, with a dream to build a self-reliant vaccine business with several roadblocks, we were a startup then.&nbsp;The most notable difference I have observed in recent times is the NITI Aayog's comprehensive national strategy for new India, which took a unique approach to inclusivity. There was a paradigm shift in the policy climate, with private investors and other stakeholders being encouraged and helped to achieve its goals, and to propel India to a USD 5 trillion GDP by 2030.&nbsp;Besides developing scientific and technological capabilities, our nation had the foresight to redefine the roles of CSIR laboratories, Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs), the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), a host of universities, and scientific institutions, which laid the foundation for the nation to accomplish many first in the advancement of science and technology.&nbsp;The Unicorn India &nbsp;India has produced more unicorns in the last 8 years than any other country, and stands second in the world after the United States for the largest number of start-ups being created.&nbsp;When the Prime Minister of the Nation announced that 44 of our 100 unicorns were formed in 2021, and 14 more unicorns were formed in quick succession in the same year this year, it was a source of pride for every Indian, and for me as a first-generation start-up entrepreneur, this demonstrated our nation's strength to remain strong and sustainable even during the global pandemic, as start-ups created wealth and value for the country.&nbsp;This amazing boom in the entrepreneurial ecosystem shows that India can inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, and the government has done an outstanding effort&nbsp;of encouraging it year after year through strategic implementation of an ecosystem and fundamentals that would support Indian start-ups and businesses to remain globally competitive, while allowing the dreams of an aspiring, confident and young India to take flight.&nbsp;The government's implementation of the Start-Up-India programme, which offers tax benefits and creates a fund of funds, the Invest India programme, and NITI Ayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to help start-ups develop and prosper, has been a major contributor to the rise of start-ups. &nbsp;Atal Innovation Mission, a flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in our country, and giving that extra push to women entrepreneurs, a new ecosystem was exemplary.&nbsp;Pharmacy of the world&nbsp;India continues to play a growing role in global drug security and strengthen its position as the world's pharmacy, thanks to a low-cost qualified work force and a well-established manufacturing base.&nbsp;Our country has also become a leading source of ground-breaking innovation, particularly when it comes to giving affordable life-saving vaccinations and medication to the most underserved populations around the world who need them the most.&nbsp;What began as a startup journey, Bharat Biotech is today a testament of how a startup grew to provide timely solutions to global problems. &nbsp;Bharat Biotech’s own efforts are a demonstration on how innovation aimed at key healthcare challenges not only saved countless lives but also demonstrated India’s indigenous vaccine development capabilities.&nbsp;In the global race to find solutions to contain and provide succour against SARSCoV2, India became the 3rd country in the world after the United States and United Kingdom to take it from clone to vial, and conducted all the clinical trials including for efficacy.&nbsp;The world’s 1st Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine, vaccines against Rotavirus, etc., and major pipeline innovations for vaccines against Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, Non-Typhoidal Salmonella, a key healthcare challenge in Africa, etc., are standing examples of India leading innovation for global problems.&nbsp;Push to Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for the promotion of domestic manufacturing of Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in India was one of the ground-breaking initiatives.&nbsp;As an entrepreneur and scientist, the visit of our Prime Minister to the Bharat Biotech production site was a defining moment for me.&nbsp;It reaffirmed the trust and commitment of the Government of India to the country and the world, while also further strengthening our commitment and invigorating the scientists and employees to meet the extraordinary challenge. &nbsp;It is a proud moment to be able to meet 97 percent of the country's vaccination needs for the COVID-19 vaccine from our homegrown companies. This achievement would not have been attainable without the assistance of our government during the Pandemic – A series of policy changes, quick approvals, and, most crucially, Government officials working around the clock was a game-changer, and it was a welcome development for any entrepreneur like me.&nbsp;Digitization &amp; Inclusivity – A pathbreaker &nbsp;Another important aspect of India's quick growth was the country's strong drive for digitalization and the digital economy, which included the introduction of the most disruptive digital payment mechanism, UPI. UPI is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive fintech breakthroughs the world has seen in recent years.&nbsp;It boosted eCommerce and made it easier for solopreneurs, small businesses, and medium-sized businesses to contribute to and participate in economic growth.&nbsp;Internet penetration in rural areas was another significant feature of New India. The CoWIN app, which was established during the Pandemic and connected over 100 crore citizens and their data, is perhaps the most incredible example for a&nbsp;country in the world with a digitised population of over&nbsp;85 percent. &nbsp;This has aided the nation's pandemic preparedness. The application and database are unlike any other solution deployed at scale anywhere around the world. The unique scientific data and insights should be leveraged for progress of research, and to create templates for managing future healthcare challenges and initiatives.&nbsp;With the data from CoWIN, the government can now&nbsp;easily combat a future pandemic or even track any outbreak of infection in a single location. The application has also made it easier to track, trace, and cure infections using epidemiology data.&nbsp;Public-Private Partnership &nbsp;For the nation to grow, Public-Private Partnership plays a tremendous role. It is a model to follow to succeed in the future in every field, especially in science, defence, medicine, and research.&nbsp;The success of Rotavac, Typhoid, and COVAXIN is a brilliant example of how the PPP model can create an impact.&nbsp;India's achievement with public-private partnerships is also a success story. With its Vaccine Development capabilities, the country has provided the globe with Rotavirus Vaccine, Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine, and the universal, world-class, affordable Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN.&nbsp;The government's most notable endeavour has been the development of the Innovation Cell and the appointment of a "Chief Innovation Officer" to boost innovation and the entrepreneurial ecosystem within our educational institutions.&nbsp;Today, academic institutions and Universities have their own Incubation Centres and are free to partner and collaborate with Government and Industry. COVAXIN, the result of a partnership between Bharat Biotech and ICMR-NIV during the pandemic clearly spells out what can be accomplished.&nbsp;India needs to further strengthen academic-industry collaboration, enable Indian universities to incubate more start-ups, and increase the confidence of venture capital firms to participate in high-risk science enterprises. &nbsp;Moreover, SBIRA -BIRAC Grants and Niti Ayog aid to further foster scientific advancement and vaccine development will pave the way for greater participation of entrepreneurship in the sector.&nbsp;This initiative helped create incubators across many Universities in India to tap young India to Innovate, backed by new programs and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors effectively.&nbsp;Unifying India&nbsp;For a nation to succeed, the biggest motivator is a unifying spirit between people and its leaders. &nbsp;The goal of a great nation would be to ensure adequate access to clean energy and safe water, where the best health care is available to all, where the governance is responsive, transparent and entrepreneurship is nurtured, and where poverty and illiteracy have been eradicated – a healthful nation that is one of the best places to live in. &nbsp;Thanks to various initiatives of the Government, start-ups, enterprises, risk capital funds, and enabling environment for freedom and ease of doing business, India has succeeded in witnessing increased disruption in the healthcare sector, where start-ups registered breakthrough innovations in products and services. &nbsp;These are all set to help the country further enhance the quality and reach of healthcare products and services to a larger section of the population not just within India but extend those benefits to nations across the globe to contribute to the wellbeing of the global population. &nbsp;I am sure India will witness an increased number of scalable enterprises from the now thriving start-ups in the years to come, enabling enterprises to further disrupt the medical and healthcare, science and technology fields to make healthcare much more affordable and reachable to masses across the globe.&nbsp;India has made great moves in its public health programs, which have been lauded by developed nations, and leaders across the globe. We have set the foundation for our nation to be even greater. &nbsp;This India is inspiring!! —The Hawk *Chairman &amp; Managing Director, Bharat Biotech

