Innovation for India Awards

Innovation for India Awards is MIF’s biennial program that aims to showcase and celebrate currently hidden, potentially game-changing Indian innovations, offering them a getaway to recognition and a symbol of excellence in innovation.

2006

Profiles of Winners 2006

Business for Social

ITC

ITC – International Business Division conceived the ITC e-Choupal, a large rural digital infrastructure to connect directly with rural farmers for the procurement of agricultural and aquaculture products. This opened rural markers to global demand for products, and led to a competitive value chain.  

Business for Social

Kegg Farms

Kegg Farms runs an innovative program in the rural poultry sector, recognising the sector’s potential to generate supplementary income for rural households. Serving around seven lakh households in rural India, this model has been successfully implemented to generate profits at every stage of rearing and delivery activities. 

Start-Up – For Profit

MeeSeva

The Andhra Pradesh government, together with Tata Consultancy Services, built the MeeSeva portal – a good governance initiative that enables citizens and business entities to access an entire range of government services. This portal is accessed by millions of people each month through a huge network of 1600 kiosks, running 30 unique services and handling around INR 250 crores of turnover with only 31 people on board.

Business Innovation – Process

Tata Motors

Tata Motors is one of India’s leading automotive companies that produces cars, trucks, buses, and electric vehicles. In 2005, it launched the Tata Ace, India’s first mini-truck, revolutionising the cargo transport sector in India. This product created a new segment for Tata Motors that contributed close to 15% of its sales volumes in the first year alone.

From a product perspective, the Tata Ace reduces pollutants as compared to other 3 wheelers by 21%-40%, translating to less fueling and larger day trips for owners.

Business Innovation – Process

Divya Bhaskar

Divya Bhaskar is a prominent Gujarati newspaper in Gujarat. It is one of the highest circulated Gujarati dailies with multiple local editions, contacting nearly 12 lakh potential readers.

Business Innovation – Process

Bharat Biotech

Bharat Biotech is an Indian multinational biotechnology company that specialises in research and development leading to the manufacture of vaccines and biotherapeutics. It developed a purification matrix technology called Himax, which is a novel, simple, and fast process eliminating the usage of ultracentrifugation and toxic cesium chloride, leading to substantial reductions in the cost per unit of vaccines.

Innovation in Business Model

Wipro

Wipro is a leading Indian multinational corporation that specialises in information technology, consulting, and business process services. It has built the Global Command Centre (GCC), a one-of-its kind solution in the remote IT infrastructure management market. GCC’s remote delivery model reduces the onsite service costs and encompasses proactive monitoring of IT with event correlation, thus drastically reducing system downtimes and user dissatisfaction levels. 

Innovation in Business Model

Cranes Software

Cranes Software was founded in 1991, and started its journey as a distributor of third-party software products. The company was unique in its model of scouting for undervalued scientific software products, enhancing and selling them to the international market through a well-established network.  

Social

The MV Foundation

The MV Foundation is a non-governmental organisation established with a focus on child rights and social transformation. It has built local institutions such as Child Rights Protection Forums with a membership of 25,000 in all its villages to take autonomous actions in favour of children rights.

Social

Tamil Nadu Police

The Tamil Nadu Police Department (Police Commissionerate, Tiruchirapalli)  launched a unique digital initiative that integrates all police stations in the state, enabling the public to lodge complaints and give suggestions at any terminal, denying the scope for refusal by the police.

Social

Kudumbashree

Kudumbashree is a successful poverty eradication and women empowerment programme implemented by the Government of Kerala. It has identified poor families, formed community-based organisations under the leadership of local self-governments, and has initiated several development plans for generating employment.

Explore previous winners

Applications for the next round of Innovation in India Awards are now open.