CLRI Bags First CSIR Award for S& T Innovations for Rural Development

Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, today gave away CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development to Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI). The Award to CLRI is in recognition of their contributions for designing, developing and delivering effectively several critical technologies impacting positively the livelihood of a large number of people engaged in Indian Leather Sector.

The CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development has been instituted from this year to recognize those S&T innovations that have helped transform the lives of rural people or alleviated the drudgery of the rural people or have helped in generation of employment. Only successful S&T innovations that have been implemented at ground level are considered for the award.

Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Director General, CSIR & Secretary, DSIR while announcing the award said that CLRI has made several S& T innovations, which are suited to village micro enterprise sector. A basket of critical technologies of socio-economic relevance to nearly 1.4 million people engaged directly in rural leather sector has been designed, developed and delivered effectively. These technologies include innovative methods for recovery and fuller utilization of carcasses of fallen animals in villages, improved vegetable tanning and standardized production of open type ethnic footwear (Kohlapuri). Dr. Mashelkar explained that the main connecting feature of S&T innovations of CLRI is in rendering the relatively small economies of scale associated with low investment capacities of village micro-enterprises. Dr. Mashelkar further said that the design intervention in Athani region for quality production of ethnic footwear (Kohlapuri) has made a difference to the rural economy of the region. The technology packages developed and delivered by CLRI in a large number of locations in the country are in practice and serve as models for replication of these S&T innovations for rural development. The missionary zeal of CLRI in delivering technology packages is unique.. The Prime Minister also gave away CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award 2006 to "Tejas Networks India Limited", a Bangalore based next generation Company. The Company has won the award for development and commercialization of Next Generation Optical (SDH/SONET) Networking Products. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh, a shield and a citation.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : September 26, 2006