Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham marked a significant presence at the prestigious National Workshop on “Grassroots Innovation Pathway – From Local Resilience to National Advancements,” held at Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad, on 19–20 May 2026. The national-level workshop brought together leading policymakers, scientists, innovators, academic leaders, and grassroots changemakers from across the country to deliberate on strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem from the grassroots upward.
The workshop was jointly organized by the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat, and the National Innovation Foundation (NIF), Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, with participation and support from premier national institutions including NITI Aayog, the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).
Highlighting Amrita’s growing leadership in innovation-driven societal transformation, Dr. Sujit Bhattacharya, Adjunct Professor at Amrita School for Sustainable Futures, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and former Chief Scientist at CSIR-NIScPR, chaired an important technical session titled “Learning from Grassroots Innovators.” The session focused on understanding how locally developed innovations and indigenous knowledge systems can contribute to sustainable development, inclusive growth, and national advancement.
The session, chaired by Dr. Bhattacharya, featured renowned grassroots innovators from different parts of India, including Shri Mansukhbhai Prajapati of Gujarat, known for his pioneering earthen product innovations; Shri Subash Ola from Rajasthan representing Geniusenergy Critical Innovation Private Limited; Shri Dharmbir Kamboj from Haryana, recognized for his multipurpose food processing machine; and Shri P. M. Murugesan from Tamil Nadu, noted for his banana fibre-based innovations. The discussions emphasized the importance of nurturing community-led solutions and integrating local innovation ecosystems into broader national development frameworks.
Dr. Bhattacharya’s leadership in moderating and guiding the deliberations reflected Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s deep commitment to participatory innovation, sustainability, and community-centric development. His contribution also highlighted the university’s growing engagement with national policy dialogues and grassroots innovation ecosystems that seek to bridge traditional knowledge with scientific and technological advancement.
The workshop witnessed participation from several distinguished personalities, including Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairperson of the National Innovation Foundation-India; Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Former Secretary, DST, Government of India and Former President of INSA; Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Former Member of NITI Aayog and Former Chairman of DRDO; Prof. Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser (Science & Technology), NITI Aayog; and Dr. Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Government of India.
In addition to chairing the technical session, Dr. Sujit Bhattacharya also participated in the high-level concluding deliberations under the session “Connecting the Dots: Accelerating Grassroots Innovations,” alongside national leaders and policymakers. The discussions focused on policy enablers, institutional support systems, and pathways to scale grassroots innovations for building a resilient and innovation-driven Viksit Bharat.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s participation in this nationally significant workshop further reinforces the university’s commitment to fostering sustainable development through research, innovation, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through its continued efforts in rural development, social innovation, and technology-driven empowerment, Amrita remains dedicated to supporting grassroots innovators and contributing to India’s vision of inclusive and sustainable national progress.
The workshop strongly echoed the spirit of empowering local innovators, strengthening community resilience, and transforming grassroots ideas into impactful national solutions — values that closely resonate with Amrita’s mission of compassionate education and societal transformation.
