Gujarat! now june 2012 by Gujarat NOW

June 2012

Gujarat! NOW

Contents

June 2012

Gujarat! NOW Connecting Gujarat’s Businesses With Global Markets www.GTCGlobal.in Publishers: GTC Global India Office : 56 BMM Society, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat, India Contact Details : +91-79-26575619, +91(0)9327067935 info@gtcglobal.in 318B Painted Post, Dr. Scarborough, ONT MIG 2M3 President : Shanker Damodaran Editor : Vrushti Mawani Creative Head : Mona Bhatt Editorial Support and Production : Pankhi Gram Hanssen Graphic Support : Moin Kazi Disclaimer The inclusion of any article or advert does not constitute any form of endorsement or approval by Gujarat! NOW. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that all advertisements and articles are correct, Gujarat! NOW will not be held responsible for errors or omissions. © GTC Global All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing fromGTC Global, except that brief passages may be quoted by a reviewer in a magazine, newspaper or broadcast review. This publication is designed to provide its readers with accurate and authoritative information with regards to the subject matter covered. If further detailed advice be required, the services of a competent person need to be sought.

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Gujarat! NOW The Global “I”

Gujarat’s Potential for Ideas, Innovation, Incubation & Implementation After establishing offices in China, Spain, and most recently, Japan, Isis Innovation Limited, the technology transfer company owned by Oxford University, is now exploring the potential of establishing an office in India. Would it come as a surprise that they are looking at Gujarat very seriously for this venture?

Dr. Rakesh Roshan, who leads the initiative of growing Isis in India, tells us about the broad range of activities Isis Innovation has been involved with over the years, the company’s strategy for expanding globally, and the possibilities Isis Innovation envisages towards setting up their operations in Gujarat.

CounterPoint NOW

Partnering for a Knowledge-based Economy Canada’s take on furthering trade and investment tie-ups with Gujarat... What kind of growth can we expect in terms of Canadian companies coming to Gujarat ? What is Canada’s take on furthering education-related linkages between Canada and Gujarat and more ? How is Canada looking at positioning its stance at the Vibrant Gujarat 2013 ? Presenting in-depth insights from the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in India, Mr. Jim Nickel...

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June 2012

Leading the Winds

A Connected Gujarat Mr. Ravi Saxena

Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat Mr. Ravi Saxena’s efforts have resulted in making Gujarat the most e-connected state in the country. He took the challenge of upgrading the

Advantage Gujarat

Walking the Talk : DST, Gujarat All that positions Gujarat as a leading investment destination

ICT infrastructure in the state and created the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN). He has been persistently campaigning for the consolidation of government IT infrastructure for the entire

The Government of Gujarat’s Department of Science and Technology, through its numerous programmes, ranging from e-governance and the GSWAN project, its innovative IT Policy and ICT-related initiatives, to the Gujarat Science City project and its Space Applications & Geo-Informatics related activities, has not only played a critical role in furthering science and technological advancement, but also goes a long way in reinforcing Gujarat’s continuing lead in being the most favoured global business destination within India... Read on to learn more about these initiatives By DST...

Comprising news and updates on business and investment exchanges currently underway between Gujarat and the global market, this section covers an entire range of industry sectors where Gujarat & overseas business prospects are coming closer to each other.

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This particular issue looks at developments related to the biotechnology, education & innovation, IT and manufacturing sectors.

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country, which should result in a Unified Government Cloud Structure. He tells us about what to expect from the Gujarat Government’s initiatives in the Science & Technology sector.

Tech-Ed Tweets Dr. Anil Roy

Professor, DA-IICT

Currently, Prof Nano Tech... Dr. Anil K. Roy is an alumnus of IIT Delhi from where he earned his Ph.D. in Physics in the area of Quantum Optics in 1993. Following this, he was associated with the Centre for Theoretical Studies at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore during 1993-94. He worked with Optical Fiber group at IIT Delhi till 1996 before joining the industry. He talks about the technology education scene in Gujarat.

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Contents Contents

June 2012

Expert Speak The Future of Patenting in Gujarat Mr. Jatin Trivedi

IP Lawyer, well-known Patent Attorney, Mr. Jatin Trivedi, talks about the future of Patenting, Inventions and Innovations in Gujarat visà-vis global markets...

ICT at GIFT City

Game Changers

Keep It Simple : Make It Fun

The Impact of Unified Communications

TThe implementation of ICT in a development is deemed important because of the potentially massive impact these can have on creating more transparent, efficient and advanced global economies, while also playing a critical role in furthering environmental sustainability...The proposed GIFT ICT Vision is to “Create leading-edge infrastructure, services and platforms and offer financial services enterprises a significant competitive advantage to operate regionally and globally”. Read on to get on board with the details of implementing integrated ICT systems at GIFT City....

Safe-gaurding the Binary Space

Centre for Excellence, Cyber Forensics

Gujarat Science City & Kids City look at popularizing

Science & Technology through Edutainment Dedicated to efforts being made towards popularizing science and technology this Game Changers section focuses on two science and technology-based projects in Gujarat that are making strong efforts at reaching out to the community, especially the youth, and at spreading awareness by using a medium that people of our times understand best : educating through entertainment. Or Edutainment, as the concept has now come to be known...

Gone are the days when a detective traced or chased a criminal following a trained Labrador sniffer dog. A large share of crimes are now planned, and often even carried out, across the binary space of the digital world. The Centre of Excellence on Cyber Security at Gandhinagar is an initiative of the Police Department of the Govt. of Gujarat was taken off in early 2011. The mandate for this Centre is to continuously update itself on the state-of-the-art on all types of cyber threats and cyber securities, technologies, products, etc, ultimately aiming to provide training to our manpower to fight this new bizarre type of terrorism that has no face.

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Gujarat! NOW

Editor’s Note

June 2012

Editor’s Note A

n increasingly close integration of technology with our personal and professional lives, and how this has changed the way we function, is a fact that most of us only know too well. Obviously, the future of this equation lies in only one direction : forward. With this in mind, we have dedicated the second issue of Gujarat! NOW to the Science and Technology sector of Gujarat, how this is unfolding, and what this means for the future of Gujarat as a global business hub. In this issue we feature experts involved with Gujarat’s Science & Technology sector at various levels, projects that are spelling out the prospects Gujarat holds towards becoming a premium technology hub as well as views and opinions on the ancillary structures that need to be worked upon towards furthering the Gujarat growth story in a very real sense. We are sure our stories will inspire the same WOW feeling amongst our readers as they do for us. We look forward to your feedback. Shanker Damodaran, President GTC Global.

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elcome to the second issue of Gujarat! NOW.

In a world where the value of businesses is increasingly being measured by their “innovative” strengths as opposed to the previously used gauge of “turn-overs”, Gary Hamel’s statement on how “Pursuing incremental improvement while rivals reinvent the industry is like fiddling while Rome burns” comes to mind. Hamel famously stated this in the July 1996 issue of the Harvard Business Review as part of his take on “Strategy as Revolution”. The relevance of Hamel’s statement to this particular issue of Gujarat! NOW stems from the drive for “innovation” that is fast picking up pace in Gujarat. In addition to existing centres of innovation that have been functioning in the state since the last few years, an entirely new breed of institutions seems to now be interested in being part of Gujarat becoming India’s innovation hub. Our cover story this issue looks at Isis Innovation Limited, Oxford University’s wholly-owned innovation company, which after having established its offices in China, Spain and Japan., has now set its eyes on expanding operations in India. Would it come as a surprise that Gujarat figures right on top of Isis’ preferred destinations for setting up their India office ? Dr. Rakesh Roshan, who heads Isis’ India expansion plans, tells us about why Isis is keen on Gujarat, specific industry sectors and projects that this global innovation company works with, and more. The Counterpoint NOW feature this issue includes an in-depth interview with Mr. Jim Nickel, Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in India, who talks about Canada’s interests in partnering with Gujarat for the growth of specific industry sectors such as education, energy, manufacturing, food processing and more. In our Leading the Winds section, we feature Additional Chief Secretary to Gujarat, Mr. Ravi Saxena, known across India for his phenomenal success in making Gujarat India’s most connected e-state, and Dr. Anil Roy, senior academic from DA-IICT, who talks about technology education in Gujarat. The Expert Speak section this issue features renowned patent attorney Mr. Jatin Trivedi, who gives us his thoughts on why and how the patented technology area of Gujarat needs to be improved and what can be done to achieve this, in order for Gujarat to be India’s preferred global business hub in the real sense. Don’t miss out our Game Changers section in this issue, which features projects from fields as diverse as cyber crime, ICT vis-à-vis urban development, and edutainment. As always, we look forward to your thoughts and suggestions. Do get in touch ! Vrushti Mawani, Editor

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FURTHERING BIOTECHNOLOGY : GUJARAT TO TIE UP WITH MANITOBA, CANADA

biotechnology

Gujarat - Manitoba

ossibilities related to exploring the Biotechnology sector of Gujarat have fast become recognized as being of significant interest to organizations and institutions worldwide ; the most recent development exemplifying this fact being Gujarat having been approached by Canada for carrying out joint research in this particular sector. A delegation of Canadian Members of Parliament visited Gujarat earlier in January this year to explore trade and investment exchange opportunities between Canada and Gujarat. Soon after, Manitoba Trade & Investment, a Canadian Government body, alongwith

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Life Sciences Association of Manitoba, approached Gujarat for exploring tie-ups in the biotechnology sector. According to published reports, these tie-ups will involve Biotechnology companies from Gujarat and Canada coming together for joint ventures, research activities, exchange of research staff as well as for carrying out joint marketing for international markets. More specifically, within the larger biotechnology sector, these potential Gujarat-Canada associations will focus on agri-biotech, bio-industrial, bio-informatics, bio-pharma and bio-services.

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ICREATE SIGNS MOU WITH SWEDISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES

he establishment of iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology) in Gujarat has opened up a number of possibilities related to entrepreneurial development and technology advancement, and a number of bodies the world over seem to have recognized the potential this platform presents for developing joint projects.

innovation

ICreate

Biotechnology (BT) and Environmental Technology (ET) would be the three pillars of development here for this century, further adding that Gujarat is particularly interested in development in sync with ecology, such as solar energy, micro hydro turbines along the Narmada Canal Network and environmental protection.

