PHNOM PENH, 22 December 2022 – The 3rd ASEAN-India Grassroots Innovation Forum concludes today with Shalini Kumari from India and Napaschol Inthapan from Thailand crowned as winners.
Competing with 45 candidates from nine countries in the Grassroots Innovation category, Shalini Kumari won the tilt with her invention, a special modified walker with adjustable legs to help the elderly and differently-abled persons climb the stairs. The second prize went to Meriam Bouquia from the Philippines with the Multi-Purpose Fiber Stripper of Pablo Petalcorin. The third prize was given to Myo Thaw from Myanmar for his innovative edible product called GreenToddy’s Plamyra palm coconut that comes in various flavours.
In the Students Innovation category where 37 candidates from nine countries competed, the first and second prizes were won by Thailand. Napaschol Inthapan received the first prize in recognition of her innovation known as ORA (Osteoarthritis Rehabilitation Assistant). Tanapat Charunworaphan won the second prize with her innovative device HealthTech which keeps the heart function in check. The third prize went to Phonsena Chanthavong from Lao PDR who invented the intelligent boat for a cleaner river.
The prizes were handed to the winners during the closing ceremony by Dr Hul Seingheng, Cambodia COSTI Chair, Dr Zurina Moktar, Head of Science and Technology at the ASEAN Secretariat, and Tushar Garg, a scientist with the National Innovation Foundation India. Cash prizes for the first, second, and third place winners in both categories were US$1500, US$1000, and US$500 respectively. The prizes were sponsored by AISTDF.
Presiding over the closing ceremony, Kitti Settha Pandita Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kingdom of Cambodia, expressed his appreciation for the event. “The three-day forum provides a platform for participants to share experiences and best practices in grassroots innovation among ASEAN and India communities. I am optimistic that cooperation between ASEAN and India will enjoy broader prospects, and we will share an even brighter future,” he said.
Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community Satvinder Singh added, “accelerating grassroots innovation beyond a viable means of raising income, demand a lucid ecosystem by empowering the grassroots community to actively share tacit knowledge, co-create and co-innovate in a platform like this forum.”
Ambassador of India to ASEAN Jayant Khobragade underlined that when the resources are limited to meet the needs of the growing population, innovation plays a vital role in bringing solutions to local problems. “I wish that this event would boost the inclusive innovation approach at the grassroots level among the youth of ASEAN and India that brings affordable, niche solutions for everyday problems of life, making day to day life of the people in the region easier,” he said.
The three-day forum showcased 100 grassroot innovations from nine countries and attracted around 3,000 visitors. More than 20 panelists and keynote speakers also shared the best practices on grassroots innovation in a series of panel discussions. The forum was organised by the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI) Cambodia, in partnership with the Government of India and the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) and was funded by the ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund (AISTDF).
The 3rd ASEAN-India Grassroot Innovation Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was organised as a result of the successful execution of the first and the second series held respectively in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018 and in Davao City, Philippines in 2019. The ASEAN Secretariat and the Department of Science and Technology, India confirmed that the forum is set to return next year.
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