PRESIDENT OF INDIA INAUGURATES 'EXHIBITION OF INNOVATIONS' AT PRESIDENT'S ESTATE EXHIBITION TO RUN FROM MARCH 10 TO 14

History was made today when the Head of Indian State, Hon’ble President Smt. Pratibha Patilji inaugurated the exhibition of grassroots innovations at Mughal Garden, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

Never before any Head of the State, anywhere in the world, had taken such an initiative to give such an importance to the cause of inclusive innovation.She visited more than 32 stalls with more than 50 innovations primarily from the informal sector but some from formal sector like IARI also. She had declared 2010-2020 as the decade of innovation earlier and this exhibition conveyed our commitment to that mission.

Mr. K. V. Thomas, Hon’ble Minister of State for Agriculture,Mr. P. K. Basu, Secretary, Agriculture, Dr. H. S. Gupta, Director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute [IARI], and many others were advised by the Hon’ble President to closely coordinate with NIF [National Innovation Foundation] and the Honey Bee Network to ensure that the innovations reach various corners of the country and help in promoting inclusive development.

While looking at the wheat variety by Mr. Prakash Singh Raghuvanshi and dryland forestry technique of Sundaram Verma, Hon’ble President advised the Rashtrapati Bhavan staff to experiment and grow these varieties in the farm at Rashtrapati Bhavan. There is no better way to assimilate the spirit of enterprise and innovations than having such a message from the Hon‘ble
President.

Dr.Christy Fernandez, Secretary to the Hon’ble President was very keen that such an exhibition of innovations should take place every year in the Rashtrapati Bhavan to coordinate and converge various strategic partners including the representatives from Indian industry, trade, venture capital, R&D etc., to contribute towards making this decade a transformative time for India’s development. Dr.R.A.Mashelkar, Chairperson, NIF assured the President of continued commitment to the cause even though NIF has had its paltry budget frozen for the last ten years.