Fri, Feb. 03, 2012
Trevor Williams, GlobalAtlanta Jaipur Foot's hand-powered rickshaw ready to go.

Jaipur, India - Some experts lament what they see as India's failure to instill innovation through education. Vestiges of 200 years of British colonization still linger in the form of rote learning, especially at the primary school level.

Even there, the picture is bleak. A Times of India article Tuesday revealed the country's paltry showing in a recent test measuring reading, science and math literacy in 74 countries. India ranked second to last, just above Kyrgyzstan.

But on the streets and C-suites of some major companies, it's easy to see that innovation, though slow to catch on in theory, is vibrantly practiced at the grassroots level. Shopkeepers spin new yarns about the benefits of their pashminas. Landlords push developers to build high-rises on their crumbling blocks. People get things done because they have to – whether it's modifying a cart to carry more laundry or revamping a company's entire business model.

Westerners can get frustrated by India's bureaucracy, but GlobalAtlanta spoke with one businessman who (half) joked that the government imposes it to sharpen the wits of its citizens. Business here is about making a way when there seems to be none, sometimes choosing a destination before the path is clear, according to many officials interviewed.

Take the Nano, the tiny car that costs about $2,500 new. TATA Motors, the manufacturer, began the project with the end in mind: providing a comfortable and affordable car to the masses.

The challenge paid off. Limits forced TATA and its suppliers to rethink their assumptions about how a car should be made. The process spurred innovation for all partners, though sales have been slower than desired, executives have said.

Some of the brightest ideas shine from some of India's dimmest circumstances. The spark can come from small entrepreneurs, big multinationals or some fortunate convergence of the two. Many models created for local problems have begun to impact the rest of the world.

The market leader for ATMs in India, Duluth-based NCR Corp. has developed machines to address the needs of the poorest areas of India, a nation with a largely rural population of 1.1 billion.

The machine, now in a pilot phase, reverses the traditional “cash-and-dash” model of ATM use. Instead of making withdrawals, villagers use a card linked to their biometric data to deposit cash and check balances. 

The solution helps them build a credit rating and eventually leads them into the formal economy, a benefit for banks keen to expand into second and third-tier cities said Rakesh Aulaya, head of communications for South Asia Pacific, during an interview at NCR's Mumbai office.

It's also better for customers, who previously had to use middle men to deposit money.

“Handing over cash to an agent, you always have at the back of your mind whether it's going to come back, but here you know it's safe, you know it's going to the bank and you've got the card in your hand,” Mr. Auyala said.

NCR has also developed software that includes audio cues for the blind and illiterate in up to 15 languages. Eventually both machines could be rolled out in other emerging markets, Mr. Aulaya said.

On the non-profit side, India's prevalence of amputees was the spark for a charity that makes durable prosthetic limbs for less than $40.

Jaipur Foot takes patients on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of income or social standing. Started in 1975 after about 10 years of research, the group now distributes 60,000 limbs a year at no cost to patients.

Jaipur Foot keeps costs down by manufacturing everything in-house – feet, legs, knees and now, arms and hands. It also has a small factory making hand-crank rickshaws and crutches. The factory employs locals, many of them Jaipur Foot patients.

During GlobalAtlanta's visit to its facility, double amputees got up and walked. One man used his new arm to raise a glass to his lips for the first time. Others hobbled a bit, trying to negotiate their new appendages.

Satyaprakash Singh lost his right leg in a car accident and thought his life was over. He got a leg from Jaipur Foot a few years ago and had Wednesday to upgrade to a newer model. A former taxi driver, he now makes his living milking cows.

“I can work, I can earn for myself again. I'm not dependent on people. I'm not dependent on the government," Mr. Singh said.

GlobalAtlanta's Trevor Williams is traveling in India and will soon complete a special report on Georgia's connections with the country. 

Related Countries: India
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