For me, the most inspiring story of our nation is the way our government pushed the start-up culture strongly, every policy and governance initiative have a huge in-built innovation factor. 

From a Start-up Nation to a Nation of Innovation 

New Delhi (The Hawk): Drone sector is a shining example of significant growth of innovation and start-ups in just the last few years. There are courses, educational degrees and opportunities to promote quality research and development in the drone sector. The educational institutions who have started courses or research and development on drones include: Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) Pune, International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad, Anna University, etc.This information was given by the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Drone sector is a shining example of significant growth of innovation and start-ups in just the last few years

Research and development in the drone sector

New Delhi (The Hawk): Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, who is also a deep-rooted researcher, shared with Union Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Earth Science; MoS of Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances &amp; Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh, some of the Agritech innovations developed by him, when the latter called on him at Raj Bhavan here.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, Acharya Devvrat, besides being Governor of an important State can be appropriately described as an Agritech StartUp, who has developed innovative methodologies in natural farming which are quite different from organic farming and at the same time, much more lucrative compared to several other avenues of livelihood.
Acharya Devvrat, who is a great votary of natural farming as a way to avoid the ill effects of chemicals used in conventional farming, informed Dr Jitendra Singh that only last week, he launched a PhD programme in Natural Agriculture by Gujarat University at the Indian Institute of Sustainability (IIS). He said, it will cover its various aspects like rural management, environment management, innovation, Agri-entrepreneurship, Agribusiness and Value Chain Management.
Acharya Devvrat supported the proposal of Dr Jitendra Singh for an integrated approach to promote Agritech Start-ups to make farming easy and more profitable by pooling the resources and experiences of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Council of Scientific &amp; Industrial Research (CSIR), and Department of Science and Technology at the Centre and other similar research bodies at Agricultural colleges and Universities.
Dr Jitendra Singh briefed the Gujarat Governor that a trend of Agri-tech Start-ups has come up in India in the last few years due to active encouragement provided by the Modi government to address the problems of Indian agriculture such as supply chain management, use of outdated equipment, improper infrastructure, and inability of farmers to access a wider range of markets with ease. He also pointed out that Prime Minister PM Modi launched 100 Made in India agricultural drones across the country in February this year, which carried out farm operations in unique simultaneous flights. The Minister said, many young entrepreneurs are now quitting their jobs in IT sectors and MNCs to establish their own StartUps in agriculture, dairy and other allied sectors with huge profit margins. Dr Jitendra Singh also informed Acharya Devvrat that the Council of Scientific &amp; Industrial Research (CSIR) became architect of “Purple Revolution” in India by introducing high-value essential oil-bearing lavender crop through its Jammu based laboratory, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM) for cultivation in districts Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Ramban, Pulwama, etc. In a brief span of time, aroma/lavender cultivation has become a popular option in farming for agricultural Start-up and it is now being replicated in other hilly States with similar climatic conditions like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and in North-Eastern States as a pilot project.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, Agritech Startups are providing innovative ideas and affordable solutions to a number of challenges faced all across the agricultural value chain and it has the potential to change the face of Indian agriculture sector and eventually raise farmers’ incomes.
Dr Jitendra Singh strongly advocated the use of modern and new technology in Agricultural sector and pointed out that countries like Israel, China and the US have transformed several agriculture practices in their country with the use of technology. He said, Startups are now providing solutions such as biogas plants, solar powered cold storage, fencing and water pumping, weather prediction, spraying machines, seed drills and vertical farming, which is bound to increase farmers income.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, who is also a deep-rooted researcher, shared with Union Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Earth Science; MoS of Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh, some of the Agritech innovations developed by him, when the latter called on him at Raj Bhavan here.

