The Hindu Business Line : `Industry-education tie-up vital for innovation'

PARTNERSHIP: Mr C.N.R. Rao (left), Honorary President, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, and Mr S. Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, CII Karnataka and COO, Infosys Technologies, at The India Innovation Summit 2007 in Bangalore on Friday. - G.R.N. Somashekar

Bangalore June 15

Eminent scientist Prof C.N.R. Rao on Friday called for greater partnership between the industry and the education sector to fuel innovation in the country.

Delivering the keynote address at the third India Innovation Summit 2007, Prof Rao said, "If innovation has to thrive in India, the private sector should participate and partner with the education sector."

The summit was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Erehwon Innovation Consulting.

The industry-education partnership was very poor in India, and needs to be improved, said Prof Rao, who is also the Honorary President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore. Further, he stressed upon the need to tap the vast talent in rural India.

"The private sector should invest in the country's education sector. We must have efforts from the industry. Get a few billion dollars... start one or two outstanding universities," he suggested citing the example of how Stanford University in the US was started.

Driven by software

The CII Karnataka Chairman and COO of Infosys Technologies, Mr S. Gopalakrishnan, said that innovation has been more relevant than ever before for Bangalore and India, which have participated significantly in the current wave of innovation.

Stating that innovation was being driven by software, Mr Gopalakrishnan said adding, "We have a role to play here as new revenue streams, products and services for consumers create exciting opportunity in India".

Mr Harsh Manglik, Chairman and Managing Director, Accenture India, said he strongly believed that the seamless and elegant assimilation of leadership and innovation was the pre-requisite for leading India to higher grounds. He spoke on Leadership Approaches and Role in creating and nurturing the Innovation Culture.

"So far, the most cited factor for India's success has been low cost of labour and the quality of work. However, knowledge and innovation is the currency of this new millennium and no other nation is better positioned to use the power of its human capital to leapfrog into the league of advanced nations than India," he added.

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