NIF ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009.pdf - National Innovation ...

is carried out phase wise. Phase I comprisingfunctional requirement specifications hasbeen discussed and completed. It includesentire MIS application, website integration,technology exchange bidding andinnovationpedia (multilingual, multimediaoptions included). Document signing andfreezing of requirements will be covered underPhase I.Online Incubation Portal ‘InnovationPedia’ :The revised and improved version ofIncubation portal InnovationPedia is beingtested. The application shows the completeinformation flow from scouting anddocumentation to dissemination activities.This was funded by SRISTI as a part ofinfodev project earlier. The UI (UserInterface) is ready. However, back endsupport in terms of database and coding isstill to be done. NIF is in talk with ‘MindtreeConsulting’ to complete it.Dissemination and NetworkingactivitiesVarious members of Honey Bee networkhave contributed to dissemination activitiesduring the year. DD Jaipur showcased sixinnovations through GIAN N. Modified handpump was disseminated through NGO likePRADAN and state government.NIF has distributed more than 17,000multimedia CDs in various exhibitions,conferences, seminars and shodh yatras.More than 400 posters were put up in thesixth traditional food festival “Satvik” whichproved a useful way to disseminate theorganizational activities and objectives to thegeneral public.Parart t Three: outside –insideDr T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department ofScience and Technology, Government ofIndia, visited NIF office on 25 th September2008 and made numerous suggestions forimprovement of the activities. Shri RGopalakrishnan, Executive Director, TataSons and Member, Governing Council visitedNIF on 14 th October 2008 and helped forgemany linkages with TATA companies for thedissemination of grassroots innovations. AHigher Defense Management Course teamcomprising senior officials of the threedefense wings-Army, Navy and Air forcevisited NIF on 24 th October 2008 tounderstand the work NIF has been doing overthe years. Dr. N. Ramachandran, Vice-Chancellor of Periyar Maniammai University,Periyar, Vallam Thanjavur, Tamil Naduvisited NIF on 25 th October 2008 to explorepossibilities of a tie-up to scout, document,validate, value add and market technologiesfrom the grassroots people of the PeriyarPURA region and surrounding areas whileprotecting their IPRs. Prof. Kuldeep Mathur,Eminent scholar and Retired Professor, JNUand Member, Governing Council NIF, visitedNIF for a one-to-one interaction with the staffon 27 th October 2008. Among various things,he discussed the need to expand thenetwork’s reach in different parts of thecountry and finding entrepreneurs fortechnologies ready for licensing. Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, former President of India meetthe staff at IIM on 25 th November 2008. Prof.Eric Von Hippel, Professor and Head ofInnovation and Entrepreneurship Group atthe MIT Sloan School of Management visitedNIF on 27 th November 2008. He wasfascinated about the innovation on low costtechnologies like sanitary napkin makingmachine. He also visited field sites whereGIAN West has operationalised the low costwindmills. Dr. P. L. Gautam, Chairman, NBA,Chennai, visited NIF on 1 st February 2009and had discussions about strengtheninglinkages between National BiodiversityAuthority and NIF.NIF’s representation in importantmeetingsDr Vipin Kumar visited Jakarta as an expertin meeting on E-learning CourseDevelopment on the subject of GrassrootsInnovation Management in Jakarta(Indonesia), 16-17 th September 2008 onNational Innovation Foundation Annual Report t 2008-2009 20