 Online edition of India's National Newspaper Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
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Tamil Nadu
FOR RADICAL CHANGE: Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Infosys (left), talking to winners of L-RAMP awards of excellence at a function in Chennai on Sunday. CHENNAI: If it were up to Naman Sanghvi, plastic bottles and intravenous (IV) fluid bottles would have a new home. This young innovator has hit upon a method of reusing waste materials for drip irrigation. As this system does not require extra pipes and fittings, it “reduces the cost of drip irrigation,” says the first prize winner of ‘L-RAMP award of excellence’ in the young category. Innovations, ranging from a device to electrocute mosquitoes to multi-nutrients-fortified salt, were recognised at the fourth L-RAMP awards of excellence 2008, organised at Indian Institute of Technology-Madras on Sunday. The L-RAMP programme helps mentor and incubate innovations that have the potential of helping the deprived sections. This is a joint initiative of the IIT and Rural Innovations Network, a firm that identifies and incubates innovations, supported by the Lemelson Foundation, U.S. There were 234 applications in all, said Paul Basil, founder and CEO, Rural Innovations Network. They went through different levels of selection. The number of women innovators was higher than in the previous years. Two of the winners targeted mosquitoes. K. Mohan, who won a certificate of appreciation in the young category, concocted an herbal formulation made up of neem, mango and tulsi to repel mosquitoes, without chemical additives. S. Alphonse’s device attracted mosquitoes, and an electrified wire mesh ensured that the contact proved deadly. He won a certificate of appreciation in the grassroots category. Malavika Vinod Kumar was given the first prize in the women category for innovating multi-nutrients-enriched salt. There is a “hidden hunger” in society, as malnourishment goes unnoticed, said Dr. Vinod Kumar. Other awards included a lifetime achievement award for Ela Bhatt, founder of Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Infosys, said that instead of feeling helpless about the status quo, the innovators spotted a problem, identified a solution, took it forward and formed a business around it. “Everyone can bring about a radical change,” he said, defining success as having an impact on at least one other human being. Technology transferR. Nagarajan, principal coordinator, said L-RAMP was planning to start technology transfer programmes soon to help innovators, who did not want to become entrepreneurs, link with business partners. He said IIT-M was planning to introduce a minor stream on innovation and social entrepreneurship, which would be open to the public. The course would be held after-hours and at weekends, so that working professionals could also join.
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