The recently inked Memorandum of Understanding between iCreate, iNDEXTb and Government of Gujarat with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industries marks the start of many such future associations. Signed in the second week of April 2012, in the presence of Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ambassador to India Mr. Lars-Olof Lindgren, and Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, this MoU is demonstrative of the keen interest of the Swedish delegation headed by Mr. Lindgren in furthering mutual co-operation in trade and commerce and human resources development and extended co-operation in the fields of research and development, high-tech agro business and technology between Sweden and Gujarat. Elaborating on Gujaratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development priorities for the 21st century, Chief Minister Shri. Narendra Modi said that Information Technology (IT),

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eneral impression until now has largely been that IT companies based in Gujarat are great for their call centre and BPO functions, but very little else. The few cutting edge technology developers that are based in Gujarat have had a very low presence and visibility in the global IT market. However, the recently held CeBIT (Centrum fur Buroautomation, Informationstechnologie und Telekommunikation i.e. Centre for Office Automation, Information Technology and Telecommunication) tradeshow in Hannover, Germany, showed a perceptible change in this trend. While there was a total of 23 companies from India participating in the CeBIT show, 8 of these were from Gujarat ; a clear indication of Gujarat’s IT industry coming of age. And while it isn’t very surprising that Gujarat’s IT developers are looking at actively pursuing global business prospects, given that the IT and ICT infrastructure in Gujarat is undergoing a massive overhaul with developments like the GIFT City coming up as well

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IT COMPANIES FROM GUJARAT ACTIVELY HUNT GLOBAL BUSINESS PROSPECTS AT as the IT policy reforms that are likely CEBIT to be introduced very soon, an over 30% representation of Gujarat, as compared to the larger Indian context, at a well-known exhibition like CeBIT, is a big step towards possibilities getting transformed into reality. Held at Hannover between 6th – 10th March, the companies from Gujarat that were present at this CeBIT tradeshow included OpenXcell Technolabs, Cygnet Infotech, Radix Web, Elsner Technologies and SP Technolab among others.

IT Going Global

CeBIT being the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions, and offering the opportunity to interact with over 300,000 visitors and 4000 companies from over 70 countries, is a platform that has the potential to provide an enormous boost to Gujarat’s IT sector. The fact that companies from Gujarat are recognizing this potential and pro-actively showcasing themselves is symbolic of the growth that is waiting to happen in Gujarat’s IT industry.

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STEEL MANUFACTURING IN GUJARAT TO WITNESS A BOOM China Steel Corporation to invest US$ 178 million to set up electrical steel plant in Dahej

STEEL China Steel Corporation

iven the booming economy in India. the demand for electrical steel, which is used in motors, transformers, generators and household appliances, is likely to see an equally strong rise. Estimates say that the total demand for electrical steel which was above 500,000 tons in 2011, is estimated to go up to 670,000 tons by 2015. Recognizing the business potential presented by this demand, China Steel Corporation, a leading Taiwanese steel manufacturer with integrated production capabilities, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Industrial Extension Bureau (INDEXtB), the investment promotion company of the Government of Gujarat, towards setting up an electrical steel plant at the Dahej GIDC estate in Gujarat.

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While the MoU was signed in the middle of January 2012 in the presence of the Chief Minister of Gujarat Mr. Narendra Modi, the electrical steel plant will be set up by China Steel Corporationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subsidiary company China Steel Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. on a 145 acre plot at Dahej. The investment towards this project would be around US$ 178 million (approx INR 900 Crore) in the first phase and would total up to US$ 1.2 billion (INR 6000 Crore) by the second phase. Reportedly, China Steel Corporation has stated that work for the first phase of setting up this Dahej plant will start from June 2012 with the manufacturing process expected to start from the beginning of 2014. According to these reports, investment for the second phase of this plant will be completed by 2016.

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Facts, Stats and the rest that make Gujarat Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prime Trade & Investment Hotspot

Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat www.gtcglobal.in

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Walking the Talk DST GUJARAT IT, ICT E-Governance Bio-Technology Science

ujarat being one of the key drivers in India’s growth story is a reality that global markets have very much recognized; a fact amply stated in Gujarat being ranked as the state with the second-highest economic freedom amongst all Indian states by the Economic Freedom of the States of India 2011 report published by the CATO Institute. “Economic freedom is a concept used to measure the extent to which governments constrain efficient decision-making and distort resource-allocation decisions,” says this report, further adding that countries and states with higher levels of economic freedom, as observed by a lot of cross-country literature, have shown better economic development as well as higher in-migration. A lot of this economic freedom of course comes from being part of a state that has an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit. And while the dramatic pace of economic development that Gujarat has witnessed over the last decade is the manifest reality, there is no denying that the underlying force fuelling this

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“There are, as we have seen, a number of different modes of technological innovation. Before the seventeenth century inventions (empirical or scientific) were diffused by imitation and adaption while improvement was established by the survival of the fittest. Now, technology has become a complex but consciously directed group of social activities involving a wide range of skills, exemplified by scientific research, managerial expertise, and practical and inventive abilities. The powers of technology appear to be unlimited. If some of the dangers may be great, the potential rewards are greater still. This is not simply a matter of material benefits for, as we have seen, major changes in thought have, in the past, occurred as consequences of technological advances.” - D. S. L. CARDWELL, Concluding paragraph of “Technology,” in Dictionary of the History of Ideas, 1973 rapid growth is the firm belief by the Gujarat Government in technological advancement being critical to the state’s socio-economic development. The Government of Gujarat’s Department of Science and Technology, through its numerous programmes, ranging from e-governance and the GSWAN project, its innovative IT Policy and ICT-related initiatives, to the Gujarat Science City project and its Space Applications & Geo-Informatics related activities, has played a critical role in furthering science and technological advancement in Gujarat.

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Moreover, what is particularly distinct, and constitutes the real achievement here, is that the DST’s vision and its consequently implemented projects, are not the sort that are constrained within corporate and government offices. Rather, they are of the kind that very much look at engaging the larger community of Gujarat across socio-economic sections; a spirit that very much resonates with the Gujarat Government’s vision of achieving holistic, uniform, inclusive development. Holistic Growth through Technological Advancement The perseverance demonstrated by Gujarat’s leadership over the last decade, and continuing improvements that the state has doggedly pursued in the technology sector towards becoming truly global by empowering people with the benefits of technology, has translated in the fact that today Gujarat is considered to be a role model amongst all Indian states for its “Citizen Centric e-Governance” approach. Having drawn lessons from extensive research on international examples, the principal thrust areas for development

identified by the Gujarat Government’s Department of Science & Technology are: • IT infrastructure in terms of a modern and efficient high speed telecommunications network. • Education in tune with fast changing technologies. • A conducive environment and infrastructure for the commercial undertaking and strong co-operative sector of the state. • Electronic Governance through digitization of databases and making more government services available online. • Greater public awareness about the importance of IT. • Innovative incentives and initiatives aimed at accelerating the IT sector Translated into lay terms, what this means is that the initiatives taken under the above thrust areas for development by the DST focus on establishing advanced processes that make it easy to carry out business in Gujarat – from the process of setting up business here, to everyday operations. They also translate into educational methods being more technology-focused, and as

DST’s vision and its consequently implemented projects, are not the sort that are constrained within corporate and government offices. Rather, they are of the kind that very much look at engaging the larger community of Gujarat across socio-economic sections ; a spirit that very much resonates with the Gujarat Government’s vision of achieving holistic, uniform, inclusive development.

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Walking the Talk a result, the youth of the state being increasingly skilled in this sector, hence increasing employment opportunities for the youth of Gujarat in the IT & ICT related fields, while also giving national and international businesses that set up shop in Gujarat a wide pool of skilled workers to help run their operations. Says Department of Science and Technology Head, Additional Chief Secretary, Mr. Ravi Saxena, “Being the most industrialized state in India with more than 38% secondary sector contribution to the state’s GSDP, Gujarat has also established a strong base in the creation of e-infrastructure for rolling out citizen services & for improving administration with a view to achieve digital inclusion to transform lives of 60 million people.” Powering Through... Looking after a number of diverse activity areas such as Information & Communication Technology including e-Governance, Biotechnology, Science & Technology, Remote Sensing and

Growth of ICT in Gujarat YoY

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Objectives of DST, Gujarat • To position Gujarat as a key state in the knowledge-economy sectors of the country. • To create employment opportunities in the knowledge economy sectors including promotion of semi-conductor/ micro/nano/Bio technology based manufacturing units in the State. • To improve the availability of skilled man-power in the emerging areas of technology through training / industry / institute partnerships. • To make government citizen interface more effective, efficient and transparent.

Space Application and Seismology, all initiatives by the Department of Science and Technology are crafted with this four-fold mission : • To inculcate scientific temper among masses and particularly the youth and students. • To encourage research and application of emerging technologies for welfare of the people in the State. • To promote investments in emerging technology areas. • To act as an anchor organization for promoting citizen centric e-governance initiatives in the State. Realizing The Vision of Inclusion : Application-based Initiatives Application, the manifest translation of a concept, is as important as infrastructure if not more, in determining the commitment of a body towards the concept.

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So how do the DST’s initiatives figure in terms of their immediate application? To start with, lets look at the IFMS (Integrated Financial Management System) that provides real time availability of the state financial position, comparison of expenditure against budget estimates and grants distributed with analytical view. Operational across all District Treasuries and offices of the state, online budget preparation and execution of the 6th pay commission has been successfully done by this system. Through VATIS (VAT Information System) more than 85,000 tax payers submitted more than 1 Million e-Returns. The Gujarat Government has received e-payments of more than Rs. 6 billion because of VATIS so far. This application has meant a great deal of ease of operations for all who are working and living in Gujarat, as well as a much more sophisticated system of tax collection for the Government. Or lets look at SWAGAT (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology), a technology-based initiative that aims at using technology to break down the previously insurmountable barrier between Government leaders and the common citizen. SWAGAT is an innovative concept that enables direct communication between the citizens and the chief minister. In Gandhinagar, the fourth Thursday of every month is a SWAGAT day. On this day, the highest office in Gujarat’s administration attends to the grievances

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“We believe that bandwidth is closely associated with people’s lives. In last decade of ICT revolution in India, we have seen dramatic increase in bandwidth demand & supply in all segments ranging from retail to government sector to deliver service effectively to the end user. We are attempting to enhance the bandwidth which can facilitate future requirement of services and meet with the ever increasing aspirations of the common man from government of the day. In Gujarat, we have strengthened our state backbone – GSWAN (Gujarat State Wide Area Network) to reach the last person effectively. We enhanced our bandwidth from 4 Mbps to 34 Mbps at all 26 District Centers from the State Center and from 2 Mbps to 10 Mbps from the district to the taluka Center.” - Ravi Saxena, Head, DST, Gujarat

DST’s e-governance vision for Gujarat of citizens from all parts of the State. Grievances are logged in, transmitted and made available online to the officers concerned, who have to reply within 3 to 4 hours. Almost 8500 government offices have been connected on the network. The departments concerned

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Walking the Talk then have to be ready with the replies by noon, when the Chief Minister holds video conferences with all the districts concerned. Applicants are called one by one and the chief minister examines each complaint in detail. The information sent by the department is also reviewed online in the presence of the complainant and the Collector/ District Development Officer/ Superintendent of Police and other officials concerned. Attempts are made to offer a fair and acceptable solution on the same day and no applicant has ever left without any firm reply to his grievance. The record is then preserved in the ‘SWAGAT’ database and a separate log is maintained for each case. In essentia, this elaborate Video Conferencing and Web Casting facility, established by the Government

“e-Governance to me is easy, effective and efficient Governmance & it can never be complete without integrating the citizen-centric delivery processes with the efficiency in internal processes within the Government” - Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri. Narendra Modi

of Gujarat in 2008, enables faster administration and the provision of quick solutions to pending issues & cases in a big way. So far, 150 such VC/ WCs are carried out yearly on average.