Gujarat Governor Shares His Agritech Innovations With  Dr Jitendra 

San Francisco: Robotic surgeons from the US, India and Spain were named the top three winners in the KS International Robotic Surgery Innovation competition, as robotic surgery slowly becomes mainstream.Advertisements
&nbsp;The winners were selected by an international jury form Oxford and Stanford Universities, and New-Delhi based AIIMS, from the fields of urology, gynaecology, general surgery, hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery, colorectal, head and neck, paediatric and joint replacement surgeries.
The winning entry of Dr Jihad Kaouk, department of urology, Cleveland Clinic in Ohio was titled ?Single Port Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation Extraperitoneal Approach' in the unique competition organised by Michigan-based robotic surgery evangelist Vattikuti Foundation. Dr Kaouk and his team modified the technique of robotic kidney transplant developed at the Vattikuti Urology Institute and Medanta Medicity. Kaouk used a da Vinci single port robot for truly minimally invasive surgery. "The early results of patients who had undergone robotic kidney transplant through this technique could go home in only 2 days," the foundation said in a statement. For 'Robotic Infraclavicular Approach for Minimally Invasive Neck Dissection,' the second award went to Dr Sandeep Nayak, Director, Surgical Oncology, Fortis Cancer Institute, Bengaluru. Dr Nayak innovated a robotic technique to perform very major cancer surgery of the head neck to clear the lymph nodes in the neck with quick patient recovery and minimal discomfort. The third award went to a team of Dr Alberto Piana, Dr Paolo Verri, and Dr Alberto Breda of Oncology Urology and Kidney Transplant Surgery, Fundacio Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain for their entry of '3D Augmented Reality Guided Robotic Assisted Kidney Transplantation'. The KS National Robotic Surgery Video' competition is being organised in India since 2015 by Vattikuti Foundation. This year, it went international for the first time. "As surgeons continue to innovate newer procedures in robotic surgery, the Vattikuti Foundation will continue to invest and make it accessible to other surgeons," said Raj Vattikuti, president of Vattikuti Foundation. —IANS

Robotic surgeons from the US, India and Spain were named the top three winners in the KS International Robotic Surgery Innovation competition, as robotic surgery slowly becomes mainstream.Advertisements.

Indian, US Surgeons Win Global Robotic Surgery Innovation Award

New Delhi: The government will set up 100 5G labs across the country and some of these labs will become incubators to train students, promote innovation, research and experiment, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday. "We are going to set up 100 5G labs across the country. I request the telecom industry to come together and convert at least 12 of these 100 labs into telecom incubators to train students and do experiments," he said on the second day of the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022 here. Vaishnaw said the government is working significantly towards simplifying the license regime for all telecom players. "I am really happy to see the energy of startups and MSMEs who are going to rural areas to benefit people," he told the gathering. The minister also invited comments for the draft of the Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the launch of 5G is going to be a defining moment for not only India but for the world. "A large economy like India which has talent is emerging from the shadows to take a leadership role. We are now indigenously designing, developing and manufacturing goods and showing the world the scale and speed with which we will take 5G through the length and breadth of India," he said at the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched 5G services and India ushered in an era of ultra high-speed Internet. "Today, 130 crore Indians are getting a wonderful gift in the form of 5G from the country and from the telecom industry of the country. 5G is a knock on the doors of a new era in the country. 5G is the beginning of an infinite sky of opportunities. I congratulate every Indian for this," he had said.
—IANS &nbsp;

The government will set up 100 5G labs across the country and some of these labs will become incubators to train students, promote innovation, research and experiment, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday.

