An Innovator from India makes the country proud by winning a competition at the 3rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum in Cambodia

Ms Shalini Kumari from India received first prize in the Grassroots Innovation Competition at the 3^rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum for her innovation ‘Modified walker with adjustable legs’.

The technology which was transferred to the industry, Vissco Rehabilitation Aids, a leading manufacturer of orthopaedic products in the country, is available for purchase through Brick and Mortar stores and also through marketplaces like Amazon India for purchase by common people of the country.

Ms Shalini Kumari received the prize from H.E Dr. Hul Seingheng, Cambodia COSTI Chairman and Director General, General Department of Science, Technology & Innovation under the Ministry of Industry Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI), Kingdom of Cambodia. She has won the cash prize of USD 1,500 by virtue of being the winner of first prize.

The three-day 3^rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum organized by the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI) in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India concluded today at Phnom Penh, Cambodia in the presence of H.E. Kitti Settha Pandita Cham Prasidh, Hon’ble Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, Kingdom of Cambodia. The forum consisted of Grassroots Innovation Competition, Student Innovation Competition, Panel discussions, Keynote speeches and an exhibition of innovations consisting of participants from India and the ASEAN Member States (AMS).

Speaking on the occasion, the Hon’ble Minister from Cambodia expressed his optimism that the participants would have learnt from experiences of each other. About 100 technologies from 9 countries were on display during the three-day exhibition.

On this occasion, Mr Richhpal Singh, Charge d Affairs, Embassy of India in the Kingdom of Cambodia and Dr. Zurina Moktar, Head – Science and Technology Division, ASEAN Secretariat were also present. On the side-lines of 3^rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum, a Government 2 Government meeting was also held in Cambodia which included representation from ASEAN Member States, India and ASEAN Secretariat.

The 2^nd and 3^rd prize has been won by grassroots innovators from Philippines and Myanmar respectively who have won USD 1000 and USD 500 respectively. Altogether, a total of 45 grassroots innovators have participated and representing 9 nationalities in this competition. The first and second prize in the Student Innovation competition has been won by participants from Thailand whereas the third prize has been won by the student from Lao PDR. A total of 37 participants have participated, representing 9 countries.

The first prize winner from India Ms Shalini Kumari at the forum, a resident of Patna in Bihar; she was first recognized by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India, an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India through IGNITE Competition in the year 2011 for the same technology.

The ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum organized annually COSTI in partnership with DST, Government of India and the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India comprises of seminar sessions, innovation competitions, and an exhibition. By bringing together key players, namely government officials, grassroots innovators, student innovators, academics, business actors, and the wider community, this forum provides a platform to promote and strengthen the development of the grassroots innovation ecosystem. The 1^st two forums were organized in Indonesia (2018) and Philippines (2019) respectively while there was a brief pause of two years owing to the pandemic.