India’s first Rural Innovation and Startup Conclave 2017 launch announced

The launch of India’s first focused ‘Rural Innovation and Startup Conclave’ (RISC2017) by The National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) was announced today and will be held on 23rd and 24th of March 2017, at NIRDPR, Hyderabad. The event will focus on building talent and giving a platform to display innovation, encourage greater learning and strengthen the cadre of young rural innovators and start-ups.

Indian start-ups being mostly IT based and largely catering to urban services makes Innovation and Technology Diffusion for “rural development” the need of the hour. Other stake holders, including mentors, angel investors, faculty, corporates, media, etc are still evolving and there is a need to develop and nurture them so that they get to play a much more active role in contributing to the ecosystem.

Talking about 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”.

As part of the program, RISC2017 will feature RISC Awards 2017 consisting of domains like:

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

According to NIRD&PR Spokesperson, they have already received 25 entries, so far, and are expecting more participation as they are reaching out across the country.