Do it yourself

 The NITI Aayog recently published “India Innovation Index 2021” report, which presents “an in-depth analysis of the state of innovation in the Indian economy”. The India Innovation Index 2021 presents state-wise rankings based on the innovation landscape and performance of the country’s states and union territories. The latest framework of the index has been mapped from the Global Innovation Index, published annually by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). The report earnestly recognizes that human capital is the source of innovative ideas, knowledge, and practices. It notes that high innovation capabilities need heavy investment in human capital development at all levels to develop skills beyond technical knowledge, e.g., imaginative thinking, devising methods to tackle complex issues and keeping pace with the times. The report emphasizes “the practice of promoting innovation at the grassroots is necessary to fully utilise the potential of the indigenous knowledge...

A visit to here tier two cities of Uttar Pradesh over last weekend was quite educating. I came back with few new learnings and stronger conviction in couple of themes that I have been following for past couple of years. We visited the temple of our family deity in Agra. The temple is being renovated completely from the inside. The donations for the renovation are being accepted in digital mode. The devotees, many of them from lower middle and poor families were pleased to pay Rs10-50 through UPI etc. It was very clear that people across the socio-economic strata have internalized the digital mode of payment. Another evidence of this trend was available at Fatehpur Sikri monument. The CNG bus that takes the tourists from parking upto the monument charges Rs10 as fare. The bus operator was accepting payment of Rs10 through digital mode. All tourists, villagers and urbanites alike, were happy to scan the QR codes. The monument entrance fees Rs45 per person, is payable only in digital ...