 Govt will set up 100 5G labs to promote innovation: IT Minister

New Delhi (The Hawk): The Minister of State for Electronics &amp; Information Technology and Skill Development &amp; Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar today said that New India under PM Shri Narendra Modi has changed the discourse completely from being a country saddled in scams and red tape to one that the world looks up to for both Technology and Innovation leadership.
Addressing students at the Jyothi Engineering College in Thrissur, Kerala, the Minister said, “Technology and digitalisation are playing a significant role in shaping of the economies, the trades across the world and India is already taking the lead in that direction and coming decade will be India’s Techade full of opportunities for the young Indians.”
The Minister inaugurated a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics in the campus and expressed hope that it will encourage young Indians to venture into innovation and applications of AI and robotics in different fields. The Minister said there is already a wave of opportunities for innovation and startups in India and the Government looks up to students, entrepreneurs and startups from across the country to grab these opportunities and help India become the trusted tech partner of the world. Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who reached Thrissur earlier today, visited his first school St. Paul's, Kuriachira that he had joined as a five-year-old. He was given a ceremonial welcome with the school band presenting a march. He was happy to meet the students, teachers and caregivers at the school. He was shown his admission records that dated 1969—meticulously preserved by the school. Sister Felicita, sister of his then School Headmistress, Sister Clarence presented him a picture of Sister Clarence as memorabilia. Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar later went to the Senior Secondary wing of the school and announced setting up of an Atal Tinkering Lab. Speaking to students, he urged them to be innovative and enterprising, while working for their academic credits in school. He hoped the ATL will usher in a culture of innovation and encourage the students to break new grounds. Later, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar went to Cheruthuruthy, where he was felicitated by the eminent personalities and business leaders from the region.

 The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar today said that New India under PM Shri Narendra Modi has changed the discourse completely from being a country saddled in scams and red tape to one that the world looks up to for both Technology and Innovation leadership.

The World Looks To New India For Tech & Innovation Leadership: MoS  Chandrasekhar

Noida (The Hawk): Today iHUB DivyaSampark at IIT Roorkee has inaugurated its second incubation and innovation facility at the Greater Noida Extension Center of IIT Roorkee in Greater Noida. iHUB DivyaSampark, Technology Innovation was established under National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMiCPS) mission announced in 2019 union budget to prepare India for Industry 4.0 and society 5.0 . iHub Divyasampark has been established as a section 8, not for profit company jointly by the Department of Science &amp; Technology (DST) and IIT Roorkee. Smart City, Digital heath and industry 4.0 are the three key focus areas of iHub divyasmapark @ IIT Roorkee.
iHub Divysampark will focus on deep-tech and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotics, Drones, IoT, Blockchain, Smart Devices, and many other new-age technologies with an aim to provide support for aspiring entrepreneurs in emerging technologies and making India Atmnirbhar . This center will also give a big boost to startups based in the National Capital Region.
Speaking on the occasion Prof. K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said " that startups specially the deep tech startups are going to play a critical role in India’s growth story over the next decade. IIT Roorkee being a premier technology, is fully committed to contribute in the innovation ecosystem of India. I am very happy to share that iHub Divyasamapark technology hub @ IIT Roorkee is supporting many startups in deep technologies and have very aggressive plan to support many more startups over the next two years. It is very heartening to see that other than our main campus in IIT Roorkee, iHub is now present in NCR region to support innovators and startups from nearby colleges. Prof Pant further said that in the last 12 months, iHUB DivyaSampark has supported 16 startups with total funding commitment of 8 Cr and is further planning to support 30 more startups with a total commitment 15 Cr over the next 12 months. "
Speaking on the occasion CEO, iHub Divyasampark Mr. Manish Anand said, "that greater Noida center was established with a mission to support innovators specially from tier 2 tier colleges. iHub Divyasmapak efforts have already started showing result where two startups connected to it have been listed at 30 most promising deep tech startup of 2022 by yourstory at its annual event TechSparks. iHub is soon going to starts in startup accelerator program to support startup that are beyond seed fund stage. iHub is also providing training to students of nearby colleges in NCR region in deep technologies and under that program already 300 students have been trained so far. "

Today iHUB DivyaSampark at IIT Roorkee has inaugurated its second incubation and innovation facility at the Greater Noida Extension Center of IIT Roorkee  in Greater Noida.  

iHUB DivyaSampark At IIT Roorkee Inaugurates Second Incubation And Innovation Facility In Greater Noida