SWAGAT (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology)

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Today, 90 per cent of IT services work in India June 2012 happen from the major six IT destinations including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Pune. In the coming years, I clearly envision 40 per cent of IT services work happening from outside of these six cities, including Ahmedabad. This opportunity gives way to Ahmedabad as a major IT destination in future in the ICT space. With an integrated IT policy, initiatives like GSWAN, e-governance and GIFT, Gujarat has immense potential to become the next IT hub. - Som Mittal, President, National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM)

With growing concern in the Security Segment and NATGRID, Gujarat has taken an initiative called HDIITS (Home Department Integrated IT Solution), which is an integrated program and criminal tracking system for the state home department. Within the G2C application segment of this initiative, HDIITS provides services like quicker and online cognizable / non-cognizable complaints without visiting police stations, registration of cases with a computer generated copy of FIR to the complainant & automatic redirection to respective police station, online application of various certificates and licenses etc. Within the G2G segment, it provides centralized criminal information with biometric search capabilities, back-end integration with RTO/FSL/Courts, facilitation of better law and order/traffic monitoring and reduction in manual record keeping and tracking. Human development has always been a central focus for Gujarat in all initiatives. e-Mamta and HMIS (Hospital Management Information System) are major health-sector focused applications by the DST.

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e-Mamta â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a Mother-child tracking system provides management tools which aim at providing comprehensive Maternal & Child Health services via the unique feature of name-based tracking and facilitates territorial mapping of data up to the village and aanganwari levels. HMIS is a computer-based medical information system for patient care and hospital management. Currently operational in 29 Government hospitals, HMIS facilitates functions related to finances and accounts, administration, patient care and other activities of hospitals & generates extensive management reports and operational statistics. Says Mr. Saxena, on this topic of DST having achieved such an impressive variety of technology-based applications over a few short years : â&#x20AC;&#x153;Department of Science & Technology has committed itself to serve all the departments to actualize the unique potential of ICT and explore more opportunities for better public service delivery and reaching maximum digital inclusion of the people of this state.â&#x20AC;?

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Expert ExpertSpeak Speak

Gujarat! NOW June 2012

Expert Speak

The Future of Patenting in Gujarat

ell-known Patent Attorney, Mr. Jatin Trivedi, talks about the future of Patenting, Inventions and Innovations in Gujarat vis-Ă -vis global markets... You come from a family of Gujarat-based patent attorneys ; third-generation in fact, starting with your grandfather. What are your views on the patented technology sector of Gujarat ? How has this landscape changed over the years ? Where the patented technology sector is concerned, Gujarat has a long way to go as compared to the other states of India. Gujarat separated from Maharashtra 60 years ago, and if we compare ourselves to Maharashtra, in 2009-10 Gujarat filed around 300 patents, while Maharashtra filed around 2100 patents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 times higher than Gujarat. On comparing the industrial development of Maharashtra and Gujarat, one finds that despite the industrial growth of Gujarat having snowballed over the last three years, Gujarat is far behind Maharashtra in terms of sector-specific patents that are filed, as well as the quantum of patents filed. Consider the fact that Gujarat, since many years, has been considered as being the pharmaceutical leader of the country. Additionally, Gujaratis are well-known globally for their entrepreneurial minds. Put all these

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details together and then review them in light of the fact that while the largest number of patents in India are filed from the pharmaceutical sector, Gujarat features 7th among all the states of India in 2009-10 with regards to the filing of patents. Or look at the engineering sector, which has also grown in a big way in Gujarat. Many engineering products are being exported from Gujarat all over the globe. In this sector also, Gujarat has a long way to go to be able to figure high amongst Indian states where patented technologies are concerned. Even the IT & ICT sectors have now started growing rapidly in Gujarat with large developments like GIFT City and

Technology Transfers have come to constitute a very significant component of business in the patenting sector. Gone are the days when patent attorneys used to be involved primarily with the filing of patents. Over the last few years, patent attorneys have become increasingly involved with the technology transfer business, the reason being that instead of developing their own technology, there are an increasing number of businesses from Gujarat which are importing technology as well as exporting technology from here to global markets.

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Expert Speak

June 2012

Mr. Jatin Trivedi, senior member of Y. J. Trivedi & Co. has been practicing both as an advocate and as a patent and trademark attorney. Mr. Trivedi heads the trademark division of his firm and is consulted by corporate organizations nationally and internationally especially for issues pertaining to IP Management and Valuation. With his extensive knowledge and experience with IPR issues, Mr. Trivedi has come to be recognized as one of India’s most dynamic young lawyers. His vision, persistent efforts and careful administration have helped steer his well-established IPR law firm towards even higher achievements as well as broadening the scope of works handled by the firm. Mr. Trivedi has co-authored a book on IPR titled ‘IPR Law & Practice’. The book is an amplification of precedents helpful for research to a variety of organizations as well as individuals associated with the subject of IPR. Mr. Trivedi has served on several committees of international groups and associations and also addressed participants at various seminars and conferences organized by national level industrial bodies and associations.

TATA Consultancy, as well as many other IT companies, establishing their operations here. As a consequence, a number of young IT professionals are moving to Gujarat. Thanks to the state’s initiatives and drive, Gujarat’s overall IT landscape is definitely getting transformed into being more active very rapidly. And despite this overall growth in the IT sector, the ratio of patents being filed in this sector, like the pharmaceuticals and engineering sectors, is again extremely low. Essentially, amongst all the sectors that are considered “leaders of the technology world”, i.e., pharmaceuticals, engineering & machinery, and IT, Gujarat has a long way to go. What is the role of a patent attorney in the process of facilitating technology

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transfers between countries? Especially, from other countries to Gujarat and vice versa ? Technology Transfers have come to constitute a very significant component of business in the patenting sector. Gone are the days when patent attorneys used to be involved primarily with the filing of patents. Over the last few years, patent attorneys have become increasingly involved with the technology transfer business, the reason being that instead of developing their own technology, there are an increasing number of businesses from Gujarat which are importing technology as well as exporting technology from here to global markets. And that technology is being used to manufacture products, which are then imported back into the Indian market.

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Expert Speak

June 2012

Expert Speak Now in this entire process, the role of a patent attorney is crucial. While the technocrat involved with the import / export of technology, as the case might be, would understand the technology itself extremely well, the role of a patent attorney here is to ensure that during the concept period, the technology is kept secure and protected adequately for desired execution in other parts of the world.

this technology and implement it in legal terms in the respective jurisdiction.

Often we find that there are conflicts between the parties involved on the terms of the agreement of transfer, especially where confidentiality if concerned : this is a foremost factor initiating the involvement of a patent attorney where technology transfer deals are concerned. The primary role of a patent attorney in such cases is to understand the technology, translate

I would also like to point out here the common misconception people have about patent attorneys necessarily having to be lawyers. This is not true. In fact I would say that a patent attorney HAS to have a technical background and this amendment has now been carried out by the Indian Patent Act. Now if you have only a law degree, you cannot sit for a patent attroneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s examination

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Say for example, a technology developed and patented in Germany, but unheard of and obviously not patented in India, is being brought to India through a technology transfer. In that situation how this technology will be protected will be the first question that the exporter would want answered.

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Expert Speak

June 2012

because the compulsion is that you need to have a science degree too. As a patent attorney, I would say that there is a huge demand for patent attorneys in the market and this demand is only likely to grow. More and more people should join this practice because we need young minds that are also technologically very sound to understand the technical products which are being imported or being produced in India. In practice we see a number of clients who are very confused and often also frustrated because the person they are explaining their technology to, towards filing their patent, does not really understand technology that well. This is an injustice to the patentee and is likely to adversely affect the overall structure of the joint venture or export or import of technology that is being developed. Because then it is unlikely to be fully protective or exhaustive. So the support of a technical team, with people from diverse technical backgrounds, is very much required within a patent attorney’s organization, so the right kind of justice is done to every single patentee. In essence, if there is an overseas business setting up shop in India or exporting their technology to India, or there’s a business in India exporting their technology overseas, the role of a patent attorney would be to protect the technology given the specific jurisdiction of where the new set-up is being established, with a very detailed knowledge about how legalities work across both jurisdictions, as well as an in-depth understanding of the technology itself.

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Five years from now, I foresee everyone in Gujarat talking about innovation and technology transfer based products and services. Everyone will then be talking in the “IP”, “patent” and “technology” language. When this happens, competition will not be in terms of “turnovers”, but will be in terms of “number of patented technologies”. Patented technologies are hence likely to become a measure of how successful an organization or entrepreneur is...

The knowledge of multi-country laws is hence very important for patent attorneys to recognize. While the current scenario might mean a patent attorney’s involvement primarily with filing patents, the future is going to be increasingly about technology transfers. What are your views on the current status of Gujarat within the technology patents’ context ? How does this influence Gujarat’s position as a technology leader in the global market ? Any specific gaps that you think need to be filled ? Like I mentioned before, Gujarat lags far behind other Indian states where patent filing is concerned and I don’t believe it is only the technocrats who are to be blamed for this. I would say that the responsibility is just as much of patent attorneys, of the government sector and the bureaucrats, as well as of the judiciary system. All of these stakeholders need to match their steps with technology and innovation just as much as Gujarat’s technocrats are doing.

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Expert Speak

June 2012

Expert Speak Fortunately, over the last couple of years, there has been a significant change in the judiciary system here, as well as with the bureavcantic and the government sectors, with government offices now starting to have technical experts and advisors on board. What needs to be done now is to really incentivize technocrats as well as innovators all across Gujarat to file more and more number of patents. Until now, there is still a fear in the minds of patentees regarding the security and confidentiality of their technology, and this is definitely an area where Gujarat needs to improve. Patentees need to be convinced about the fact that their technical product or service will be protected against infringement. If this confidence is generated amongst young entrepreneurs, an increasing number of young entrepreneurs and technocrats will come forward and file more technology patents.

