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Innovators-entrepreneurs meet under way at CSIR-NEIST

By Staff Correspondent

JORHAT, May 9 - Padma Shri award recipient and visiting faculty member of IIM-Ahmedabad, Professor Anil K Gupta inaugurated the four-day Innovators-cum Entrepreneurs� Meet at the CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology at Pulibor on the outskirts of Jorhat on Wednesday.

Gupta, who is also the founder of the Honey Bee Network � an initiative by a group of farmers, artisans, scientists and scholars involved in scouting and documenting of innovations and new ideas from the grassroots � lit the ceremonial lamp at the inaugural function held at the Dr JN Baruah Auditorium of the institute.

About 120 innovators and entrepreneurs from the North East along with scientists, researchers, students and experts from the industry are participating in the meet organised to understand the needs and aspirations of innovators and entrepreneurs and to attract young people towards entrepreneurship.

The meet is also aimed to initiate business start-ups for potential entrepreneurs and create a congenial atmosphere for innovators and entrepreneurs within the framework of the ongoing �Science and Technological Intervention in the North-Eastern Region (STINER)� programme at the CSIR-NEIST.

On the occasion, Gupta spoke about the significance of affordable healthcare and mentioned how institutions like CSIR-NEIST can implement a decentralised system to dispense products based on herbal technologies through local entrepreneurs.

He urged the scientists to visit villages and interact with grassroots innovators, farmers and people which will contribute towards exploring local talents.

Gupta also encouraged entrepreneurs to become a convergent point and take up multi-franchising for promoting products of other entrepreneurs and innovators for a win-win situation.

It may be mentioned here that Gupta is also associated with SRISTI (Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions), GIAN (Gujarat Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network) and National Innovation Foundation

CSIR-NEIST Director Dr G Narahari Sastry, while delivering the welcome address, said that CSIR-NEIST has taken up the responsibility to become a major hub for promoting and nurturing entrepreneurship in the North East.

Dr Sastry emphasised on the concept of knowledge for empowerment and mentioned about the importance of empowering youth, women and the people of the region in general by undertaking various initiatives for skill development.

The four-day event will cover 11 technical sessions wherein scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs will deliberate on various topics.

The event will also cover two special sessions with lectures from innovators, entrepreneurs and micro-financing institutions like NEDFi, NABARD and a brainstorming session on �Food for Thought� programme. An exhibition of products by the participating innovators and entrepreneurs too is being organised as part of the meet.

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