Innovating for progress

Amidst all the election-related news this week, emerged a non-related but a very important development for the country’s progress – the gazetting of a bill to establish a National Innovation Agency.

According to the bill, the objectives of the proposed Agency are to promote better understanding “on social innovation, science and technology innovation, defence innovation, eco innovation and service innovation and their impact on the economy”; make recommendations to the Government to formulate national policies in respect of innovation; ensure national research is aligned with and contributes to the economy and national economic goals; identify any obstacles in the public and private sector that hamper innovation; and support and facilitate innovation in the private sector to establish a vibrant national innovation ecosystem.

As I pondered over these positive developments, looking out of the office window at the trio – Kussi Amma Sera, Serapina and Mabel Rasthiyadu – engaged in a conversation on politics under the margosa tree, the phone rang.

It was ‘ Shifty’ Silva, the always-inquisitive IT expert, on the line. I welcomed the call, as I hadn’t spoken to ‘ Shifty’ for a long time. “Hello, Shifty …long time no see,” I said. “Fine, fine,” he replied and added: “I say, did you see that news item about a new innovation agency being formulated?”

“Yes I did. In fact, it is the focus of this week’s column,” I said.

“Great. This is a good move since there is a huge reservoir of talent and innovation particularly among young minds. I would think that this agency can help spur a lot of innovative ideas among our youth and transform these ideas into commercial products,” he said.

We then moved to other topics with the Presidential election also coming up for discussion.

‘ Shifty’ is right. There are umpteen innovations developed by Sri Lankans which, unfortunately, have not been transformed into commercial use for the greater good of society.

It is reported that the proposed agency will develop and sustain a national innovation ecosystem in keeping with the Sri Lanka Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategy and support the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategy objectives through the facilitation of hi-tech enterprises stemming from research and technology transfer.

Taking a break from typing this column on the computer, I walked to the kitchen to get my cup of tea. Looking out of the window I could hear snatches of the conversation between the three ‘ amba yahaluwo (mango friends)’.

“Mathivaranaya Gota saha Sajith athara sameepa tharangayak wela thiyenne (The election is becoming a close contest between Gota and Sajith),” said Kussi Amma Sera.

“Mathivaranayata issara wela kalabala thiyewida (Will there be pre-election violence)”? asked Serapina. “Mama hiththanne nehe ( I don’t think so),” said Mabel Rasthiyadu.

“Mama chande danna gamata yanawa (I am going back to the village to cast my vote),” said Kussi Amma Sera.

Indeed, as I left the kitchen and went back to my computer, the thought struck me that there seems to be a lot of interest amongst all sections of the population to ensure they vote at this election.

Back to the conversation on the National Innovation Agency, I was reminded of the late Dr. A.N.S. Kulasinghe, a civil engineer and founder Chairman of the National Engineering Research and Development (NERD) agency of Sri Lanka. A genius, he developed several great ideas in the construction field, particularly concrete technology and also a car that could run on energy produced from coconut husk, long before the West had developed the now popular hybrid vehicles.

Another great Sri Lankan inventor was Ray Wijewardene, known for designing a two-wheel ‘walking’ tractor to help farmers. This tractor was manufactured and marketed worldwide by the Landmaster company in Nottingham, UK.

For many years, Sri Lankans have churned out idea after idea, but apart from winning world recognition at inventor gatherings, without these ideas being transformed into innovative products, they have merely entered the dustbin of history. There hasn’t been a mechanism to transform innovative ideas into commercial use and in this connection one hopes the new agency will help inventors in Sri Lanka with funds, expertise and commercialisation of their inventions.

Many years ago, when former President Chandrika

Kumaratunga was the Chief Minister of the Western Province, she asked the then CISIR (now ITI – Industrial Technology Institute and the place for ideas, creations and inventions) for some information on the creative products that they have developed. “Alas,” she later told a presidential gathering at the National Awards for Inventors, there was no response from the CISIR.

The point she made at that time was that Sri Lanka produces a wealth of ideas, some of it on paper; some of it in the form of a model but little is done thereafter. The CISIR in particular probably has developed research to solve many of the country’s economic ills and take the nation to a developed status. But scientists, at that time, were either not savvy in turning this into the real thing or merely treated it as just research done for exactly that purpose.

On the other hand, scores of inventors have produced models and prototypes from ideas, won awards locally and internationally but have not been able to translate them into a lucrative commercial product.

Thus, institutions like the National Innovation Agency can help spur and unearth many ideas and innovative thinking among, and in particular, the Sri Lanka’s start-up community which has seen a rapid development of technology-based products essentially to help society at large. In this context, there are a number of innovative ideas that have been transformed into commercial products for the public good.

It is hoped that the formation of this agency, which is an apolitical move, will get the support of all political parties when its formation is debated in Parliament.

As I was winding up this week’s column, Kussi Amma Sera walked into the room with my usual second cup of tea, saying: “Labana sathiye mathivaranayata mokak weida (What will happen at next week’s election)?”

“Samee path ar an gay ak….samee path a rang ayak(c lose contest..…. close contest),” I replied, realising that the fiercely-fought presidential campaign is making it very difficult to predict what the result would be, at this point in time.