This cell could have a panel of IP experts whose role would be to facilitate the enforcement of law where IP infringement case are concerned, so that the process of imparting justice gets expedited and the patentee is assured about the fact that his service or product will definitely be protected at any cost. Research and innovation based activities and organizations seem to have become recognized over the last few years as imperative for the growth of Gujarat ; and this in turn is obviously very closely associated to your field, i.e., patenting. What are your thoughts on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;way forwardâ&#x20AC;? for Gujarat in the sector of patented research and technology, especially given its desire

The case in reality is quite different. A high-level confidentiality structure exists for patentees within our government ; only, this is not known to most entrepreneurs and technocrats because of a lack of awareness. This can be improved by workshops and seminars organized by various institutes. But essentially what Gujarat needs to come up with is a system which gives special protection to disputes and frauds related to IPR. When we have a cyber cell in the police department of Gujarat, why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we have an IPR Enforcement cell which can assist the judiciary system with issues like expediting enforcements against infringements ?

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Expert Speak

June 2012

to be positioned as a favoured business and investment destination ?

of how successful an organization or entrepreneur is.

Keeping in mind that Gujarat is a keen favourite for global business and investment amongst all Indian states, like I mentioned previously, putting together a state-wide structure that ensures protection for patentees and speedy delivery of justice in case of disputes is definitely a big step forward.

Given this, what is required is for the government to nurture this spirit, and to provide the right sort of platform that will encourage and foster innovators across sectors and across levels. The Government already has a patent filing incentive scheme, wherein if you file a patent application, all costs are reimbursed. This is something unique to the state of Gujarat. This includes a 100% reimbursement including the professional fee a patentee pays towards filing the patent. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of this scheme and the benefits it offers to entrepreneurs and technocrats.

Gujaratis have a strong entrepreneurial spirit as well as a shrewd technical mind. What is required then is to groom them and make them into technocrats or atleast bring them to a higher level by educating them about diverse technologies and by educating them about multi-country laws and procedures. If this grooming process can be done well, I’m sure this will help investors as well as business organizations that are setting up shop in Gujarat, because then Gujarat will not only be an investment friendly zone, but it will also be a leader in churning out technocrats and therefore it will be easier for them to deal with the HR issues related to technological production. Talking about the way forward, I definitely see Gujarat as being India’s leading state. Five years from now, I foresee everyone in Gujarat talking about innovation and technology transfer based products and services. Everyone will then be talking in the “IP”, “patent” and “technology” language. When this happens, competition will not be in terms of “turnovers”, but will be in terms of “number of patented technologies”. Patented technologies are hence likely to become a measure

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So a significant component of the way forward obviously is that the Government of Gujarat has to look towards increasing awareness about the benefits of being an innovator in

what is required is for the government to nurture this spirit, and to provide the right sort of platform that will encourage and foster innovators across sectors and across levels. The Government already has a patent filing incentive scheme, wherein if you file a patent application, all costs are reimbursed. This is something unique to the state of Gujarat. This includes a 100% reimbursement including the professional fee a patentee pays towards filing the patent. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of this scheme and the benefits it offers to entrepreneurs and technocrats.

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Expert Speak

June 2012

Expert Speak Gujarat, as well as assisting innovators throughout the process of patent filing and awarding incentives that would encourage people to innovate and develop patentable technologies. A number of kinds of incentive schemes could be developed. For example, if a company has filed 10 patents, they could be given an exemption in state tax. Or, like academic leaders need to have a PhD degree to grow beyond a certain level in their careers, there could be a clause that could say that to be a leading academic in the technology field, one has to have filed a certain number of patents. And this in turn would obviously also be a big magnet for global businesses to come to Gujarat ; if Gujarat starts chasing the pace of technology development that the entire world is witnessing, and if global businesses get convinced about the fact that Gujarat in a very real sense offers the environment for new patents to be developed and so on, there’s no doubt that many of the world leaders in technology would want to forge closer relationships with Gujarat. What, according to you, are the most mentionable initiatives that are likely to further Gujarat’s position in the innovation sector ? Well there are already a number of mentionable centres in Gujarat such as CIIE, NIF, Nirma Labs, etc., that are doing some very notable work where technology innovation is concerned. However, there’s a demand for many more such centres, and to cater to this, I believe that the Government needs to appoint a central body which

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Icreate, a Govt of Gujarat initiative is obviously a foremost initiative towards strengthening Gujarat’s innovation drive. This institute does not offer only innovation and incubation services, but also grooms, nurtures and make entrepreneurs realize their full potential. takes an idea and helps nurture and commercialize it across all stages required. Gujarat innovation Society, of which I am one of the founding members, has been set up for exactly this purpose : to increase ideas and through this, generate awareness. At this point for Gujarat, I believe that the need of the hour is to stimulate ideas in the minds of people (cultivating and nurturing them come at a later stage) stimulation, with the assurance of protection of course. Such a platform of stimulation is extremely important, and according to me will go a long way in taking Gujarat to that very high level of technology entrepreneurship. Icreate, a Govt of Gujarat initiative is obviously a foremost initiative towards strengthening Gujarat’s innovation drive. This institute does not offer only innovation and incubation services, but also grooms, nurtures and make entrepreneurs realize their full potential. Then there are the incentive schemes that the Govt has already established; greater awareness amongst people about these schemes would go a long way towards bolstering innovation.

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CEO Clubs India

June 2012

In lieu of the fact that CEO Clubs is looking at initiating an Ahmedabad chapter, to start with, could you give us a short brief on the genesis of CEO Clubs, internationally as well as in India ? Chief Executive Officer Clubs (CEO Clubs) is a global business network and learning organization with several thousand CEOs as its members. CEO Clubs was founded in New York, USA 38 years ago. The intent was to connect some of the best business minds in the world and help create an environment that would nurture and hone their business skills further. The Club creates a fostering and cultivating environment for CEOs dedicated to improving the quality and profitability of their enterprises through shared experiences and personal growth. The membership to this clubs is exclusive and by invitation only. The Club is created for CEOs and its mission is to support the growth of its members in their roles as business leaders mainly through education, local and global networking and strategic alliances and partnerships. The objective of the Club in India is to bring together Indian business leaders for sharing knowledge and skills that could provide the necessary insight to place their businesses in the areas abound with fleeting opportunities and the ways to net the useful ones.

In which parts of India is CEO Clubs currently active ? Can you tell us where Gujarat / Ahmedabad figures within the national CEO Clubs network, given that Gujarat is increasingly becoming a major business hub for domestic as well as international investments ? Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Hyderabad. Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Pune will be started this year.

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Can you tell us where Gujarat / Ahmedabad figures within the national CEO Clubs network, given that Gujarat is increasingly becoming a major business hub for domestic as well as international investments ? Ahmedabad secures its position as the largest industrial centre in Western India. It is an important centre for trade, commerce & industry. In a recent list launched by the Forbes Magazine of The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FastestGrowing Cities with a focus on the global emerging powerhouses, Ahmedabad was named as one of the three Indian cities best positioned to prosper and grow in this new age of urbanization. It makes sense for CEO Clubs to be present in Ahmedabad and help its business leaders grow professionally and equip them to take on the challenges of being the world class business leaders.

When is the Ahmedabad chapter likely to start? How does one become a member of CEO Clubs Ahmedabad? The Chapter in ahmedabad will start by end of 2012. CEOs who would be interested in becoming the member should write to : Rashmi_tiwari@ceoclubsindia.org

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June 2012

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Cover Story

June 2012

fter establishing offices in China, Spain, and most recently, Japan, Isis Innovation Limited, the technology transfer company owned by Oxford University, is now exploring the potential of establishing an office in India. Would it come as a surprise that they are looking at Gujarat very seriously for this venture? Dr. Rakesh Roshan, who leads the initiative of growing Isis in India, tells us about the broad range of activities Isis Innovation has been involved with over the years, the company’s strategy for expanding globally, and the possibilities Isis Innovation envisages towards setting up their operations in Gujarat. About ISIS Innovation Limited Isis Innovation Limited (Isis) is a whollyowned subsidiary of the University of Oxford and was established in 1987. Isis is responsible for commercialising University of Oxford owned intellectual property (IP) that results from an annual research expenditure of more than £500 million. Isis manages an intellectual property portfolio of more than 1,600 patents and patent applications, and commercialises these innovations through routes such as licensing and spin-out company formation. Isis currently administers 460 active licensing deals across several industry sectors, and has created more than 65 new technology companies since the year 2000. In 2011-2012 Isis received a total revenue of £10.1m, which excludes profits from the sale of spin-out company equity.

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Isis is responsible for commercialising University of Oxford owned intellectual property (IP) that results from an annual research expenditure of more than £500 million. Isis manages an intellectual property portfolio of more than 1,600 patents and patent applications, and commercialises these innovations through routes such as licensing and spin-out company formation. Isis currently administers 460 active licensing deals across several industry sectors, and has created more than 65 new technology companies since the year 2000.

These spin-outs employ approximately 1000 employees and have a valuation in excess of £35 million. Isis maintains relationships with many thousands of industry contacts and is also experienced in licensing non patented intellectual property such as materials, patient questionnaires, databases and even video clips. Isis is expanding internationally, and recently established a subsidiary company in Hong Kong and offices in Japan and Spain to further grow activities in those regions. Building upon its solid track record of commercialisation success with early stage innovations in Oxford, Isis works with science parks, governments, universities, research institutes, investors and companies (SMEs and multinationals) in more than 54 countries. World leading research in the physical sciences, life sciences and

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medical sectors plays a key role at the University, and Oxford has a long and proud tradition of pioneering work in these fields. Genesis and International Expansion Strategy Oxford University was one of the first UK universities to develop an intellectual property policy, and has been refining it since 1984. Isis Innovation is its hugely successful and well-resourced technology transfer operation. For more than a decade, Isis has been engaged with UK and international public and private organisations seeking guidance on innovation management, commercialisation of IP and advice on the development of similar models. Oxfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intellectual property and technology transfer models have subsequently been adopted by other leading universities. Isis continues to grow and is on a mission of making an impact worldwide â&#x20AC;&#x201C; very much aligned with its only shareholder (the University of Oxford).

June 2012

A strong Innovation Ecosystem holds the answer to successful commercialisation of research. Thriving technological innovation, at the macro and organisational level, relies on the presence of legal and policy frameworks to support technology transfer and enable commercialisation... Gujarat is one of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most progressive and forward-looking states, and has nurtured several entrepreneurs who have gone on to make a huge impact. Isis has already made impressive progress towards building relationships within Gujarat, and is currently evaluating opportunities in the state in order to validate their business potential

Isis now has offices in Hong Kong, Spain and Japan. As a matter of strategic priority Isis is exploring alliances with organisations in India who wish to promote Innovation and

Oxford Innovation Society Dinner: Innovation Ecosystem meet.

