CELEBRATING CREATIVITY
To celebrate the unique creativity and innovation of people from and for the grassroots and recognize their contribution towards making India inclusive and innovative
To celebrate the unique creativity and innovation of people from and for the grassroots and recognize their contribution towards making Gujarat inclusive and innovative.
Honey Bee Network and GIAN have jointly organized first International annual competition for creative & Innovative ideas or traditional knowledge practices, which solve day-to-day problems faced by society including animals, the environment, or us.
HBNCRIIA award accepts entries from parents, teachers, professionals, college students, or any other adult in the formal or informal sector. This award aims to give international recognition to the innovations which are from/for grassroots, and address unmet social needs.
Prof Anil K Gupta while welcoming the distinguished jury members mentioned that Honey Bee Network Creativity & Inclusive Innovation Awards (HBNCRIIA) 2020 is given to most promising inclusive innovations from around the world. The Members of the jury included Prof. P V M Rao (Professor and Head, Department of Design, IIT-Delhi), Prof. Vijaya Sherry Chand (Professor & Chairperson, Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation, RJMCEI, IIM), Prof. B. K. Chakravarthy (IDC School of Design, Associate Faculty of Education Technology, IIT Bombay, Powai), Prof. Sanjay Sarma (Vice President for Open Learning and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, Boston), Dr. Chintan Vaishnav (Senior Lecturer, MIT’s Sloan School of Management), Mr. Chetan Patel (National Coordinator – Shodhyatra at SRISTI), Ms Basma Saeed (Head of solutions mapping, UNDP Accelerator Labs, Sudan), Mr Nilesh Kulkarni (Director of Gharda Chemicals Ltd.), Mr Dan Kiernan (Careers Coach at Sa誰d Business School, University of Oxford), Wong Ada (Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture), Rozita Singh (Head of Solutions Mapping, Accelerator Lab at UNDP, India), and Ms Alison Field- Juma (Executive Director at OARS Cambridge, United States).
This year, we have reviewed around 2500 entries from 87 countries. These were screened by eminent scholars/practitioners at the primary stage followed by expert jury review. The winners include 10 international awards, 4 Coping with Covid awards and 4 appreciation awards from nine countries.
Congratulations to all winners and we recognize the efforts by thousands of innovators who sent their ideas for dealing with COVID-19, sanitation, environmental care, agriculture, food and agro-processing, reduction in drudgery, safety, etc.
The entries for HBNCRIIA awards 2021 are open and can be sent at hbncriia@gian.org
First Prize (₹5 Lakhs):
Shri Suneel Singh from Kistwar, J&K, a former soldier turned farmer, for developing a new walnut variety (“Suneel SI”) with a reduced tree height (25 ft vs. 50 ft traditionally). This innovation increases yield, starts bearing fruit in just three years (compared to eight traditionally), and offers premium-quality soft-shelled walnuts.
Second Prize (₹3 Lakhs):
Shri Samirbhai Ghani from Banaskantha, Gujarat, for creating a farmyard manure spreader that evenly distributes both wet and dry manure, reducing drudgery and improving soil fertility.
Third Prize (₹1 Lakh):
Md. Ishfaq Ahmed Wani from Anantnag, J&K, for inventing a branch clipper to secure fruit tree branches, preventing damage from hailstorms and snowfall.
Appreciation Awards (₹50,000 each):
Twelve grassroots innovations, including the Automatic Feed Machine for Differently Abled Persons by Nabajit Bharali and impactful solutions like Golden Feathers and Fasal Amrit, were recognized. (Detailed list available in Annexure 1.)





Jury and Dignitaries
The esteemed jury, chaired by Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, included prominent figures such as Prof. Bharat Bhaskar (Director, IIM Ahmedabad), Prof. Dhar (Director, AcSIR), Dr. M.N. Patel, Prof. Udai Desai (Former Director, IIT Hyderabad), and other faculty members from premier institutions like IIMs, IITs, IISc, as well as leading investors and practitioners.
Awards were presented by Dr. R.S. Paroda, former DG ICAR, in the presence of Dr. Renu Swaroop (Former Secretary, DBT), Dr. Swati Basu (Former Scientific Advisor, Office of the PSA), and Prof. Anil Gupta, founder of the Honey Bee Network, GIAN, SRISTI, and NIF.
