India, a Country of 1.2 Billion Creative Minds, Constructive Use of These Minds Can Free Indian Society From…

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjeepresented Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards- 2015 instituted by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the National Innovation Foundation today (November 30, 2015) at IIM, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Speaking on the occasion, the President saidIndia is a country of 1.2 billion creative minds. The constructive use of these billions of minds can free the Indian society from many of the problems which we are facing today. It is for each one of us as an individual to make a commitment and to dedicate oneself to solving the problems of society and country.

The President called upon the faculty, students, and alumni of IIM-Ahmedabad to continue to engage with creative minds from industry, business, entrepreneurs, society leaders and with those who work at the grassroots. He said the Institute must address the pressing issues confronting today’s society. It must strive to be a beacon of knowledge, nurture other institutions with generous mentorship, and maintain a culture that blends the drive for excellence and performance with the spirit of collaboration and compassion.

The President said National Innovation Foundation and IIM-Ahmedabad, has given a global identity to the Indian model of social innovation. He encouraged the Institute to continue investing energy and resources in nurturing innovations that accelerate the nation’s economic progress and create a sustainable inclusive society. The President said innovation is key to economic development and reflects the maturity of a nation and society to respond to the emerging needs and challenges. It is a continuous process and needs to be nurtured at each and every step. Innovation, higher education and industry need to be closely networked for maximum benefit of the society. Any innovation happening either at the grassroots level or in the higher educational institutions must be linked to the industry for commercialization of the innovation.

The President said the children of India have proved that innovative spirits can dispel any amount of inertia and replace it with exciting new possibilities. He feels optimistic about the future when he sees the younger generation which does not want to live indefinitely with unsolved problems. Innovations from creative youngsters are the best examples of "Samvedna se srijansheelta” (innovation from compassion or empathy).

This release issued 1818 hrs.