New Delhi (The Hawk): The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT Ropar) is all set to host 2nd Education Working Group meeting on “Strengthening Research and Innovation through collaboration” between March 15-17, 2023 in Amritsar. The event will focus on the identification of relevant policies and best practices for research and innovations from the deliberations of G20 member nations.&nbsp;
Through this event, the government intend to create closer ties with the G20 member nations and collectively respond to the issues each country has in reaching SDG goals. The discussions will also concentrate on methods and tactics, such as cooperative initiatives that could be undertaken/implemented, to encourage collaboration in many fields.&nbsp;
The participants in this meeting include representatives of international organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, and OECD, among others.&nbsp;
The event will emphasise research and innovation, as well as the effect of collaboration on the performance of G20 member nations. The key sessions on research and innovations would help in reducing inequality of different kind inside and between countries, innovations for sustainable agriculture for getting high yield and reducing food waste, the role of academia in cheap and sustainable energy research and innovation, and the innovations for environmentally conscious and accountable industrialization.&nbsp;
Besides focusing on accessing research and innovation opportunities on an equitable basis, focusing on women and socially and economically disadvantaged groups, the deliberation would also help in strategizing methods to expand collaboration among G20 member nations in order to improve research, open access, and innovation promotion and to reduce barriers towards research mentoring and cross-institutional collaboration etc.&nbsp;
Professor Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar said the G20 event, allotted to the IIT by Ministry of Education, would help in ensuring a roadmap for multi-partner collaborations; to facilitate accessibility and provision of research materials, reducing the gap between industry-academia, thereby discovering and identifying relevant policies and practises for research and innovations. This way would lead to establish long lasting collaborations for equitable quality research in G20 member Nations while following the theme of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - One Earth, One Family, One Future.&nbsp;
Further, an exhibition of disruptive technologies and innovations with 100 stalls is also being setup by the ITI as a part of this grand event for delegates. These stalls will encompass startups / technologies from India and G20 members nations to get a feel of global scenario of innovations for the betterment of human kind.&nbsp;
Some more participants of this seminar include&nbsp;
1. Members of the G20 Education Working Group from each G20 member country, guest countries, and International Organizations.&nbsp;
2. Representatives of select academic institutions in G20 member countries that are engaged in initiatives for promoting the use of digital technologies for ensuring quality learning opportunities for all and improving learning outcomes.&nbsp;
3. Representatives of knowledge partners from India and G20 countries.&nbsp;
During the past few years, all G20 member countries have made significant progress to expand research collaboration in order to generate evidence-based solutions to specific global concerns. In view of SDG4-Education 2030 agenda, it is imperative that the remarkable advances relating to research and innovations is harnessed to transform educational systems to improve learning outcomes, promote lifelong learning and narrow persistent learning deficits.&nbsp;

The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT Ropar) is all set to host 2nd Education Working Group meeting on “Strengthening Research and Innovation through collaboration” between March 15-17, 2023 in Amritsar. 

IIT Ropar To Host G20 Event In Amritsar On ‘Strengthening Research & Innovation Through Collaboration

New Delhi (The Hawk): Announcing this while chairing the India-UK Science &amp; Innovation Council meeting in presence of his British counterpart, UK Minister George Freeman, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science &amp; Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is fast moving to become an economic powerhouse, driven by its extraordinary technological and innovative capabilities which the whole world has begun to acknowledge, particularly after the COVID vaccine success story. The two leaders called for enhanced Science &amp; Technology cooperation between India and the United Kingdom. Chairing the Meet with Co-Chair Minister Freeman, Dr Jitendra Singh, in his inaugural remarks, said that India is on the fast track move and the nation is determined to achieve its Climate Change and Environmental targets on time. Dr Jitendra Singh highlighted the close collaboration between the two countries strengthened through an ambitious ‘Roadmap 2030’ that provides a framework for UK-India relations across health, climate, trade, education, science and technology, and defence. The Indian Minister informed his British counterpart that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the UK has emerged as India’s second largest international research and innovation partner. The India-UK Science &amp; Technology (S&amp;T) collaboration has been growing at a rapid pace and the joint research programme has gone from an almost zero base to close to £300-400 million now, he said. Both the Ministers appreciated the proposal to create an India-UK "NET Zero" Innovation Virtual Centre which will provide a platform to bring stakeholders from both countries together to work in some of the focus areas including Decarbonization of manufacturing process &amp; transport systems and Green Hydrogen as renewable source. Dwelling on the issue of India’s net zero journey, Dr Jitendra Singh said, energy efficiency and renewable energy are central pillars, where India has already taken lead by various initiatives like India Solar Alliance, Clean energy mission etc. Dr Jitendra Singh said that during the last 75 years, India has gone through an evolutionary journey that helped us to carve an economic and political identity amidst the global nations. Today when India is celebrating the 75th year of its Independence, the roadmap for the next 25 years for India @100, will be determined by scientific and technological innovations in all walks of life, he said. The Union Minister said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to reinforce cooperation, as it has once again reminded us that we all live on one planet. He said that he hoped the India UK MoU signed today will provide a great mechanism to support research and innovation in both countries for long-term sustainable growth through expanding and maximising cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Dr Jitendra Singh said that the multidimensional, multi-institutional, multi-agency cooperation covers energy security, food and agriculture, water, climate change, environmental studies as well as social and cultural changes that are taking place in both countries. He recalled that during the last India UK virtual summit held during May 2021, Prime Ministers from both countries emphasized their shared commitment to an enhanced partnership in science, education, research and innovation and look forward to the next ministerial Science and Innovation Council (SIC). Dr Jitendra Singh said that in recent past, Government of India has launched several flagship initiatives such as the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (ICPS); Quantum Computing and Communication; National Mission on Supercomputing, Electric Mobility, Green hydrogen etc., which provides newer opportunities for collaboration. Dr Jitendra Singh mentioned that India is committed towards the Environmental goals which includes consistent efforts towards development of mitigation &amp; monitoring solutions for environmental pollution and techno based pathways for reducing the carbon emissions and achieve the ambitious net zero targets. Talking about the importance of Industry-Academia collaboration for economic growth and development, the Union Minister said that the revival of DST Innovate UK Industrial R &amp; D programme will provide opportunity to Indian and UK academia and industry for developing newer products/process together for economic growth of both nations. Dr Jitendra Singh expressed satisfaction on the MOES-NEKTON joint research programme towards exploration and conservation of marine Biodiversity under Deep Ocean Mission in India as well as the MOES and UK Met Office collaboration in Weather and Climate Science which aims to undertake joint Research on natural hazards in South Asian Monsoon system, improve the modelling capabilities at different scales and improve tools and techniques for risk based (Ensemble) forecasting of natural hazards at a range of prediction timescales up to a season. Both the leaders called for newer collaborations for joint R &amp; D Projects between BBSRC- DBT in the area of Farmed Animal disease and Health &amp; MOES-NERC Call in the area of Solid Earth hazards. Inviting Minister Freeman for the G20 Research Ministers meeting at Mumbai on 6th July 2023, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India is holding G20 Presidency this year and organising number of meetings in scientific tracks, including Science 20 (S20), Research and Innovation (RIIG) and Scientific Advisers meetings and urged the scientific community of both countries to participate in the meetings. Dr Jitendra Singh concluded by thanking Minister Freeman and his team for successfully organising the SIC meeting. The two Ministers also reviewed bilateral S&amp;T cooperation between the two countries and expressed satisfaction on progress made since the last SIC meeting held in New Delhi.

