Dr. Jitendra Singh calls for connecting "Grassroots Innovators" with country's formal innovation ecosystem

Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh urged linking grassroots innovators with the formal innovation ecosystem, emphasizing that India’s next growth wave will stem from villages and small towns. At the Grassroots Innovator Recognition Ceremony 2026, 26 innovators from 16 states and 23 districts (including 11 women) were honoured for solutions in agriculture, healthcare, clean energy, water management and more. The Minister highlighted the Atal Innovation Mission’s expansion, noting 25 operational Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs) and another 25 under development, which have supported over 2,500 innovators. He called for stronger integration of these centres with the Department of Science and Technology’s NIDHI programme to provide incubation, validation, IP support and market linkages, aiming to transform local ideas into nationally scalable enterprises.