Yes, this is possible in India. Till date this had not been so simple because our talented brains were opting for bureacratic job rather than technocratic one like USA or in other developed countries. Approaches and attitudes have started changing now. Another aspect is: there is no so friendly relation between the all powerful bureacrats (cunning) and technocrats (knowledgeable). Here I am giving an instance. In the late ninties, one principal of a R. E. College(REC)now upgraded to NIT was dicussing some points relating to REC upgradation to NIT with concerned state govt. Secretary for Technical Education. At one point they had to disagree. In reply, the Secretary bluntly replied, "After being upgraded to NIT,you want to escape from our clutches. Remember for every single paise spend you have to wait at our doorstep for our clearance". Bureacratic ego need to be tamed to achieve what you are talking about. Now, we have two technocrats as President and Prime Minister at the top. Let us hope the best.
It will take some more time for Indian scientists and technologists to start producing innovations that become large sources of wealth generation for India, India Inc and Indians. The success story of Abdul kalams (Eventually made him the President), Narayana Murthys and Subroto Bagchis of Mindtree (They are from small families and made their success in big way with their hard work) and SO MANY OTHER PERSONS who made their presence felt in the Indian modern history in recent times will inspire others to do something.
It will be possible only when the parents in India learn to allow their kids to do what they feel like doing(instead of nagging).Only when they allow their kids to pursue what feel like , insted of forcing them to take a particular profession.
Anirban, A very good article. I would like to say, that we have genuine scientists like Abhas Mitra, and also quacks like Ramar Pillai and some person who said he has invented a perpetual motion machine. What is required that blindly following any person who claims to have done path-breaking invention or rejecting the persons altogether, should be avoided.
When you search for an answer to the question "How can India innovate like US?", you will find that you can get the answer from the US itself on how they did it.
Read the excellent book by the pioneering Management Guru, Peter Drucker titled "Innovation & Entrepreneurship - Practice & Principles", published in the late 80's by Harper & Row.
He describes what is innovation, what are the seven sources of innovative opportunities, how to systematically look for them, how to fund them, how to staff for them, how to organise the management practices for all these activities and so on.
All those principles were tested in the actual field of business activity and the principles refined so that they can guide the interested persons to develop their management concepts for institutionalising innovation in their own organisations. This is one of the ways we can go about the question.
at this point in history the United States has the best resources and talents at its command so money flows into that country.
Some time back it was Europe (look at the noble prize list pre WWII)
Before that it was the Middle east (the dark ages)
and if you care to look further it was India and China
I am surprised in the exaustive list the author never mentions the biggest one.yes the US has one distinction it created the mother of all inventions the atom bomb. i am glad my country was not even in the race for it.
i can go to sleep in peace that no amount of innovation and entrepreneurship can beat that. we should submit to the genuis of the American presidents of that time who gathered the best minds and gave us a chance to destroy ourselves one day.
however many inventions come out of the US tghey cannot bring back the people from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I think Mr. Banarjee is right but he doesn't have any right to criticise Indians till he is working for India while staying in India not in USA and talking like typical politicians .
