3rd All India Design Innovation Centre (DIC) Meet Organised; Exhibition of Innovative Projects and Startups Held
New Delhi: The Design Innovation Centre (DIC) at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi (SPA, New Delhi) organised the 3RD ALL INDIA DIC MEET 2023 and an Exhibition on Monday at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC) in the national capital.
The agenda of the meet was: –
a) Exhibition of innovative projects and startups covering areas of food & agriculture, education, energy & climate change, healthcare, rural development, housing & urban affairs, transportation and textiles.
b) Interaction and interchange of ideas and synergy of DIC with other Govt. schemes and initiatives (i.e., MSME Champion Scheme, Atal Innovation Mission, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, Rural Technology Action Group, GIAN)
Speaking on the occasion, Prof P.S.N. Rao, Director, SPA New Delhi, said, “Design Innovations in the present-day context assume paramount significance for taking science from ‘lab to land’ and in making educational institutions to develop ideas into innovations, make prototypes, mobilize entrepreneurs and bring them to the markets and within reach of the common man. Good design has the latent potential for material use efficiency, improve safety, enhance functionality, conserve energy and contribute to a sustainable world. This 3rd All India DIC Meet showcases many such innovations.”
Prof. Sanjukkta Bhaduri, DIC Coordinator and Head, Department (Urban Planning) of SPA New Delhi, who coordinated the 3rd All India DIC Meet, said, “The 3rd All India DIC Meet is being organised by DIC SPA-New Delhi so as to align the Design Innovation Centre with various Government schemes and initiatives and exhibit innovative projects and startups. DIC at SPA New Delhi as well as all the Hubs and Spokes, as a part of the NIDI Scheme endeavors to progress in the journey of development of an innovative idea to market ready products aided by business models and marketing strategies.”
On this occasion, Prof P.V.M. Rao, Coordinator, DIC, IIT Delhi, said, “IIT Delhi has been immensely benefitted by Design Innovation Center (DIC), Open Design School and National Design Innovation Network initiatives of the Union Ministry of Education, which brought a new culture of innovation through innovation courses, innovation spaces, innovation activities and design of innovative products and solutions. It has also facilitated IIT Delhi in taking design and innovation endeavors to other schools, colleges, institutes and universities located in tier-2 and tire-3 cities”.
Design Innovation Centres (DIC) have been established in public academic institutions under National Initiative for Design Innovation (NIDI) Scheme as a flagship programme by the Ministry of Education (as per Twelfth Plan), under a HUB and Spoke Model, with the Lead Institution acting as the mentor while synergizing and leveraging the potential of the Spoke Institutes.
The purpose of setting up DICs is to: –
• Promote and enhance interdisciplinary design focused innovation and creative problem solving through design-based education and projects.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration amongst industry, academia, Government institutes, research laboratories, etc. for entrepreneurship and marketing of products.
• Build a flagship programme in the areas of design and innovation which can be replicated in other institutes/ universities in our country.
Presently, there are 20 institutions that are DIC Hubs including SPA-New Delhi, 10 IITs, 9 Central Government Universities, 64 institutions that are Spokes to the Hubs, Open Design School, e-Kalpa, and National Design Innovation Network (NDIN).