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Entrepreneurship. Isis aims to provide support to its partners in the country across the innovation ecosystem through activities such as developing Intellectual Property (IP) policies, studying innovation ecosystems, procuring and commercialising technologies and patents, etc. Isis/Oxford already has good relationships with a number of leading Indian companies and universities. Initial interactions are usually managed from Isis’ base in Oxford in the UK. The reasons for opening an office in a country are both tactical and operational, and the key criterion for deciding to invest is an assessment of whether the region/country provides a sustainable business opportunity. Once the relationship develops and the opportunity to scale up activities in the region is clear then Isis may proceed to establish an office there. However, this is a very simplistic picture of a complex process which evolves over a period of time. Nevertheless, we are extremely keen to ensure that a high quality of service is delivered in the desired timeframe and that stakeholders satisfaction is not compromised. Factoring In : Isis Looks at Gujarat Gujarat is one of India’s most progressive and forward-looking states, and has nurtured several entrepreneurs who have gone on to make a huge impact. Isis has already made impressive progress towards building relationships within Gujarat, and is currently evaluating opportunities in the state in order to validate their business potential. Oxford University may not require any further

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introduction in India, and from this established platform we are working towards promoting Isis and its services to relevant parties. A strong Innovation Ecosystem holds the answer to successful commercialisation of research. Thriving technological innovation, at the macro and organisational level, relies on the presence of legal and policy frameworks to support technology transfer and enable commercialisation. Gujarat appears to have potential to develop all the necessary elements to conduct effective commercialisation of research. The appetite for formulating appropriate innovation policies exists, and innovation is at the top of the state government’s agenda. A robust regulatory framework around IP enables companies to plan for the future and provides assurance to investors that the final product should provide a secure return. Another key reason for Isis being attracted by Gujarat’s potential is the road map presented by some of the figures highlighted in the public domain. For example, Gujarat is home to more than 300,000 SMEs and accounts for 15.14% of the total investments in India; highest amongst all states in India. It has leading centres such IIMA, MICA and the National Institute of Design. Gujarat has consistently demonstrated its strengths and support via platforms such as Vibrant Gujarat. Several industry sectors such as Pharma, Textiles, and Automotive are flourishing, while special attention is also being given to areas such as Clean Energy and Biotechnology.

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With its team of skilled and experienced professional consultants, Isis assists governments and organisations to develop and then implement innovation and intellectual property policies and procedures. It aims to provide support across the innovation ecosystem: for governments - national and regional; the research base; business and industry, including individual companies and business networks; and other parties including charities. It also fosters interactions between industry and academia that create a win-win situation for all parties. Isis strongly believes that the efficient translation of

June 2012

The infrastructure necessary for Isis to conduct business exists in Gujarat, which makes the state a leading choice for Isisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first base in India. The immediate plan of action centres on a few ongoing discussions with the business community in Gujarat, which, on converging would help Isis in building the critical mass needed to set up an office.

research has a huge impact on society and improves the way we live.

Dr. Rakesh Roshan ; leader, Isis operations, India Each cork in the cork collection represents the new technology companies (spin-outs) formed by Isis

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Gujarat is building innovation funding programmes that target commercialisation of very promising technologies, and Isis can play a unique role by providing basic advice on a fund’s strategy, structure and operation, through to management of the entire fund. Equally, with the extensive breadth of technical knowledge within Isis, the organisation’s consultants are equipped to provide technology and commercialisation ‘due diligence’, for individual candidates applying to receive innovation funds. Isis is currently working with some passionate think-tanks in Gujarat to make this real. Recent meetings with organisations in Gujarat have identified ideas to take forward. As a starting point, whilst working with a partner, Isis is expecting to study the Innovation Ecosystem in Gujarat and to publish their findings. A number of investors from Gujarat have shown interest in investing in Isis’ new technology companies. Working with a few sophisticated investors, Isis is developing a concept to form an Investment Fund that specialises in early stage technology companies – providing a single platform to invest in global opportunities. Isis has 25 years of experience in creating numerous new technology companies and investment opportunities in various industry sectors. By building this newly proposed venture fund Isis expects to manage risk by diversifying investment across the industry sectors. Isis has access and visibility of a very healthy investment pipeline across the globe and has a vast network of relationships

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June 2012

with technology providers worldwide – often at senior national levels. The planning process towards Isis setting up shop in Gujarat involves a number of visits from Isis management to India this year. The infrastructure necessary for Isis to conduct business exists in Gujarat, which makes the state a leading choice for Isis’ first base in India. The immediate plan of action centres on a few ongoing discussions with the business community in Gujarat, which, on converging would help Isis in building the critical mass needed to set up an office. Isis Innovation operates the Oxford Innovation Society, an international membership based society for invited members ranging from small technology start-ups to multinational FMCG companies. During regular meetings in Oxford (and more recently Hong Kong and Madrid) innovative new technologies and companies are introduced to investors and potential industrial partners. Member companies promoting Open Innovation are able to work with Isis to organise customised seminars and brainstorming sessions. Key Isis Projects Isis has been very active in forming new technology companies from Oxford. The success rates for Oxford spin-outs are extremely high, with four being listed on AIM and one on the London Stock Exchange.

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Oxford spin-outs have had impressive early successes such as: Oxford Instruments, formed in 1959: a world leader in analytical superconductivity instruments. Oxford Asymmetry, founded in 1992: floated on London Stock Exchange in 1998 and acquired by Evotec for £316m in 2001. Powderject was formed in 1994 was sold to Chiron Corp (now part of Novartis) for £550m in 2003. Oxford Nanopore Technologies formed in 2005 has been valued in-between $1-2 billion since it unveiled its new nanopore sequencing platform at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology meeting in Marco Island, Fla.

Isis insights

No-hands navigation

Isis has been very active in forming new technology companies from Oxford. The success rates for Oxford spin-outs are extremely high, with four being listed on AIM and one on the London Stock Exchange.

Some of the relevant international projects that Isis has undertaken recently include: Malaysia (2011) – Isis have been working for a new innovation unit established under the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office, to review intellectual property generated by leading research

No-hands Navigation : Researchers at Oxford are helping to build a future where autonomous vehicles will play an important role in our lives : OUC is helping supoort the application of this research

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Issue 67 Spring 12

June 2012

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Expert Speak

June 2012

universities and public research institutes, and advise on how to better harness the innovative capability of Malaysian researchers and academics. Fundación Barrié, Spain (2010-present) – Here, Isis is involved in screening and prioritisation of projects for a technology fund and subsequent commercialisation support. Tomsk, Russia (2011-present) – Isis is providing international commercialisation support and training for high-tech companies in the Tomsk region, funded by the regional government and federal technology agencies. Nampak (2011) – International commercialisation support of industrial IP to non-core markets. The Mexican Council for Science and Technology (2011) – Isis has been involved commercial evaluation of research projects. South African University - Involved out-licensing of technologies, currently under final negotiation with major multinational manufacturers. Eastern Europe Science Park (2010) – Isis has completed a needs analysis study on the plans for new high technology parks in an Eastern European country. The survey work included structured face to face interviews with stakeholders from the national and regional government, companies and research institutes. Sector Specific Business Incubators in - Singapore (Fusionopolis), Germany (Bio-M), Italy (San Raffaele Biomedical Park) etc.

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Isis is keen to engage with selected key partners in India and to support them across the innovation value chain

University of Calcutta – One of the initiatives currently underway is at the University of Calcutta. Isis will map the innovation ecosystem and provide technology transfer support to enable effective translation of research at the University of Calcutta. This will enable the University to build its existing capabilities, and develop and implement a technology transfer framework. We expect to scale this up whilst working with other leading research intensive organisations in the region (ongoing). Several Indian Multinationals – Isis is setting up a vehicle for Absolute Innovation Management – a programme to build and integrate a culture of innovation alongside established business practices across their businesses (ongoing).

Biotechnology, Clean Energy, Education and Training, Software, Healthcare, Infrastructure and Environment technologies. Isis is keen to engage with selected key partners in India and to support them across the innovation value chain through activities such as (a) Developing and implementing innovation management policies (b) Providing technology transfer support and training (c) Commercialising technology and IP - via the established Oxford/Isis platform (d) Helping to form technology spin-outs and (e) Managing and setting up innovation funds and programmes. The motto Isis follows is “Our inclusive growth plan should capture everyone in the innovation cycle”.

Key Industry Sectors that Isis supports Isis has the experience of managing a wide range of technology sectors and the organisation’s focus areas are Advanced Engineering, Pharma and

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Counterpoint NOW

June 2012

Counterpoint NOW Partnering for a Knowledge -based Economy

anada’s take on opportunities for sector specific business tie-ups in Gujarat, furthering education-related linkages between Canada and Gujarat and more. Presenting in-depth insights from the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in India, Mr. Jim Nickel...

Jim Nickel is Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner for India and the Minister-Counsellor for Nepal and Bhutan. He arrived in New Delhi at the High Commission of Canada in August 2009. Mr. Nickel is a career foreign service officer. His most recent assignments in Ottawa include Senior Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of the South Asia Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He has served overseas in Japan (1995-

To start with, what brings you to Gujarat ?

2000) and Indonesia (2003-2006). Mr Nickel obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the

Gujarat has become one of the most important states for the economic growth and development of India. It has also become a focus for Canadian investment and Canadian business within Canada’s overall plan for building its commercial relationship with India. Given this, while my activities during my first three years in India have primarily been based in the northern States of India, I thought it was high time for me to come over to Gujarat and experience for myself the Gujarat growth story. We regularly have many high level visitors from Canada including high-level business delegations visiting Gujarat. Our Canadian trade ministers have also visited Gujarat as has our High Commissioner, because overall, Gujarat is an important state within Canada’s trade and investment relationship with India.

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University of Regina and a Master’s degree from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University. He is married to France Viens, and they have two daughters

Also as you know, Canada was a partner country in Vibrant Gujarat 2011, which was a fantastic experience with lots of opportunities opening up for Canada through this platform. When did Canada start recognizing Gujarat’s potential as an investment destination? What did it take for this recognition to come about? It’s still early days for us commercially in India quite frankly. It’s probably been only since 2005 – 2006 that Canada focused on the “emerging India” story and started working on

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well known in Canada. To elaborate further, the interest of many Canadian companies in setting up shop in Gujarat arises from a few key factors. For starters, a number of Canadian companies want to be present in the Indian market because of the enormous economic growth taking place here. As part of their global strategy, they necessarily have to be in this market. And then why Gujarat? Well, Gujarat’s been on the front-edge of that growth in India. Given the engine of growth that Gujarat has been and given that it has been actively courting foreign investment and encouraging companies to come and set up here, Gujarat has clearly been a preferred investment destination for many Canadian companies. Mr. Jim Nickel, Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in India

what Canadian firms need to do within their business strategies to be a part of India’s economic growth. But given the pace of economic development now, I believe that we will definitely see a rapid expansion of Canadian companies active in India and certainly in Gujarat. Around 2008, we had about 250 Canadian companies that were doing business in India. As of 2011, we have around 500 Canadian companies that are active in the Indian market. Our expectation is that within the next two years, this number will increase to 750. And I believe that many of them will be attracted to places where the business environment is friendly, conducive and inviting factors for which Gujarat is

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Gujarat is both innovative and proactive in ensuring that some of the basic things that give companies the confidence to invest are in place. These include land, power, water, infrastructure and a clear regulatory environment. And obviously these companies setting up shop here has resulted in the building of a huge capacity in terms of skilled labour. A trained workforce is a big attraction for new companies entering the market. There’ve been a lot of political exchanges between Gujarat and Canada over the last few years. In which industry sectors, according to you, are business relationships likely to develop between Gujarat and Canada? Let’s talk about the energy sector

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first. We already have a few Canadian companies that are active in Gujarat in the oil & gas exploration industry. These companies, such as GeoGlobal Resources and Niko Resources, have been active here in the energy sector for a number of years and have been working with Indian partners in exploration and eventually development of oil & gas sites. Our High Commissioner was recently in Halifax on Canada’s Atlantic coast with a number of representatives from oil and gas companies, including representatives from Gujarat and the Government of India oil and gas entities participating in a workshop on supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India from Canada. In Canada we have a surplus of gas and new deposits of gas are being developed on the Atlantic coast. This is an opportunity for securing access to clean, cheap energy for India. Also, in the renewable energy sector, whether it’s solar or wind power or biomass, there are a number of Canadian companies that are interested in working with Gujarati businesses. For example, one of our top Canadian engineering companies, that has been involved in the hydroelectricity and power transmission sector in India for the last 60 years is bidding on the district cooling systems for GIFT City. If they are successful there, then that will be a step forward to achieving a clean, green technology approach to energy. In the manufacturing space of course there’s Bombardier which is a flagship Canadian company here in Gujarat. As is McCain in the food processing sector.

