Three new bilateral industrial R&D funding programs with Finland, Spain & UK, launched at Global Innovation & Technology Alliance Platform

The Global Innovation & Technology Alliance Platform” event, organized by the Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA), in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology(DST), Government of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was held on November 12-13, 2013.

GITA is a “not–for–profit” Section–25 Public Private Partnership (PPP) company promoted jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI).

The objective of the platform is to facilitate technology partnerships betweenIndian industry and its counterparts in other countriesto develop new and affordable products & services in diverse areas.This 2-day event was the largest platform of its kind for forging business alliances in Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) areas between India and other countries. During the 2 day event, over 200 B2B meetings were held between Indian companies and their counterparts.

Global Technology Leaders and Delegations from Canada, Finland, Israel, Japan, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwanandthe United Kingdomparticipated in this platform. Several Government agencies & S&T organizations from participating countries partnered for this event.  Exhibition of innovative technologies from India & across the world was also held concurrently during the platform.

The inaugural session was addressed by senior government officials Dr T Ramasami, Secretary, DST, Mr Harkesh K Mittal, Co–Chairman, GITA and Secretary, Technology Development Board, DST, Dr ArabindaMitra, Adviser & Head, International Cooperation (Bilateral), DST, Government of India.

Dr Ramasami gave an overview of the innovation landscape of the country and commended GITA on its initiative. He mentioned that the Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (STI) 2013 of India is outward-looking and reflects the aspiration to be to globalize in the innovation space. It brings the innovation space to centre-stage through which best global practices could be suitably adapted in the Indian context.

From the Industry, Mr Vikram Kirloskar, Chairman, Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) Chairman, GITA and Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited, MrDeep Kapuria, Chairman Hi-Tech Group of Companies &Member, GITA Board of Directors andDr Devi Prasad Shetty, Founder & Chairman, NarayanaHrudayalaya Institute of Cardiac Sciences.

In his welcome address, Mr Vikram Kirloskar, expressed that in a short span of two years, since its establishment in November 2011, has developed partnerships with S&T organisations in several countries and has emerged as anunique institution for forging frontline global technological alliances for Indian companies with counterparts in other countries.

Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, in his address, mentioned that India has the potential to become the first country to dissociate healthcare from affluence. He mentioned several new initiatives such as hospital protocol digitization, simulation-based training of critical-care nurses and disease management software which could revolutionize the healthcare scenario in India and the world.

Three new bilateral industrial R&D programs were announced with between India on one side and Finland, Spain and the UKrespectively. H E Gustavo de Aristegui,Ambassador of Spain to India, Ms MejcaMerjaHiltunen, Director,Tekes, and Sir Walport, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, The Government Office for Science, UK,also addressed the gathering on the occasion. The partnering agencies in the respective countries for these programmes are International Science & Technology Partnerships, (ISTP), Canada; Tekes, Finland; MATIMOP, Israel; Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), Spain; and Technology Strategy Board, UK. During the announcement, Dr ArabindaMitra mentioned that incorporation of GITA has been a phenomenal journey and reflects the aspirations of the Indian Government and Industry to enhance engagement India’s engagement in the innovation space in a collaborative manner.

On this occasion, Mr H K Mittal released the 3^rdedition of the India Innovates report which captures the spirit of innovativeness in India, encompassing the value-chain of the process of technological change that includes development of new ideas & solutions for existing problems, realizing of new solutions & technological options, and diffusion of new technologies at a broader level. It also highlights the pursuit of enterprises fordisruptive innovations in technological and social spheres which help in inclusive growth. The case studies covered in the volume represent diverse sectors such as information technology enabled services (ITES), financial services, waste management, power distribution, biotechnology, automobiles, clay based products for everyday use and handicrafts.

The session on Disruptive Technologies: Advances that will Transform Life, Business and the Global Economy – Opportunities for Technology Partnerships with India was addressed by Mr Koji Omi, Chairman, STS Forum, Japan; Mr Daniel Johansson, State Secretary, Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, Sweden; Sir Mark Walport, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, The Government Office forScience, UK, Ms Vera Egreja C Barracho, Network Development Manager, European Business Innovation, Centre Network (EBN)

Mr Koji Omi, highlighted the vast potential between India and Japan in the area of Science, Technology and Innovation(STI), to take the relationship to the next level. He showed keen interest in collaborating with DST and GITA in this endeavour.

On November 12,Parallel Sectoral sessions on Cleantech / Green Manufacturing Technologies, Homeland Security, Pharma /Affordable Healthcare Technologies, Information & Communication Technologies and SmartGrids were organized during the day. Senior officials and business delegates from participating countries made presentations at these sessions and discussed collaboration opportunities in the respective sectors. 

From the Indian side, senior officials from the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Ministry of External Affairs addressed the participants at various sessions. Representatives of state governments and academic/R&D organisations also participated in these sessions.

Special pavilion on Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme, joint initiative of CII and SERB, inaugurated

A special pavilion with posters of research projects of 23 Prime Minister’s Fellows was inaugurated by Dr T Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, on the occasion of first anniversary celebrations of the scheme in New Delhi on Friday. The anniversary celebrations coincided with the CII Global University-Industry Congress. The scheme was launched on the same day in 2012, in partnership with Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST). Under this scheme, PhD fellows are given double scholarship—of up to Rs 6 lakh per annum—co-sponsored by the Government and industry—to do research on industry-relevant projects. Up to 100 fellowships are awarded under the scheme for a duration of four years. The areas of research supported under the scheme are science, technology, engineering, agriculture and medicine.

The anniversary celebrations saw the fellows of the maiden batch showcasing the synopsis of their research work through posters that they put up in the pavilion. In a session, planned especially for them, the PM Fellows interacted with top names from industry, academia and government. In addition to Dr Ramasami, among those present were Prof T K Chandrashekar, Secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board; Dr Naushad Forbes, Chairman, CII National Committee on Higher Education and Director, Forbes Marshall Private Limited. Dr Forbes is also a member of the Apex Council for the PM Fellowship scheme. Ms Sushma Berlia, Co-chairperson of CII National Committee on Higher Education and President, Apeejay Stya Group & Svrán  Group; Mr Venkatesh Valluri, Chairman, CII National Technology Committee and Chairman, Ingersoll Rand India and Mr Deep Kapuria, Chairman, CII National Committee on MSME, Board Member, Global Innovation & Technology Alliance & Chairman, Hi-Tech Group of Companies also spoke on this occasion.

Elaborating on the nature of research which was required in the country, Dr Ramasami said, “There has to be a greater handshake between industry and academia in R&D. Research and innovation is no longer for literary satisfaction but for greater good—covering relevant topics that solve important issues, both social and economic.” He said through this scheme researchers will become more industry-ready. Also, by increasing the scholarship amount, research will become more attractive and economically viable. He said he believed that the contribution of academia and industry in this scheme was not 50-50 but 100-100.

Prof Chandrashekar lauded the scheme and gave details of the geographical and stream-wise spread of students in the first batch.

Dr Naushad Forbes emphasised on industry’s role in R&D and said that the time had come for research to start with industry and trickle down to academia. He said he felt that there had been much talk in the industrial circle regarding collaboration with academia, and industry should now take the responsibility to drive relevant research. 

Mr Valluri underlined the need for technological advancement and industrial R&D. He said if we wanted research to be economically strong, we needed to leap-frog technologically.