Key Remarks
– Dr. R.S. Paroda highlighted India’s transformation from a food-deficient nation to a food exporter, crediting innovations by scientists and farmer innovators. He emphasized the importance of policies like PPFVRA in preventing biopiracy and called for creating a “network of networks.”
– Dr. Renu Swaroop likened the collaboration between grassroots and deep-tech innovators to rivers merging into the sea of knowledge and innovation.
– Anita Kumar, representing Amazon Community Impact (APAC), reiterated Amazon’s commitment to fostering global innovation and empowering grassroots innovators for a sustainable and equitable future.
– Prof. Anil Gupta underscored the rigorous review process behind the awards and emphasized that the event marks the beginning of a sustained journey to support grassroots innovation.
Outreach and Future Plans
According to Dr. Anamika Dey, CEO of GIAN, the campaign received entries from 28 states and 4 Union Territories, covering 226 districts. GIAN and the Honey Bee Network will continue to provide voice, visibility, and velocity to grassroots solutions.
Entries are now open for the 2025-26 HBNCRIIA Awards, which aim to create opportunities for grassroots innovators to connect with investors, policymakers, and technical experts.
About GIAN
GIAN (Gujarat Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network), established in 1997, was India’s first incubator for grassroots innovations. Supported by the Gujarat government, SRISTI, and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), GIAN has nurtured hundreds of grassroots innovations. The organization is committed to promoting affordable, inclusive solutions that address societal challenges.
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Contact Information:
📞 Phone: 9537574742
📧 Email: ceo@gian.org
For entries: hbncriia@gian.org
Honey Bee Network and GIAN have jointly organized first International annual competition for creative & Innovative ideas or traditional knowledge practices, which solve day-to-day problems faced by society including animals, the environment, or us.
HBNCRIIA award accepts entries from parents, teachers, professionals, college students, or any other adult in the formal or informal sector. This award aims to give international recognition to the innovations which are from/for grassroots, and address unmet social needs.
Prof Anil K Gupta while welcoming the distinguished jury members mentioned that Honey Bee Network Creativity & Inclusive Innovation Awards (HBNCRIIA) 2020 is given to most promising inclusive innovations from around the world. The Members of the jury included Prof. P V M Rao (Professor and Head, Department of Design, IIT-Delhi), Prof. Vijaya Sherry Chand (Professor & Chairperson, Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation, RJMCEI, IIM), Prof. B. K. Chakravarthy (IDC School of Design, Associate Faculty of Education Technology, IIT Bombay, Powai), Prof. Sanjay Sarma (Vice President for Open Learning and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, Boston), Dr. Chintan Vaishnav (Senior Lecturer, MIT’s Sloan School of Management), Mr. Chetan Patel (National Coordinator – Shodhyatra at SRISTI), Ms Basma Saeed (Head of solutions mapping, UNDP Accelerator Labs, Sudan), Mr Nilesh Kulkarni (Director of Gharda Chemicals Ltd.), Mr Dan Kiernan (Careers Coach at Sa誰d Business School, University of Oxford), Wong Ada (Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture), Rozita Singh (Head of Solutions Mapping, Accelerator Lab at UNDP, India), and Ms Alison Field- Juma (Executive Director at OARS Cambridge, United States).
This year, we have reviewed around 2500 entries from 87 countries. These were screened by eminent scholars/practitioners at the primary stage followed by expert jury review. The winners include 10 international awards, 4 Coping with Covid awards and 4 appreciation awards from nine countries.
Congratulations to all winners and we recognize the efforts by thousands of innovators who sent their ideas for dealing with COVID-19, sanitation, environmental care, agriculture, food and agro-processing, reduction in drudgery, safety, etc.
The entries for HBNCRIIA awards 2021 are open and can be sent at hbncriia@gian.org
To celebrate the unique creativity and ideas of people from and for the grassroots and recognize their contribution towards making Gujarat inclusive and innovative.
The Gujarat Energy Idea Awards 2024, a state-level initiative celebrating innovative ideas in the energy sector, concluded with a grand ceremony at the 5th International Conference on Creativity and Innovation at Grassroots (ICCIG) at IIM Ahmedabad. Organized by Gujarat Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network (GIAN) and supported by Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Limited (GETCO), the awards recognized students, grassroots innovators, and MSMEs for their creative and forward-thinking ideas in sustainable energy.