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a number of Canadian companies want to be present in the Indian market because of the enormous economic growth taking place here. As part of their global strategy, they necessarily have to be in this market. And then why Gujarat? Well, Gujarat’s been on the front-edge of that growth in India... Given the engine of growth that Gujarat has been and given that it has been actively courting foreign investment and encouraging companies to come and set up here, Gujarat has clearly been a preferred investment destination for many Canadian companies.

So manufacturing and food processing are two interesting areas where I foresee an increase in the Canadian presence in Gujarat. With the agricultural sector being so important for Gujarat, as well as for India, and given the kind of modernization this sector now requires to be as productive as desired, Canada is quite keen to be involved in this process. Canada is prepared to be involved in India’s agri-food sector in a comprehensive way, across the “farm to fork” cycle, This would include collaboration in crop science, food processing, storage, distribution and logistics, along with the important role Canada currently plays in supplying India with pulses and potash fertilizer. It’s all about food security; about making Gujarat’s food sector more productive, more efficient and adding more value to the economy. What is Canada’s stance in partnering with Gujarat in the Vibrant Gujarat 2013? What are the primary industry

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sectors where you expect Canada to invest in Gujarat? Canada is focused on the “knowledge-based” economy; everything that requires innovation, research & development, science & technology. Four specific areas where we see Canada making a valuable contribution to the Gujarat and Indian economy are education (not limited to students studying in Canada, but also as intellectual property content and curriculum providers and as institutional partners and research collaborators); energy security (focused on hydro, nuclear, renewables and LNG); food security (pulses, potash, food processing, storage and logistics); and as a provider of financial capital for

infrastructure development. Specifically where the education sector is concerned, Saskatchewan has been very active in Gujarat with student exchange programs, between PDPU and the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan. What would you say is the way forward in furthering the Gujarat-Canada relationship in the education sector? The University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan are both located in Saskatchewan, a province that is rich in oil & gas and agriculture and minerals. PDPU’s tie-ups with Universities of Saskatchewan and Regina currently

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allow for faculty exchanges and student exchanges. I imagine that soon they might begin collaborative research in areas such as oil & gas technologies and clean technologies, agricultural technologies. I believe they are also developing exchanges in the fields of the liberal arts, the humanities, and public policy. When I recently met with the faculty, the management as well as the students, I spoke to them about larger bilateral opportunities and also opportunities for students. If students from Gujarat want to pursue graduate studies in Canada or participate in the work experience programs that we offer, students can work with Canadian companies or with some of our leading researchers. One such program that Canada offers is called the Mitacs Globalink Program, which provides scholarships for students to spend three to four months of quality time working with some of our best research teams either in the private sector or in a University setting and get some very high-end work experience. Just last year, close to 200 Indian students participated in the Mitacs program. Canada’s universities and colleges have a strong interest in getting into the education space in India. This is driven by a couple of things. Canadian universities and colleges would like to attract Gujarati students to come and study in Canada; in fact Gujarat has become one of the principal sources of students from India. We probably have higher numbers of students coming out of Gujarat than many other states in India. I understand that the United

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in the renewable energy sector, whether it’s solar or wind power or biomass, there are a number of Canadian companies that are interested in working with Gujarati businesses. For example, one of our top Canadian engineering companies, that has been involved in the hydroelectricity and power transmission sector in India for the last 60 years is bidding on the district cooling systems for GIFT City. If they are successful there, then that will be a step forward to achieving a clean, green technology approach to energy.

States, Great Britain and even Australia have universities that are better known in India generally. But I’ve found that we have a steadily increasing number of students coming to study in Canada. This suggests that there is growing recognition of the Canadian university and college brands. We now have about 12,000 students going over to Canada per year from India, which is an increase of four times since 2008. So there’s a trend there that’s quite positive. Indian students and families are often looking to get into one of the Ivy League schools. One of the differences in Canada is that there’s uniformity in terms of high quality education across the board. In Canada, essentially all the Universities are publicly funded. Over the past number of years, the Canadian federal and provincial governments have invested budget surpluses in research and innovation projects in universities, and in building state-of-the-art facilities. This has ensured that there’s a rich research component across universities

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in Canada. It simply comes down to the fact that if you’re going to a Canadian university or college, you’re going to get good education, in a welcoming, safe, highly multi-cultural environment. In Gujarat there seems to be a higher level of recognition of the quality of Canadian education, the study environment, and even the opportunities that exist beyond the study period. In Canada, we’re interested in encouraging students to work and live in Canada after completing their studies and even to stay on as permanent residents. Besides, given India’s growing need to build more colleges, universities and

vocational institutes, there is also the need to train new faculty and develop new curricula and research capacity. Many Canadian universities recognize this and are working with Indian partners on curriculum development, faculty development, joint research projects, and even joint programs where part of a university degree is completed in India and part of it is completed in Canada. In a couple of cases, Canadian universities will deliver their programs in India. This is a less expensive option for Indian students interested in obtaining a degree from a Canadian university.

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I think that Canada, along with a few other countries, will play a substantial role in expanding the education sector in India in order to meet the need to provide India’s large mass of young people with a higher education. I should also mention a new research initiative, the Canada-India Centre for Research Excellence. Once the Centre is operational, it will facilitate and fund joint research projects between Canadian and Indian research institutes. I strongly believe that the ties developed from these research partnerships will result in spin-offs such as the commercialization of products. So, in addition to increased student mobility, i.e., bringing students to Canada, there’s also a lot of interest in joint research projects, joint curriculum development, faculty exchanges, student exchanges, etc. Why is the Canadian presence in Gujarat currently limited to a few biggies like Bombardier and McCain? What’s stopping other Canadian companies from coming to Gujarat? I do believe that there are more Canadian companies likely to set up operations in Gujarat soon. The fact is that new Canadian companies looking to enter the India market will know where other Canadian companies have been successful before. Take the two flagship Canadian brands in India, Bombardier and McCain, which are both located in Gujarat, and the kind of success they have seen here.

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In fact, talking to Bombardier, I got a very strong feeling that the future of that company is tied up in India. Of course the company is doing very well in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere; it’s a global business after all. But the real growth of Bombardier where rail transportation is concerned, probably in aerospace as well, is here. All the big cities of India are going to be developing metros, including Ahmedabad. Even cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore and places in Punjab. And then there’s the network expansion plan for Mumbai and Delhi. Since they’ve got a foot in the door now, they see tremendous growth in the demand for metro transportation in India. Likewise, there are opportunities in larger freight transportation, including building locomotives and related equipment and services. Frankly, the company doesn’t see that kind of opportunity and that kind of growth anywhere else. Essentially, they can see the future of their company here, in India.

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And the related ancillary industries that are likely to come up here is an interesting fact to reckon with, which I think is going to be an important factor for consideration for other companies looking at setting up shop in Gujarat. We just had the Auto Show up in Delhi, and a number of auto part manufacturers are looking at setting up operations because they see the automobile industry hub being created in Gujarat. When these companies come to India, they initially import a In Gujarat there seems to be a higher level of recognition of the quality of Canadian education, the study environment, and even the opportunities that exist beyond the study period. In Canada, we’re interested in encouraging students to work and live in Canada after completing their studies and even to stay on as permanent residents.

number of their components. But that changes very quickly. Take the case of the Bombardier plant again. They set up shop here and within 18 months their plant was up and they were making metro cars. Today, that plant is one of Bombardier’s most sophisticated, most efficient plant in their entire system globally. It’s even better than the plants the company has in Germany. It is also mainly Indian run now. And the sourcing for most of their cars is increasingly Indian too. So all the suppliers and vendors are mainly Indian. Of the cars that Bombardier makes for the Delhi metro, 67% of the product is sourced and made in India. They expect this number to go up to over 80% sourced in India.

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In the earlier years after opening its plant in Gujarat, Bombardier used to send their employees to their other plants in Germany and the rest of the world to learn from them and see how things were done. Now there’s been a total role reversal, and employees from all the other plants globally are coming to the plant in Gujarat to see how things are being done here. That’s how high their productivity and efficiency and sophistication is following the transfer of technology from the other plants globally. They can produce more railway cars for less cost in a month here than they can at a plant in Germany. It’s a huge success story. And what’s more, they’ve already started exporting components from their plant in Gujarat to Australia. So not only is Bombardier looking at expanding business within India, but they’re also looking at some pretty good export prospects from the Gujarat plant. It’s fantastic. I suspect that this will happen with a lot of other Canadian companies as well. When new auto parts manufacturers or food processing companies are set up here, they will be looking at tapping into not only the growing Indian market, but also at growing their global enterprise from here. Given that the Gujarati community is the second largest community in Canada, how come there is no political representation from the Gujarati community within the Canadian Government?

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Well typically we don’t track communities in that way to see who is represented and who isn’t. But my sense is that where the Gujarati community in Canada is concerned, a number of them are involved in business; so there’s a huge entrepreneurial presence of this community in Canada. These business people have in fact developed very good relations with the Canadian government and public service and elected representatives. So they have some very established channels of communication within the government and with decision-makers. They’ve also been very active in any government-led trade missions or business delegations and in bringing Indian investment from Indian businesses to the Canadian market as well. Currently, there’s more Indian investment in Canada than there is Canadian investment in India. There’s probably $9 billion worth of Indian investment in Canada, mainly in the resource sector and in manufacturing. Indian investors in Canada also gain

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Currently, there’s more Indian investment in Canada than there is Canadian investment in India. There’s probably $9 billion worth of Indian investment in Canada, mainly in the resource sector and in manufacturing. Indian investors in Canada also gain access to the North American market, given the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), which makes it possible for a business that is set up in Canada to service all of North America tariff-free. access to the North American market, given the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), which makes it possible for a business that is set up in Canada to service all of North America tariff-free. Gujarati Canadians have played a very significant role in pointing out these benefits to Gujarati companies, of setting up part of their businesses in Canada or finding investment opportunities in India for their friends in Canadian companies. So, in a way, they’ve been playing a much more important role than they would have been as a civil servant.

