Educational Experiments for inclusion and excellence When Kesar Singh Rathr reached his first posting at Akha dungri about twenty years ago, there was no school building. He used to teach in the houses of the local community members. Many kids would come without bath or even proper clothes on. He would cut their hairs, nails…
Innovations for inflation control: agriculture When prices of agricultural commodities increased by more than sixty per cent in the last few years, pressure on consumer prices was expected. It is alright for agricultural minister to say that to pay farmers well, society should bear the inflationary burden, but that is not a very responsible attitude towards…
Grassroots innovation challenges A large number of grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge practices have been scouted through the Honey Bee Network. And yet, many everyday life problems still remain unresolved. The list below gives an idea of some such unsolved problems which are in need of urgent solution. We have to parameterise the problems,…
SOUTH AFRICA: Intellectual property rights failing Sharon Dell 17 July 2011 Issue: 18 South Africa\’s current intellectual property rights regime is failing to support the national system of innovation and is actively disadvantaging local inventors while facilitating exploitation by foreign interests, according to new research to be published in the September edition of the South African…
Why persist with neglect: polytechnic colleges deserve more attention I mentioned last week how small towns were producing big innovations, how small institutions were producing big minds and even bigger hearts. Concern for social needs whether of small industry or informal sector is not found universally among all social, professional or educational segments. But those…
Small town, big mind One of the most important characteristic features of innovation eco system emerging in India is that lot of good ideas are found in small institutions in small towns. The connect between the real life problem and the pursuit of their solution seems quite high in such places. In Gujarat, the cooperation…
Indicators for the Assessment of the local and indigenous innovation[1] Anil K Gupta[2] The search for inclusive development indicators [IDI] through synergy between different ways of knowing and understanding the interface between natural and social resources, institutions, technologies and organizational arrangements is a very timely and relevant initiative of UNESCO. The increase in social aspirations,…
Every time we walk through the villages, forests and the fields, we are struck by the culturally diverse institutions of conservation but also of conflict. While walking through the Ranchi region from Silly to Sundru early this month, we were impressed by a large number of ¬¬old trees all through the way in the villages. But,…
Inverted Model of Innovation: children inventors Mohamad Sajid Ansari, a student of class seven had observed his mother Mrs. Robiah Khatun cleaning the rice every day. Some of the rice gets broken while beating the paddy seeds in the manual husking device. Some impurities and inert materials also get mixed. Most of us have…
world-class academic performance, but without a world class mindset? there has been a debate recently about the quality of research and its impact. I will not deny that there is huge need for quality improvement in research and its theoretical, applied and other social and policy impacts. But how do trigger processes which breed impatience in…