New Delhi, Oct 26: Innovation in the field of education, healthcare and technology should reach the poor so that it helps in the overall development of the country, Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) R A Mashelkar said on Thursday.

"When we talk about innovation the real challenge is not only doing different things but doing it differently. Innovation should reach the poor then only it would help us in economic growth," Mashelkar said here at a roundtable on India and United States` changing innovation systems organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Mashelkar said India faces big challenges in providing education and health care to the poor.

"There are 200 million illiterate out of which 130 million are women. We have been able to reduce illiteracy by 1.3 per cent per annum. If this goes on then it would mean we would be able to eliminate illiteracy only in another 20 years. In such a situation how can we call ourselves a developed nation," he said.

"We should be able to achieve literacy in another five years. To an extent we have been able to attain it through our computer based functional literacy (CBFL)," said Mashelkar, who is also the president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).

Under CBFL, Rs 100 is spent on educating one person. "We use knocked down computers which are no longer in use to educate illiterate people," he said.

Mashelkar said healthcare is another area where the poor find it difficult to get proper attention.

He said through the reverse pharmacology process, India is set to produce low-cost drugs.

"The challenge is to make the best minds of the world to work for the poor," he said.

CII on the occasion launched an innovation grid, an online initiative to help people with innovative ideas to access a network of mentors.

Surinder Kapur, who is the chairman of the manufacturing innovation mission of CII, said that by January they will be out with the list of India`s 50 most innovative companies.

Charles Wessner, Director of the Technology, innovation and entrepreneurship of the US National Academies, said innovation is the key to maintain a competitive position in the global economy.

"India is head-to-head with China in attracting high end research and development. India leads in it and automotive industry. There should be a US India innovative forum which should continue high level dialogue on best practiced innovation policy," he added.

Bureau Report