India's traditional knowledge

Deprived of access to resources and economic means of livelihood, India’s rural communities forced to solve problems through traditional knowledge, experience, experimentation and adaptation for their sustainable livelihood. However, lack of documentation, global competition and appropriation of resources and knowledge by global forces leads to gradual erosion of traditional genetic resources. India is behind the rest of the world in formalizing the inventions and technologies of its citizens through patents, both quantitatively and qualitatively. In addition, when low values are attached to traditional practices, it causes a lack of incentive to cultivate and conserve them. Very limited efforts have been directed towards (i) testing the concepts and products of traditional medicine from a scientific standpoint, (ii) characterizing products at the molecular level; (iii) developing new products (or product formulations) which are far simpler, more benign and effective than that used in the traditional form.

One way to ensure this would be to add value to this knowledge base, to generate commercial as well as non-commercial returns and to ensure that people have a reasonable stake and share in the income so generated. Unless some value addition takes place locally, the trickle down of the benefits is generally low. In addition, if the providers of knowledge and conservators of resources do not have a stake in the institutions, which add value to their knowledge and creativity, it is unlikely that their gains will be durable and substantial.

social needs and challenging innovation

Floods in his village in Bihar prompted Mohammed Saidullah to create a bicycle that works both on land and water. The invention was recognised by National Innovation Foundation (NIF) and honoured him with an award. His innovation needs some modification, design-enhancement and aggressive marketing so that people in the flood- prone areas can use it.

It was in 1975 while moving about in a boat in flood-ravaged Champaran village in Bihar, India; that Mr. Saidullah felt the need to create a bicycle that could be paddled across water. He named the product Noor, after his wife. The vehicle is a conventional bicycle with four rectangular floats attached to the wheel on four sides. Fan blades are attached in radial fashion to the spokes of the rear wheel. When the cyclist pedals in water, the blades attached to the rear wheel rotate and force water backwards, pushing the bicycle forward.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REx9rMDbqRg
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7062940046917388113&q=bicycle+for+flood&total=92&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

What Innovations makes?

Innovation is a critical mission to solution providers. It not only infuses the channel with compelling new products to sell, but also fuels a new platform on which to do what they do best: innovate. It's a cause-and-effect phenomenon: Technology vendors and providers invent new products that push the IT , biotechnology and environmental scenario. They concocting unique, creative solutions that elevate the pieces into something bigger. Thus, the importance of true innovators cannot be understated. Behind every disruptive technology, every performance breakthrough there is a human being or group of people who made the achievement possible. Innovation really isn't about things so much as it is about those individuals--agile technology thinkers who revel in tackling problems, who see opportunity where others do not, who lay claim to all those patents for all those gizmos.