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Gujarat Council of Science City Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat Science City Road, Ahmedabad-380 060. Te. : 079-65220111, 079-65222127 / 28 Mobile : +91 98795 50973

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A Connected Gujarat

Mr. Ravi Saxena’s efforts have resulted in making Gujarat the most e-connected state in the country. He took the challenge of upgrading the ICT infrastructure in the state and created the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN). He has been relentlessly campaigning for consolidation of government IT infrastructure for the entire country, which should result in a Unified Government Cloud Structure.

Having initiated a unique experiment of integrating GIS applications with other IT applications to have an accurate planning of civil infrastructure. He has also conceptualized a “Unified Communication System” carrying voice, video and data on IP backbone, thereby ensuring complete telepresence of every officer of the state government.

hat can we expect from the state - level initiatives being taken in the Science & Technology sector in Gujarat ? How is this likely to affect the business landscape of the state ? Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Gujarat, IAS officer Mr. Ravi Saxena, tells us...

How would you describe the change that has come about in Gujarat’s Science & Technology sector over the last decade? What factors do you attribute this change to ? “Human Development and Inclusive Growth” – has been the core approach towards development in Gujarat and Science and Technology has appropriately fueled this approach by providing ease and efficiency to the process of Governance. Visionary

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On March 27th 2012, Mr. Saxena was awarded the Skoch Challenger Award, the highest independently instituted national civilian honours, within the Technology sector

leadership, channelized administration and well framed institutional & policy structures are the key enablers of the change that we are seeing today in Gujarat. The decade saw establishment of a separate department-Department of Science & Technology - to focus on the growth and development of new & emerging technology areas. Under its aegis, we have empowered all major sectors like Health, Education, Agriculture, Woman and Child Welfare, Citizen Centric Service Delivery, Grievance and Judicial System, Land & Revenue, Transport with IT advancements and e-Governance. Gujarat is the only state in the country to have real time seismological research and a dedicated institute for it. We are recognized as an advanced state with the application of Space Technologies

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& Geo-informatics in various planning & development activities pertaining to Agriculture, Soil and Land use, Urban Land use, Water Resources, Watershed, Marine applications, Forest and Environment, Geology as well as training of grass-root level functionaries through satellite communication. Gujarat Biotechnology Mission is doing exemplary work in genomic sequencing, genetic library formation, dissemination, incubation and capacity building. It is also providing a platform for the industry, academia and entrepreneurs for biotechnological advancements with government support. Furthermore, Gujarat Science City and Gujarat Council on Science and Technology have been formed to promote science popularization and the spread of scientific temper among the people of the State. New colleges and universities have been set up in the state for imparting education and training in science & technology – computer sciences, engineering, medical sciences, petroleum technology, forensic sciences etc so as to meet the demand for trained manpower in these sectors. This holistic approach has been primarily responsible for bringing

June 2012

We are at the end of IT Policy 2006 – 2011 and are in the process of formulating a new IT Policy that will incentivise not only the development of IT but also development of electronics industry in the state. This will be in line with the Govt of India’s Triad of the Electronics Policies, that proposes to create an ecosystem for manufacturing electronics by creating Electronics Hardware Technology Parks, Special Investment Regions for Electronics, and by providing incentives for electronics industry. More than 200 EMCs (Electronics Manufacturing Clusters) across the country are being planned. National eGovernance Program and Unique Identification Project Aadhar are creating huge opportunities for mobile and internet application developers. about positive change & technological advancements in the State. Gujarat’s vision for the state, in terms of the kind of initiatives that have been implemented over the last few years, seems to reiterate the dream to build a “connected, technologically empowered Gujarat”. Could you elaborate a little bit on this in terms of specific initiatives

GUJCOST, one of DST’s initiatives, aims to “act as a focal forum to inculcate scientific temper for attaining new heights in research and development for welfare of masses and to improve the quality of their life as well as to solve important issues of socio-economic development of the state by acting as organic link between Science, Technology and Economy” www.gtcglobal.in

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A Connected Gujarat

that have been put in place by DST towards realizing this vision ? ICT and e-Governance have played a significant role in Gujarat’s success story. We believe that bandwidth is closely associated with peoples’ lives and the demand for bandwidth in Gujarat has almost doubled over the last couple of years. “Connected Government and Connected People”, this belief has helped us achieve success in our eGovernance initiatives. Gujarat has been at the forefront, and has demonstrated vision and foresight as is evident from the fact that we set up Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN) way back in 2001. Today this is the only end to end IP-based network across the state and the largest in this part of the country, covering almost 35000 nodes. We have almost 50,000 mail addresses on our Exchange Server in the active directory format. We also have all districts and talukas of Gujarat covered vertically and horizontally on the same network. We have a robust State Data Center and most of the eGovernance applications have been moved on to the data center. Most remarkable of all, we have eGram – a VSAT network which covers all villages of Gujarat by bringing each of the villages on the broadband making it easier for us to think of rolling out applications for people residing in the most remote part of the state. We are in the process of setting up State Service Delivery Gateway and Mobile Service Delivery Gateway. Each of our departments has been advised to

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deploy ERP kind of applications with GIS integration. In fact the Gujarat State Geospatial Data Infrastructure has been appreciated at all levels and even by the Planning Commission of India. GIS is one of our areas of core strength and has helped us in creating a unified database of resources which have all been mapped from different departments on GIS. The eGovernance applications in Gujarat have brought not only transparency and accountability in the administration but have also sensitized the people about its advantages and effectiveness over conventional procedures. Besides, Gujarat has the highest teledensity in the country. We have 24x7 electricity and household broadband presence in 8000+ villages. This robust eGovernance infrastructure has resulted in a connected & technologically empowered GujaratBoard. What will it take for Gujarat to achieve its vision of being India’s foremost technology destination? Specific policies that you’d like to mention and elaborate on ? What are the gaps that according to you need to be filled for this vision to be realized ? Electronics Manufacturing, Chip Designing and telecom applications are the focus areas for this decade. If we take India’s electronics demand it’s been of the order of 45 billion dollars this year out of which we have produced electronics worth about 20 billion dollars and imported the rest. Oil import bill this year has been 102 billion dollars. It is said that if we don’t start taking electronics in our own hands, the import bill of electronics will overtake

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the import bill of oil in a matter of 6 to 8 years from now. The demand for electronics is going to rise to 400 billion dollars by 2025 and that is where the opportunities lie. We are at the end of IT Policy 2006 – 2011 and are in the process of formulating a new IT Policy that will incentivise not only the development of IT but also development of electronics industry in the state. This will be in line with the Govt of India’s Triad of the Electronics Policies, that proposes to create an ecosystem for manufacturing electronics by creating Electronics Hardware Technology Parks, Special Investment Regions for Electronics, and by providing incentives for electronics industry. More than 200 EMCs (Electronics Manufacturing Clusters) across the country are being planned. National eGovernance Program and Unique Identification Project Aadhar are creating huge opportunities for mobile and internet application developers. We are also planning an IT Investment Region providing the entire basic infrastructure for the IT industry to grow in Gujarat with minimum CAPEX and competitive incentives. Research and Innovation is the key to global leadership in any sector. Towards this end, the State Government has initiated world class in-house incubation center to facilitate the industry, academia and researchers to grow together. Real technological advancement across any state obviously comes about when initiatives put in place touch everyday lives of citizens. Which of DST’s initiatives would you like to talk about

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in this context? Health, Education, Agriculture, Food and Civil Supplies (FCS), Grievance Redressal etc. are primary sectors touching the life of common man on a day to day basis. Statewide Integrated Hospital Management System, e-Mamta (tracking mother and child health), Drugs Logistics Information System (Central Monitoring for Drugs Stock and Health Programs), 104-Non Emergency Helpline, tele-medicine, 108-Emergency Helpline in health sector, Digital Teaching Content, Online Teachers Recruitment and Results, educational and skills oriented content broadcasting through satellite in education sector, rain forecasting, crop management, fertilizers and seeds information, live interactions with Agriculture University scientists, livestock monitoring in agriculture, e-ration card, bar-coded coupons, bio-metric based verification, stock monitoring and supply management in FCS, e-court, SWAGAT at State, District, Taluka(Block) and Village level in Grievance Redressal are some of the initiatives which are simplifying the life of the common man in real sense. Many of these initiatives are recognized at national as well as at international levels. How can awareness about the initiatives you have mentioned above help global S&T related businesses that might want to expand operations within the Gujarat market or might want to further tie-ups here? Every two years, the Government of Gujarat organizes the Vibrant Gujarat

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A Connected Gujarat

summit and the major portion of investment in the state comes based on MoUs signed during the summit. As a pre exercise to the event, large delegations of Senior Government Officers and Industry leaders visit all corners of the globe. During previous Vibrant Gujarat summits, Gujarat has attracted huge investments. In Vibrant Gujarat 2013, we are closely pursuing electronics and semiconductor industry business tie-ups in various countries. We have established dedicated an IT/Electronics Industry Investment and Promotion wing in the department to look after such collaborations and smooth breakthrough in the state without any hindrance.

As far as technology is concerned, we are looking to create a unified communication ecosystem which will result from the convergence of the various devices, networks and applications across all initiatives in the state. We are also looking at improving the existing health-care sector and research oriented education. We are encouraging the setting up and development of semiconductor wafer fabs, chip designing, embedded software solutions and end to end electronics manufacturing industry. As far as Science and Research is concerned, we are promoting biotechnology and nanotechnology industry set up and collaborations.

How would you describe DST’s future plans ? What are the thrust areas for development vis-à-vis Gujarat’s vision of being a primary trade destination ??

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Tech-Ed Tweets

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Tech-Ed Tweets Dr. Anil K. Roy is an alumnus of IIT Delhi from where he earned his Ph.D. in Physics in the area of Quantum Optics in 1993. Following this, he was associated with the Centre for Theoretical Studies at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore during 1993-94. He worked with Optical Fiber group at IIT Delhi till 1996 before joining the industry.

r. Anil Roy, senior academic from DAIICT, talks about the technology institutions in Gujarat, changes in the attitudes of these as reflected in the direction of research being carried out by these, joint ventures with research and industry bodies from other countries, and the way forward...

