Innovation

Frontier tech has the power to reshape economies, societies, and the future of work. Is India well-positioned to ride this wave of transformation? We meet the changemakers making this possible, while also looking towards other breakthroughs in this field.

Lucknow-based Aishwarya Bhatnagar and Prateek Rastogi run Greenday to promote innovative farming methods and biofortified seeds that benefit both farmers and consumers alike.

Naveen, like many other first-generation entrepreneurs, has turned to decentralised renewable energy (DRE) technologies from DD Solar Solutions. His solar atta chakki now helps him earn a stable income.

Founder of Harvested Robotics, Rahul Arepaka (22) built Rakshak, an AI-powered laser-weeding robot that combats weeds without harming the crops. He is now using it to help farmers earn more.

Witnessing towering heaps of steel slag in Rourkela, Dr Shitarashmi Sahu turned industrial waste into eco-friendly bio-fertilisers. Her innovation not only improved soil health but also boosted farmers’ crop yields by 20%. Supporting 500 farmers, the initiative proves how waste can be transformed into wealth and sustainable livelihoods.

The Leap 300 model helps families escape extreme poverty in just 300 days through app-based selection, skill training, and business mentoring. With a 91% success rate, it enables participants to build sustainable livelihoods, boost incomes, and break generational poverty cycles.

On the morning of 15 August 1995, as the flag unfurled, India took its first step towards becoming a digital powerhouse — with an internet launch that would one day connect over 900 million people.

From designing tools to exploring ideas, Hari Parameswaran’s life has been a steady pursuit of making science less abstract. Now 84, he’s crafted 25 innovative kits — including a mini microscope — that give children not answers, but access. His Bengaluru home remains a hub of experimentation and possibility.

The easy-to-use self-watering system called ‘Osmos’ allows gardeners to keep a planted pot inside the water-filled bowl. The clay terracotta pot absorbs water and the soil inside the pot remains hydrated.

Faced with crop spoilage in his village, 26-year-old Swuyievezo Dzudo used his science background to build a solar dryer that costs Rs 7,000. Now used by over 500 farmers in Nagaland, his invention is saving crops, boosting incomes, and earning national recognition.