Announcing this while chairing the India-UK Science & Innovation Council meeting in presence of his British counterpart

India, UK Sign Agreement To Collaborate On Science And Innovation

Roorkee (The Hawk): Women are more creative but they need more push to show their talent and creativity to the world. This was the view of the panelists who were participating in the panel discussion at IIT Roorkee. The panel discussion was organized to celebrate World IP Day. World IP Day is celebrated on the theme given by World Intellectual Property organization (WIPO). This year theme was "Women driving innovation through IP and creativity." Though women are 50% of the world population but their contribution in global intellectual property (IP) creation is around 16%. This years’ World IP day was opportunity to celebrate Women creativity. Speaking at the event, Prof Rajat Agrawal, IPR Chair and Associate Dean Innovation and Incubation mentioned various initiative taken by IIT Roorkee to strengthen innovation eco system at the Institute.  In the panel discussion, panelists were Prof. Debrupa Lahiri, from Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Prof Sneha Singh, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Dr. Sonali Vij Dhawan, Audiologist and Social Scientist, Dr. Asha Rani, from the office of Corporate Interaction and Ms. Surbhi, a research scholar of Electronics and Communication Engineering. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr Mini Namdeo. Chief Guest of the event, Prof Sai Ramudu Meka, Associate Dean, Corporate Interaction mentioned about Shakuntala and Golden Girl schemes of IIT Roorkee to attract and facilitate women admission into research programme of the Institute. Dr C Jayakumar , Librarian of Central Library of the Institute was also present during the event.  Various topics which were discussed in the panel discussion were current status of IP filings by women innovators in India and IIT Roorkee, challenges faced by Women innovators and creators. The conversation touched upon a range of other pertinent issues, such as the current level of involvement of women in innovation and IP filing, as well as the disparities between genders when it comes to participating in IP filing. The panelists also discussed the crucial role society plays in encouraging and supporting women to file intellectual property, the various government schemes designed to assist women innovators and creators, and the significance of increasing awareness about IP and the IP filing process among women in the field of innovation. The outcome of the panel discussion was in the form of suggestions from experts. Which are being compiled and are being worked upon for backing with data. These suggestions will be submitted to Government for further necessary action. Some key suggestions included creating awareness about IP and innovation right from the class 11th and 12th onwards. Panelists also suggested that more and more outreach centers need to be developed for promoting IP amongst students and faculty members of other universities and colleges. Prof. Rajat Agrawal, IPR Chair suggested that generally people consider that IPR is related to law and is mainly for science people. But most of the grass root innovations are from the people who have not been part of formal education. Two hundred and thirty Participants put forward their views in the form of short notes/essays on women, innovation and IPR in India and in world scenario.&nbsp;

Women are more creative but they need more push to show their talent and creativity to the world.

IIT Roorkee Celebrates World IP Day With A Focus On Women Driving Innovation Through IP And Creativity