The awards aimed to inspire and promote novel ideas in energy conservation, generation, augmentation, storage, and distribution, encouraging innovative approaches that contribute to the energy transition and address critical environmental challenges. The competition witnessed overwhelming participation, with over 650 entries received for the Idea Awards. After a rigorous evaluation, 10 outstanding idea contributors were honored for their visionary solutions in the energy sector.
Each of the top 10 winners in the Idea Awards received INR 20,000, a certificate, and a trophy for their novel solutions, which ranged from bioplastics and solar energy to waste management and innovative battery systems.
Jhanvi Amit Gandhi – Biocastic – The Better Plastic
A cost-effective alternative to single-use plastics in food packaging, combining recycled paper with bioplastic layers to reduce environmental impact and packaging costs.
Vasoya Aman ManojBhai – Mini Biogas Plant
An innovative biogas system that prevents slurry settlement by using a compressor to circulate air, boosting productivity and enhancing efficiency.
Luhar Shiv JitendraKumar – Development of a Non-electrical Device to Track the Sun’s Movement
A solar panel tracking device that uses a simple water balance mechanism to adjust panel orientation based on the sun’s position, ideal for off-grid areas.
Dev Patel – TurbineRooftop Water Pipe
An innovative system that captures the kinetic energy of flowing water from rooftop storage pipes to generate electricity, providing a sustainable power source.
Shravan Kumar – Triple Benefit from Waste
A circular agriculture system that converts kitchen and market waste into insect protein, biogas, and organic fertilizer, promoting sustainability in waste management.
Rawat Santosh – Nature in Paper, Siyas
Eco-friendly, weatherproof paper pots made from repurposed materials offer a sustainable alternative to traditional floral arrangements, reducing waste.
Yasam Veera Reddy – Flother – Textiles from Floral Waste
Discarded flowers from temples and markets are often dumped in rivers or landfills, creating environmental issues. This innovation repurposes floral waste into plant-based textiles, leather alternatives, incense sticks, and candles. The “Flother” material combines flower waste and textile fibers to create a durable, biodegradable, and cruelty-free leather alternative that can be used in fashion, automotive, and other industries.
Raju Barman – Phase Change Material-Based Thermoelectric Refrigeration System
Cooling systems are essential, but they contribute significantly to energy consumption and CO2 emissions. This solar-powered portable refrigerator integrates thermoelectric cooling and Phase Change Material (PCM) to optimize energy efficiency. The PCM helps enhance solar panel performance and longevity, making it a sustainable and portable solution for food and medical storage in off-grid areas.
Darsh Kelaiya – Fuel-Saving Car Batteries – Capturing Heat for Energy
Vehicles generate waste heat, which is usually lost. This innovation converts excess heat into electricity, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. The recovered energy can be used to partially power the vehicle, helping to lower fuel costs and mitigate environmental impact.
Parama Datta – Foldable Parabolic Dome-Type Solar Dryer
Traditional food drying methods are inefficient and often waste energy. This solar-powered dryer features a foldable dome design, which optimizes heat absorption and airflow while being portable and space-efficient. Farmers and small businesses can use this dryer to preserve agricultural products without relying on electricity, reducing waste and improving food security.
To celebrate the unique creativity and innovation of people from and for the grassroots and recognize their contribution towards making Gujarat inclusive and innovative.
The top innovators were rewarded with cash prizes, certificates, and trophies. Award categories included First Prize (INR 2.5 Lakhs), Second Prize (INR 1.25 Lakhs), Third Prize (INR 75,000), and seven Appreciation Awards (INR 25,000 each).
Amit Gupta (1st Position) – Semi-Automatic Solar Panel Recycling Technology
Addresses the challenge of photovoltaic waste management by enabling efficient solar panel recycling.
Arjunbhai Mohanlal Paghadar (2nd Position) – Swargarohan
An eco-friendly cremation system reduces wood consumption by 80% while maintaining religious customs.
Nabajit Bharali(3rd Position)– Solar Pot with Sapling Watering Facility
A device converting atmospheric moisture into water for saplings using solar energy.
To celebrate the unique creativity and innovation of people from and for the grassroots and recognize their contribution towards making Gujarat inclusive and innovative.
GIAN is the first incubator of grassroots innovations set up in 1997 in collaboration with the Gujarat government and supported by SRISTI and IIMA in addition to the Honey Bee Network.
Registration Nos. –
BPTA (Bombay Public trust Act), 1950 – F/ 5830 (Ahmedabad)
SRA (Societies Registration Act) , 1860 – GUJ/5981/Ahmedabad
FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) – 041910244
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