The Union government has taken yet another
step to promote innovation through science and technology by establishing
innovation hubs across the country.
Shri Sam Pitroda,
Chairman, National Innovation Council & Adviser to the Prime Minister on
Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations inaugurated an ‘Innovation Hub’ at the National Science Centre, New Delhi
today.
It provides a unique opportunity for children of various
age groups to work at the facility during the week-ends to develop their ideas
on various aspects of Science & Technology.
Membership is available for interested
students for long-term hands-on and minds-on engagement in creative activities
in science & technology. Over 40
students have already sought membership of the new facility and it will be
functional from this weekend. The
Innovation hub has been equipped with components namely, Hall of Fame with
stories of Inventions and Inventors; Innovation Resource Centre with online
access to innovation-centric resources; Innovative Laboratory to carry out
activities, experiments and projects; Tech Lab for Robotics &
Microprocessor Programming; Tod-Phod-Jod (Break & Remake) for students to
open gadgets and reassemble them on their own; Kabad Se Jugad (Build from
Scrap) for students to develop things from scrap and low-cost materials and an
Idea Box for children to propose ideas and create an idea bank.
The best ideas will be chosen for
experimentation, model making and project work. In addition, children are
encouraged to identify real life problem/investigatory projects and work on for
solutions under the guidance of experts/mentors. While delivering the keynote address, Shri Sam
Pitroda announced that the National Innovation Council along with the Ministry
of Culture and the Planning Commission is working on the scheme to launch 100
such innovation hubs across the country. Similar hubs have been launched at the
Bangalore and Kolkata Science centres under the Council of Science Museums, an
autonomous body under Ministry of Culture.
The basic idea is to encourage children to
imagine and explore. He suggested that
all Science centres must engage with the local community and create local
ecosystems to own, support and nurture these innovation hubs. He also suggested that every science centre
must have members of the local community including businessmen, scientists,
professionals, academicians, and members of the civil society in its governing
board.