Campus Times | Lucknow 

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow, has launched a two-day Prototype Development and Validation Clinic to help researchers convert ideas and research outcomes into functional prototypes and practical technological solutions.

The workshop, inaugurated on August 13 under the aegis of the Institutions Innovation Council and organised by the Research and Development Cell, brought together faculty members, research scholars and students to focus on taking innovations from the research stage to real-world applications.

Chairing the inaugural session, BBAU Vice Chancellor Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal stressed the need to align research with the requirements of society and industry. He noted that growing public investment in research and development presents an opportunity for institutions to move beyond knowledge creation and develop technologies, products and solutions that can address real-life challenges.

Emphasising Indias expanding technology landscape, Prof. Mittal said the country must move from being primarily a technology consumer to becoming a technology producer. He underlined the importance of developing indigenous products and technologies that can create employment opportunities and strengthen Indias position globally.

Prof. Naveen Kumar Arora, President of the Institution Innovation Council, outlined the universitys innovation initiatives and highlighted the role of Navkalpana, a Section 8 company working to promote innovative ideas and their practical applications. He called for closer coordination between Navkalpana and the Research and Development Cell to accelerate the conversion of research into prototypes, innovations and deployable solutions.

Delivering the technical perspective, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Srivastava, Scientist-G at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, explained the key stages involved in developing a viable technology. He highlighted the importance of assessing scientific feasibility, engineering feasibility and real-world implementation feasibility before taking an idea towards a working model and reliable validation.

The inaugural session also featured addresses by Prof. Bal Chandra Yadav, Prof. Shishir Kumar, Director, Research and Development Cell, and Dr. Jeevan Singh, Programme Coordinator. The programme began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and floral tribute to the portrait of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, followed by the presentation of saplings to faculty members. Faculty members, non-teaching staff, research scholars and students attended the inaugural programme.