The only way India could take leadership position in the world in the next few decades was by evolving into a knowledge society and finding innovative solutions to technological challenges,Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Tuesday. He was speaking at a function to honour two scientists Prof K S Valdiya,a geologist,and Prof A K Sood,a physicist with the Gujar Mal Modi Award for innovative science and technology. Chidambaram said it was unfortunate that jugaad a reference to the Indian trait of using amateurish quick-fix solutions to technological challenges was often hailed in the country. Jugaad is not innovation. It is a very corrupt way of looking at innovation. We are quite adept at getting things done. But what we really need is to appreciate and reward genuine innovation.
