DR. Anil Gupta, a pioneer in grassroots innovations, retired as a faculty from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) in 2017 after 36 years of service. He was awarded a Padma Shri in 2004 for management edu-cation. He has championed the cause of grassroots innovators and communities across the country by documenting their knowledge with the help of a team of volunteers. He and his organisations help provide scientific validation for the innovations, aid the innovators’ file patents and facilitate tie-ups with entrepreneurs and industrial groups to commercialise the innovations.
His mission has included linking ideas in the informal and formal sectors and ensuring recognition, respect and reward for creative individuals and communities. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), World Academy of Arts and Sciences (WAAS) and the Indian National Academy of Sciences (INSA). In a riveting interview, Dr. Gupta speaks about how he got interested in knowledge systems, his path-breaking course at IIMA ‘Shodh Yatra’, the popular traditional food festival he started in Ahmedabad called ‘Sattvik’, and many other things.
What was your childhood like? How did it shape your interest in promoting grassroots innovation?
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