HBNCRIIA India 2025-26

Mission Statement

To celebrate the unique creativity and innovation of people from and for the grassroots and recognize their contribution towards making India inclusive and innovative

Objective

To Identify grassroots innovations across various sectors, finally selecting 15 innovations for felicitation at the annual national award function
To celebrate the creativity of common people and help them gain respect, recognition, and reward and become part of the Honey Bee Network
To preserve and promote outstanding traditional knowledge and facilitate value addition to them for large-scale replication in a commercially sustainable manner

Eligibility Criteria

Innovations could be in any domain/area: farm/non-farm application, education, infrastructure, traditional knowledge, environment, agriculture, reduction in drudgery of women, livelihoods, accessibility, etc.
No restrictions as to age, gender, class, education etc.
The innovation should generally be well-aligned with the SDGs.
The innovation should have the potential to scale further.
Prior small-scale funding or minor recognition will not disqualify any participant but those who have received well-recognized national awards or major investments will be excluded

Details to be submitted while applying

Status of Applicant: individual/proprietorship concern/private company/registered start-up
Details of the innovation
History of the innovation
Patent information of the product (if any)
A video of the innovation or a link to the video
Website details or link to any video platform demonstrating the working of innovation
If possible, details about similar products anywhere in the world,
A declaration that the applicant is the sole person responsible or owner of the innovation;
A declaration that HBNCRIIA/GIAN can share shortlisted ideas with due acknowledgement of the innovator widely to create awareness about such worthy ideas and the campaign

Mode For Submission

Disclaimer

Submitted Innovation will be accessible to experts for review
The decision of the review & screening committee will be final and no queries pertaining to the selection process or selection of the innovations will be entertained.
Representative of GIAN or committee thereof is free to make a visit to verify the claims of the innovator or innovation at their own cost.
Submitted entries will be the part of Honey Bee network database as long as GIAN desires and can be shared with others for wider awareness and creating culture of innovation.
The innovation submitted or selected for the awards by GIAN will be free to get published by GIAN in its promotional, communication, marketing material in both physical and online form. However, the ownership and intellectual property related to the innovation will remain with its owners or applicant and will be kept intact while sharing the innovation.
In case an innovation is selected, the innovators will try their utmost to attend the award ceremony event.
All decisions pertaining to any conflicts arising during the event will be decided fully and finally by GIAN with no other alternative recourse.

Previous Awardees

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.)