Establishing National Innovation Foundation: How does a tail wag the dog?

Abstract

A simple search on the web about unaided technological innovations by common people from the unorganized sector will reveal the paucity of information worldwide. It is this gap, which Honey Bee Network started at IIMA about two decades ago tried to fill. In this paper, a very brief history of the steps taken to establish National Innovation Foundation (NIF) has been given. A detailed history remains to be written. Now that NIF will become an autonomous Institute of Department of Science and Technology, its role within India and outside needs to be redefined. How a small academic initiative has spawned multiple institutional innovations is a subject that deserves further study.