Innovation is not just an idea anymore. In the modern times, it is a medium of direction,” said Dnyaneshwar Mulay, the current secretary in the ministry of external affairs (MEA), on Friday. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Sino Lab, also known as the social innovation lab, at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
Explaining the importance of innovation, Mulay said, “All the changes that occur in the current times are indeed part of innovation. A budding entrepreneur can find his or her direction only through exploring innovative ideas and the lab will help nurture these ideas, making it a very important centre for learning.”
The lab is to provide a platform to entrepreneurs, especially women entrepreneurs, to conceptualise and develop innovative ideas and find solutions to social problems. Vijay Khare, director, international centre (SPPU) shared that one of the points to emphasise after the inauguration will be creating ideas to promote Clean India campaign and finding an alternative technology to eliminate manual scavenging.
Mulay was the chief guest of the ceremony on June 1. Nitin Karmalkar, vice-chancellor of SPPU; NS Umrani, pro-chancellor, SPPU; Arvind Shaligram, registrar, SPPU; Khare, professor, SPPU and Isabel Barerieo Vazquez, foreign banking officer of Spain university of Santiago, were also present on the occasion.
“Ideas of the youth and their views are fresh and the platform is to encourage fresh and innovative thinking. That is the primary necessity of any industry whatsoever. The lab, under the international centre of the university, will become a confluence of not just international culture, but of knowledge and innovation.
{{/usCountry}}“Ideas of the youth and their views are fresh and the platform is to encourage fresh and innovative thinking. That is the primary necessity of any industry whatsoever. The lab, under the international centre of the university, will become a confluence of not just international culture, but of knowledge and innovation.
{{/usCountry}}“We are happy to mark the beginning of something special as this will open up more employment opportunities for the youth. The university will give its full support to deserving projects and budding entrepreneurs through the lab,” said Karmalkar.