Roorkee (The Hawk): Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) Department of Design organized a two day Industry Academia Meet from April 22-23, 2023. The objective of Academia Meet - Insight on Innovation: Success Stories - was to provide a platform that connected corporates and experts from different fields and facilitated sharing of experiences related to the field of innovation. The visitors were also given a glimpse of ongoing frontier research activities at various Centres of Excellence in the campus. The workshop sought to reduce the gap between academia and industry, and to deliberate upon how students could help innovation in industry to build products in the most optimized way. Chief Guest of the inauguration session was Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sharma, Dean of academic Affairs and the Guest of Honor, Mr. Rajat Bhalotia (Managing Director, Wonder products) shared their inspiring entrepreneurial journey with the students. Among other dignitaries were Prof. Inderdeep Singh, Head of Department of Design. Additionally, Prof. Rajat Agrawal, Associate Dean of Innovation and Incubation guided the audience with the importance of innovation management and how the introduction of ISO 56000 would create a system of innovation management.  The students received guidance from esteemed speakers who were pioneers in their respective fields, while they shared their success stories of innovation. Amongst the speakers were Mr. Sunil Ranganathan, who is an experienced AI/ML Product leader from Tredence, shared how AI/ML are being used in regular business activities, focusing on Design excellence through Ideation and Innovation. Mr. Harshit Sinha, Senior Production Manager, and Mr. Bablu Dey, Lead Technologist from ITC shared how ITC is building and inculcating an Innovative ecosystem at product and process innovation. Mr. Nikhil Maheshwari, Vice President, R&amp;D Division, Hindware Home Innovation Limited provided key insights into the importance of process innovation and the creation of Smart and commercially viable innovation by empathizing with the user and identifying the gaps to innovate. Dr Shashikant shared his experiences with Flipkart and Maruti Udyog in relation to multiple innovations. Ms Darshan Gandhi, from Godrej, shared innovations done at Godrej and how those helped in capturing international markets. Prof Vinay Sharma, Prof Gaurav Raheja from IIT Roorkee also shared their experiences with the students.  The event concluded with Panel Discussion, hosted by Prof. Manish Kumar Asthana, Joint Faculty at Department of Design where students got an opportunity to interact with the speakers and enlightened with the importance of ethics in innovation and guided with the industry norms and policies one should follow at every stage of innovation. On cultivating the entrepreneurial culture, Prof K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee said, "The entrepreneurial and innovation culture supports start-ups forms the rock-solid foundation for a progressive economy. This culture brings in enhanced scope among Universities, Enterprises, and Governments at large to foster innovative ideas and help them get converted into gains for the economy." Chief Guest, Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sharma, Dean of academic Affairs, highlighted, "Innovation will be essential to bring about qualitative changes in education, as opposed to the quantitative expansion seen so far. These changes are needed to increase efficiency and improve the quality and equity of learning opportunities." While sharing his journey as an entrepreneur, Guest of Honor, Mr. Rajat Bhalotia (Managing Director, Wonder products), said, "Creating next-generation innovative methods is the need of the hour. This is where we should increasingly leverage the research advances being made by Universities spanning areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, medical technologies, renewable energy and material science."

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) Department of Design organized a two day Industry Academia Meet from April 22-23, 2023.

 IIT Roorkee Organizes A Two-Day Industry—Academia Meet-'Insight On Innovation: Success Stories'

New Delhi: The medical device industry is caught between environmental responsibility and innovation, according to a report on Friday.
Despite the medical device industry's commitment to healthcare innovation, achieving environmental responsibility has been hindered by stringent regulations.
The report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, shows that the industry finds itself at a crucial juncture, balancing technological advancements with sustainable practices.
It highlights the regulatory and disclosure changes that are promoting commitment to environmental sustainability and the initiatives by leading medical device companies to reduce emissions and better manage resources.
"Many companies are implementing sustainable packaging, efficient energy usage, and increased use of telemedical applications to make an immediate difference. But due to the nature of medical products, device quality needs to remain a priority, and swift eco-friendly changes will not be made at the expense of patient health. Larger, long-term changes to medical devices and manufacturing will rely on proper regulation and risk mitigation," said Ashley Clarke, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, in a statement. Pressure from the private sector (customers, investors, workers) is still an important factor driving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) action by medical device companies. However, the ESG regulatory landscape is starting to catch up.
Popular opinion in GlobalData's latest ESG survey indicated that legislature and pressure from governments should lead ESG decisions (35 per cent of votes), superseding desire to improve financial performance (29 per cent of votes).
The ESG survey also revealed that 45 per cent of respondents said their company either had no ESG plan (27 per cent) or could not say whether they had one (18 per cent). This is down from the combined 68 per cent the previous quarter, suggesting communication surrounding ESG strategies is improving.
Corporate governance and legislative disclosure policies will continue to improve ESG transparency and promote open communication between stakeholders and medical device companies. It is essential to recognise the potential for positive change and collective action within the industry.
"In the past, environmental and ethical actions may have been exaggerated as companies become increasingly aware of the potential of ESG action to improve customer loyalty. Many still believe that ESG is treated only as a marketing exercise and companies are not fully committed to change," Clarke said.
"This has resulted in ESG plans working against companies rather than for them, so companies may choose to keep quiet about their ESG plans to avoid scrutiny and greenwashing allegations. But change cannot be realised if there is not proper communication between companies, consumers, workers, and investors about environmental initiatives, progress, and challenges". —IANS

The medical device industry is caught between environmental responsibility and innovation

