High decibel noise is generated in the air and on the ground to make India Atma Nirbhar(self-reliant) in science and technology with special emphasis on defense requirements. Extra importance is attached to the impact of innovation. It’s indeed a most desired goal in the current global context. However, talking is different from doing it. The following stories will illustrate whether India has the conducive climate for the development of innovation.

A Bengaluru boy invented a 5D printing device. 63 Indians firms including a few universities could’t approve it whereas 15 European countries accorded recognition to the invention (TOI 07/August/2020).

Nothing is mentioned about how much hardships he faced in knocking the doors of 63 concerns. In this regard it’ll be appropriate to recall the ordeal Man Mohan Suri had to undergo to get his invention recognized in India. It is about a hydro-mechanical transmission system for diesel locomotives -- known as Suri Transmission.

Suri faced only bureaucratic harassment and discouragement at every stage in India. No Indian authority was ready to lend credence to the device. He displayed extraordinary stamina and resilience not to give up in despair. He applied for patents in many European countries. Germany was first to grant his patent. Many other European countries followed suit. And the rejected Suri-transmssion came back to India in full glory of acceptability via the western route.  What a disgrace for Indian administrators. The evaluators displayed gross inadequacy in seeing through the practical applicability of the invention. In simple terms does it mean we are incompetent for the job? This should have been a wake-up call for Indian authorities not to repeat such blunders in future. The Bengaluru boy and Suri spans a wide time gap of about four decades.  But the saddest fact is that no lesson was learnt from this experience.

It is not mentioned in his life sketch on the internet also. He may not have a written biography highlighting this ignoble flaw in our character.  Posterity will remain in the dark about this and the disease will never get cured. Meanwhile many such ignoble incidents might have happened during the intervening period about which the public remained ignorant. To know the sordid saga about Suri-transmission one has to get access to the contemporary issues of India Today. There might be other publications also covering the episode

Any organization entrusted with the development of innovative spirit in the employees or general public should be aware of the inherent flaws existing today. Then only we can expect to get it eliminated. We need an environment to foster innovators and facilitate rather than inhibit innovative spirit to flourish. Ensure that the requisite atmosphere prevails.