Hyderabad, 28th February, 2017: The National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) today announced the launch of India’s First focused ‘Rural Innovation and Startup Conclave’ (RISC2017) to be held on the 23rd and 24th of March 2017, at NIRDPR, Hyderabad. The focus of the twoday event is to build capacities and promote fresh talent by giving them a platform to display their innovations, encourage greater learning, and strengthen the cadre of young rural innovators and start-ups.
Indian start-ups are mostly IT based and cater to urban services. Innovation and Technology Diffusion for “rural development” is the need of the hour. Other important stakeholders who act as support systems to rural innovators are still evolving. There is a need to develop and nurture mentors, angel investors, faculty, corporates, media so that they play a much more active role in contributing to the ecosystem.
Speaking at the launch, Dr.W.R.Reddy, IAS, Director General NIRDPR, Hyderabad, said. “Since more than 60 per cent of the Indian population live in the villages, the improvement of their living conditions should be anchored and promoted by innovation and technology development and their dissemination for improving the productivity and wealth creation”.
In addition, RISC2017 will feature RISC Awards 2017 under Six domain areas viz 1) Agriculture and Allied, 2) Green Energy Technologies, 3) Drinking Water, Health and Sanitation, 4) Waste to Wealth , 5) Sustainable Housing and 6) Other Livelihoods, which will be a Platform for demonstration and recognition of Rural Innovations and Technologies. Nominations for the same will be through its website, and the last date of nominations will be on the 10th of March 2017. Nomination will be accepted in the areas of 'Idea with Prototype' and 'Startup Stage'.
NIRD&PR Spokesperson said, “We are reaching out across the country and hope to see some good participation for the RISC Awards 2017. We have already received 25 entries so far.”
The event schedule will be as follows:
About NIRDPR:
The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), an autonomous organisation under the Union Ministry of Rural Development, is a premier national centre of excellence in rural development and Panchayati Raj. Recognized internationally as one of the UN-ESCAP Centres of Excellence, it builds capacities of rural development functionaries, elected representatives of PRIs, bankers, NGOs and other stakeholders through inter-related activities of training, research and consultancy. The Institute is located in the historic city of Hyderabad in Telangana state. The NIRD&PR celebrated its Golden Jubilee Year of establishment in 2008. In addition to the main campus at Hyderabad, this Institute has its North-Eastern Regional Centre at Guwahati, Assam to meet the NE-regional needs.