Medical Device's Environmental Impact Can Challenge Innovation: Report

Chandigarh (The Hawk): Department of Science &amp; Technology (DST) sponsored Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) of Panjab University, Chandigarh organized interactive session with representatives of Coal India Limited (CIL) in Panjab University, Chandigarh on 30th May, 2023 so as to understand exact issues on which R&amp;D is desired by CIL. Scientists from IIT Ropar, Panjab University, PEC Chandigarh, INST Mohali, Chitkara University etc participated in this session.Industry persons from Meta Tattva system limited, Gilard electronics Pvt Ltd, Cheema boilers, Sagar Machine Tools Ltd etc also participated in this event and discussed thrust areas suggested by executives from Central Mine Planning &amp; Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL). Er. R N Jha, Director (T/RD&amp;T), CMPDILarticulaated thrust areas identified by CIL on which Industry and academic Institutes should work. He emphasized that India is the second largest coal producer in the world and still we are capable of mining only 5% underground coal. Therefore, academic professors and Industrialists should come forward to develop technologies under the Make in India theme to overcome challenges being faced by CIL. He further highlighted dependency of India on coal as around 75% electricity in India is generated from coal. Therefore, Er R N Jha opined that there is dire need that scientific minds of our Nation should develop technologies that can be of use to Coal India Limited. ErMilan Sen, Chief Manager (Mining), S&amp;TDeptt at Central Mine Planning &amp; Design Institute Limited in his address explainedthrust areas related to mining of coale.gtechnologyfor increase in production from underground mining as well as open cast Mining, Improvement of safety/health/environment,Waste to Wealth, Alternative use of coal and clean coal technologies, Coal beneficiation and utilization etc. He said that proposals may be formulated in line with the S&amp;T Guidelines of Ministry of Coal,which are readily available in the website: https://www.cmpdi.co.in. He further added that the Ministry of coal, through CMPDIL, has invited start-ups/talented minds for a hackathon on R&amp;D in coal mining sectors.
Prof. Manu Sharma, Director of CIIPP and coordinator of DST-TEC conducted a very enthralling interactive session amongst various Industrial delegates and Academic professors. Dr.Debabrata Das, Assistant Professor, Panjab University discussed his research contributions on a pioneering research project conducted in domain of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and other critical elements in the North Eastern Coal Fields. He stated that Preliminary outcomes from his investigation indicate the existence of substantial reserves, with estimations projecting a potential yield surpassing 20,000 tons of rare earth, 12,000 tons of lithium, and 10,000 tons of rubidium. Dr JD Sharma, Head Metallurgy, PEC Chandigarh updated that the department is working in collaboration with Virginia Tech University US to use coal for development of Graphene. Department will be interested to participate in any pilot project based on Coal Blending or coal treatment for better efficiency of its combustion. He acknowledged all the support and efforts of TEC, PU to strengthen relation with Coal India limited. Mr J P Kundra from Cheema boilers shared R&amp;D initiatives taken by Cheema boilers for production of Hydrogen by doing steam reforming of Methane. It was heartening to know that Cheema boilers is trying to produce valuable Carbon Nanotubes from Carbon Dioxide present in exhaust of boilers.

Department of Science & Technology (DST) sponsored Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) of Panjab University

Coal India Limited (CIL) Articulates Issues For R&D/Innovation

New Delhi: The IIT Mandi has taken a major initiative to start an academic programme on Indian knowledge system (IKS) to address mental health issues, besides using scientific innovations. Vedas, Puranas, Upnishads and other books related to the IKS will also contribute to this programme. According to the IIT, using bio-signals such as electroencephalograms (EEGs), brain imaging, as well as virtual reality-based immersive neuron-feedback, the programme seeks scientific innovations aimed at addressing mental health with the Indian Knowledge System. This will allow both IKS and mental health challenges to benefit from a scientific approach. Professor Laxmidhar Behera, Director, IIT Mandi, during a discussion with IANS, emphasized that the very foundation of the Indian Knowledge System was built on the hypothesis that matter in its elementary (subtle) form is cognitive and thus cognitive emotion and behaviour are not emergent properties of any complex molecular combinations. Professor Behera highlighted how recent studies on IKS such as yoga, meditation, music, Sanskrit, and other forms of performing arts also demonstrate the therapeutic values they bring to human psychic nature in terms of cognitive enhancement, stress relief, alleviation of depression, and so forth. Biological signals such as electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional brain images along with the virtual reality-based neuro-feedback approaches have ushered a new age of scientific innovations where many claims of IKS can be verified and standardised for effective consumption by the general populace, he added. At IIT a proper deliberation will help this programme to get the right direction. There will be a brainstorming panel discussion on course curriculum as well as a similar discussion on enumerating relevant research agendas useful for society at large, the director added. He said, "I welcome everyone for joining in these very important deliberations that may set new standards for an inclusive paradigm for science and technology. "In a world driven by cutting-edge artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction, the Indian knowledge system (IKS) education may first seem to be an urban legend. However, recent research reveals the importance and benefits of IKS for the human body, mental health, and wellbeing. In fact, IKS has deep roots that are grounded in Indian history, philosophy, society, arts, languages, science and technology, and life sciences" The Indian Institute of Technology Mandi will teach its researchers about insights on empirical research pertaining to IKS and mental health. With the advent of leading artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction, the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) education highlights the importance and benefits of this system for the body, the mind, and the consciousness, the IIT Director told IANS. —IANS

The IIT Mandi has taken a major initiative to start an academic programme on Indian knowledge system (IKS) 

The Hawk

Tag : Innovation

First-Ever Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit In Gandhinagar Concludes

Sunil Aswal

Tag : Innovation

First-Ever Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit In Gandhinagar Concludes

Sunil Aswal

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