I agree with your thoughts but again it's easy to sit in US and criticizing Indian system. I am not defending Indian system. Wont it be great if you come to India and take lead to make a better India?
I think your analysis generally ignores the fundamental causes that define innovation and also spur the culture thereof.
Most of the examples given in the article have little or no relevance in India as none of the them address any "real" problem in India.
You must remember innovation is an answer to solving burning problems of day-to-day life in a particular society.
For example, the author may not remember that till 1984 or so the country had acute milk shortage to the extent that in summer selling of sweets like ( rosogolla) was banned in Delhi! The answer to this was a robust cooperative movement which not only removed the shortage but also propelled India into the number one milk producing nation ( ahead of the US) in a short period of 15 years or so. I think this single innovation has improved the life of more people in the world than say Viagra or Polaroid cameras!
For any budding Dr. Kurien type innovators here are some real problems that need to be addressed:
(a) building a national highway system comparable to the developed world within a span of 10-15 yrs. (b) teaching Indians to drive!!!
RE:Utterly irrelevant and juvenile reasoning
by Satya Prakash on Aug 17, 2004 01:32 PM
If you ask this question to eminent scientists like Prof.Kurien,Dr.Mashelkar or Dr.U.S.Rao that where they found better environment for innovative research perhaps none of them will deny that their stay in foreign laboratories was crucial in transforming their ideas into innovations in India.In my opinion their have been very few innovations so far.According to my view the innovations like developing aeroplane,telephone, BCG and anti-rebies vaccines belong to the category of 'real innovation' as they were innovated for the service of man-kind and not for any particular country.The approach with a thinking about welfare of global human society for innovations is missing in the scientists all over the world.Now we want to innovate only those techniques or products which can be translated into money.This has been a reason that Scientists all over the world have not been able to produce an anti-AIDS drug inspite of huge allocation of funds.Whereas, the scientists in 16 to 18th century were able to innovate wonderful technologies with crude type of instruments because they were more commited to the common mans well-being than present generation of Scientists.
What ever may be said and written in depth about this subject. One thing really stands out, that is the American psyche of risk taking and agressiveness. Perhaps that started with their conquering an alien land and making it their home. The early European settlers had to battle the Red Indians on a daily basis, claim land and lay railways in face of hostile opposition and also face the violent weather conditions. Perhaps this has changed the psyche of a American. Today we see that most of the extreme kind of sports are taken up by the westerners and mostly Americans not certainly Indians. We as average Indians look at a safe and conservative live. A degree from a prestigious engineering college and then a comfortable job either in US or India and and we have hung up our boots. This is the story of most of our educated lot. Even if some has a bright Idea for an innovation in India not much support comes from any quarter. Employees don't join a start up which is working on a bright innovation, they are comfortable in Infosys or Wipro doing mundane work, it is safe to work there you see, Not much risk funding is available, it is safe to put money on successful companies you see.
I think some trend stated in INDIA also.Author may refer an article in BUSINESS TODAY" The Young Inventor "Science fairs have become magnets for VCs, patent lawyers, even military scouts.
Madhav Pathak: Science fair junkie Madhav Pathak has made a business of winning science fairs. He's won a trip to the United States, a Pentium 4 computer, a solid gold medal, and Rs 60,000. He has two patents to his name; researchers are working on prototypes of two of his inventions; and, oh, yes, he has a planet named after him. And Pathak is just 17 years old.
Science fairs are no longer about trophies and blue ribbons. Today, they are talent-spotting arenas for venture capitalists, patent lawyers, companies, even military scouts, who make it a point to visit the annual Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the World Cup of these events.
Pathak, the son of a homeopath mother and a surgeon father, got his start in the science fair business at ISEF 2002. He invented "the front-faced Braille slate" to help out his uncle, who is blind. Pathak saw his uncle writing in Braille by punching into a slate with a stylus in reverse
The article of Dr.Banerji is substantial.I believe that India has a potential to top the list of innovations,however,as Dr.Banerji suggested we have beaurocrats and academicians who are making the environment for innovative research more and more non-conducive.Till date many brilliant scientists and researchers left the country inspite of their excellent achievements because they could not secure a job in India.It is a fact that in most of the cases the selection process for faculty/Scientists in universities and Institutes is merely a mockery with an aim to distribute the posts between the candidates of Politicians/university administration and selection(better to be called as distribution) committee members in a 'fair' manner.Academic qualifications are considered when there is no recommended candidate from top level,in that case few desearving candidates also get selected sometimes.In my opinion first of all we have to launch a 'Cleanliness drive' for every Institution in India to make the environment more conducive for innovative research and also make the environment more non-conducive for the progress of back-door entrants by setting high level criteria for promotion.
I agree with the views of the writer. Yes. India has tremendous potential in Creativity,Innovation and Invention.But often many westerners think IT,Computers,Jet Planes etc., are the indicators of Innovation . If one can improve the traditional plough used by millions of farmers,if one can provide low-cost gum boots for farmers working in paddy fields to protect their feet, provide safe drinking water by Solar Disinfection etc., one can readily term them as innovations. Putting known knowledge to unknown uses is itself innovation.As Mao put it there are geniuses everywhere but only we have to spot them out and provide proper environment so that creativity grows. Today a person living beyond 80 years is an exception that too having suffered many diseases like Diabetes earlier. In the olden days people living beyond 90 years and working till death were common sight.I suggest National Awards to innovative designs for problems faced in rural areas may be awarded to promote Innovativeness in the country. Innovation must be a People's Movement. I myself have over 25 inventions which received acclaim abroad but not in India?!
Once in a blue moon there will always be a C.V.Raman, Harbind Khorana et al, we need big corporate houses like Tatas, Reliance etc to put more money in research..