Science & Technology in Gujarat : The Education Sector Gujarat has an age-old lineage of educational innovation, as evident in the Nai Talim form of the nationalist movement, which led to the establishment of Gujarat Vidyapith in 1920. This legacy, continuing post independence under the blessings of philanthropic industrialist Kasturbhai Lalbhai and renowned scientist Vikrambhai Sarabhai, resulted in the establishment of a network of national institutes of international repute. These include the Physical Research Laboratory (in 1947), Maharaja Sayajirao University (in 1949), the Indian Institute of Management (in 1961), the National Institute of Design (in 1961), Centre for

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Dr. Roy joined DA-IICT as a faculty member in 2003. His main academic interest areas are nanoscience, fiber optics, semiconductor physics, applications of image processing and technologies for humanitarian challenges. Dr. Roy is a senior member of IEEE, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest technical professional association, and IEEE Nanotechnology Council. He is also a member of Optical Society of America. He has been involved in popularizing science among school kids and women. He co-Chaired the IEEE Conference on Technologies for Humanitarian Challenges held on the 28th of August 2009 in Bangalore (India).

Environment Planning and Technology (in 1962) and LD Institute of Indology (in 1963). A number of remarkable intellectuals, including Ravi Mathai, B V Doshi, K R Ramanathan and Dashrath Patel, provided the leadership for these institutes. The very concept of these institutions sowed the seed of entrepreneurial experimentation in education in Gujarat. In more recent times, parallel to the dawn of a new global economy, a nascent breed of institutions fostering science and technology has emerged in Gujarat, which includes the likes of Nirma Institute of Technology, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and

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Communication Technology, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, etc. The wave of change that brought about the establishment of these new institutes has been in lieu of the focus of education in India shifting to higher education to support the technology sector. Over 20 private universities, founded with the vision of “Making India a Knowledge Society”, have been established under the State Act of Gujarat since the new millennium crept in.

June 2012

and graduating students is because some seats remain vacant each year while some students are unable to graduate. But if we compare the number of engineers per million population for different countries, India stands 9th with 214 engineers per million while South Korea tops the list with 1344 followed by Japan with 770 per million.

Without doubt, all this has happened towards creating an eco-system of positioning Gujarat in the national technological arena. Paradigm Shift amongst Tech-Ed Leaders If one looks at some of the data on science and technology education and its products, i.e., graduating students, on the national canvas, one quickly realizes the need to assess the quality of these products as a start towards understanding the paradigm shift that has taken place with regards to how the nature of technology education in Gujarat is shaping up, and the possibilities for further expansion within the sector. There are over 3500 engineering colleges in India; here we are not taking into consideration the number of medical science colleges or agriculture and allied science colleges. Gujarat’s share is around 5% of these engineering colleges. These colleges have over 900000 seats nationwide and they churn out over 600000 graduates each year ; the difference in actual available seats

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if we compare the number of engineers per million population for different countries, India stands 9th with 214 engineers per million while South Korea tops the list with 1344 followed by Japan with 770 per million.

This alarming data, from NASSCOM, reckons that of all the engineering graduates who emerge each year, 50% are simply unemployable and 25% are unemployable without extensive further training. The same gloomy picture is reported by Mercer Consulting also 1. This, in the context of the fact that

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Tech-Ed Tweets ...if we compare the number of engineers per million population for different countries, India stands 9th with 214 engineers per million while South Korea tops the list with 1344 followed by Japan with 770 per million. This alarming data, from NASSCOM, reckons that of all the engineering graduates who emerge each year, 50% are simply unemployable and 25% are unemployable without extensive further training. The same gloomy picture is reported by Mercer Consulting also the input stage of this production process is almost equivalent to the great Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893, is distressing to say the least. This data further says the following: • Nearly 1,000,000 students appear each year for the AIEEE exam, competing to qualify for roughly 24000 seats in 20 NITs and other engineering colleges • Around 5,00,000 candidates appear for the JEE exams annually, competing to qualify for approximately 9500 seats of the 15 IITs. • A little under 1,00,000 students compete to qualify for the mere 70 seats of AIIMS MBBS entrance exam. The private education market in India is estimated to be worth $40 billion in 2008 and has been projected to increase to $68 billion by 2012. A huge market waiting to be tapped into! 2 Now lets ponder upon this gigantic

quality crisis. One issue might possibly be the fact that 25% of teaching positions nationwide are vacant. Another might be under-qualified teaching staff : 57% of college professors lack either a master’s or PhD degree. How can we produce super-fine filings from a grinder which does not have any teeth?

No doubt this is a gloomy factual picture. But of course, the idea of drawing on this being, to march forward, one has to take an optimistic view, like the leadership trait of Alexander. The pragmatic approach then is to create the infrastructure first. Once a pit is dug, water will fall in place naturally, sooner or later, either by drip, or by drain, or by rain. I see great future possibilities starting to get realized through the means of creating institutions like DA-IICT, Nirma, PDPU, Forensic Science University etc. or by giving the nod to establish IIT and Central University in Gandhinagar. Because what these institutions together are doing is creating an eco-system for innovation and for a knowledge-based society. But to create a vibrant bio-diversity within this eco-system we have to correct our input-output process and the system of value-addition somewhere in between. Global Networks & Tech-Ed in Gujarat Leading technology institutes in Gujarat have just started reaching out and actively starting to establish networks with institutions overseas.

1. “Profile of Engineering Education in India – Status, Concerns and Recommendations”, Biswas, Chopra, Jha and Singh, Narosa Publications 2010 2. “A survey of India - Creaking, groaning - Infrastructure is India’s biggest handicap”, Dec 11th 2008 , The Economist, http://www.economist.com/node/12749787?story_id=12749787

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Many foreign universities have initiated dialogues of collaborations with some of these institutions. Australia and Canada are the obvious front-runners because they have created huge infrastructure there but have a small population to cater to. Some student as well as faculty exchange programs have been established and more are in the offing. US, EU and British universities on the other hand still seem a bit cautious. DA-IICT has signed a couple of MoUs for research collaboration with American and French universities. IIMA, NID and CEPT have been long-established favourites for foreign students’ exchange-programs and I believe such collaborations at PDPU and Nirma are also growing in number and diversity. One specific issue to look out for in the near future, though it may not be recognized as an obvious one right now is the fact that with cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and the satellite cities like Gurgaon, Noida, Pune, Manesar etc., reaching to an absolute saturation point – something that has already started happening – industrial development in Gujarat is likely to grow in an unprecedented manner. And once industries start converging, their interface with the educational institutes would automatically start prospering at an equivalent pace. Projections : Sector-specific Sci-tech growth in Gujarat Manufacturing, particularly mechanical engineering supported, oil and gas and renewable energy sectors are likely to

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grow in an exponential manner over the next ten years in Gujarat. ICT will grow as a support technology sector, primarily because most of the ICT will still be seen as IT sector, until such time as there is clear recognition

Leading technology institutes in Gujarat have just started reaching out and actively starting to establish networks with institutions overseas. Many foreign universities have initiated dialogues of collaborations with some of these institutions... Australia and Canada are the obvious front-runners because they have created huge infrastructure there but have a small population to cater to. Some student as well as faculty exchange programs have been established and more are in the offing. US, EU and British universities on the other hand still seem a bit cautious. and acceptance of the fact that most of the current automation is, in fact, ICT. The government’s focused, long term policy and the strong entrepreneurial skills of Gujaratis have translated in the exemplary convergence of communication and processing power in the automobile industry, as well as in white goods production plants and energy sectors. This is likely to continue to grow over the next five years. Go the Innovation Way ! Time has come when one must technological development to masses, to humanity. We need to way to this paradigm shift that ultimate user of technology is human being.

owe the give the the

This does not necessarily mean that one

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cannot have a business model for this approach. The paradigm shift demands to see things inside out, for developing truly sustainable solutions. Academic institutions which ignore this “call of time”, so to speak, are unlikely to last long. These institutions need to necessarily provide a platform that helps groom innovations, innovative ideas, as well as sharp, creative minds that are capable of coming up with innovative ideas in the future. This is undoubtedly what will shape the future of science & technology in India. Very much like the out-of-the-box model of management, innovations are nourished in an out-of-the-classroom model. If we look at global trends, China, the world’s second largest economy, has topped the list of maximum patents filed in 2011, surpassing US and Japan. According to the projections by Thomson Reuters it is expected that China’s patent applications will touch approximately half-a-million in 2015 followed by the United States and Japan producing nearly 400,000 and 300,000 respectively, that same year. China is changing its gear from being seen as manufacturing hub to now transforming into the epicenter of innovative ideas. This is the transformation that is taking place now ; a transformation that can only happen through the saplings that academic institutions sow.

good practices that China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan have been practicing and implement those with some customization. Focusing on innovations, drive for sustainability and passion for humanity are the keys to success.

China is changing its gear from being seen as manufacturing hub to now transforming into the epicenter of innovative ideas. This is the transformation that is taking place now ; a transformation that can only happen through the saplings that academic institutions sow... Gujarat needs to make a road map for this transformation. The policy makers and the drivers of this engine-ofinnovations have to learn from the good practices that China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan have been practicing and implement those with some customization. Focusing on innovations, drive for sustainability and passion for humanity are the keys to success.

Gujarat needs to make a road map for this transformation. The policy makers and the drivers of this engineof-innovations have to learn from the

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entrepreneurs & innovative businesses sculpting the NOW of Gujarat

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SAFE-GAURDING THE BINARY SPACE Centre of Excellence, Cyber Forensics

n a recent movie, Die Hard 4.0, Bruce Willis is seen fighting an apparent “fire-sale”, an extreme crisis created by Anonymous hackers to stall all computers of utility services of the USA such as energy, public transportation, aviation and banking. And while the movie is a technology roller-coaster, it also is a very grave portrayal of cyber crime, an issue much more realistic than the ‘grey-goo’ issue referred to against nanotechnology. Gone are the days when a detective traced or chased a criminal following a trained Labrador sniffer dog. A large share of crimes are now planned, and often even carried out, across the binary space of the digital world. The question is whether is it ever possible to execute a large-scale cyber-crime in real life? Can it actually be actually done?

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Let’s go slightly back in time before we address the above question in the form of a story about a ‘game-changer’. The first ever computer virus was designed and demonstrated in November 1983 by a student of the University of South California. It was nothing but an idea of breaching computer security through some alien software code. Since then, this playful act has come a long way, and today has taken on the shape of a lethal catastrophic trade. Time has come when if you are online, your computer can be hacked by a person remotely who will control the keyboard and camera attached to your computer. And this is just tip of the iceberg. The point is that there are rampant dreaded criminals in the guise of extremely naive, suave neighbours who attack their targets very quietly, and at a devastating scale. Investigating agencies, if not trained well, can do nothing but to cool their heels.

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Cyber Forensics The Centre of Excellence on Cyber Security is a purposeful attempt to address this part of the previous sentence and that is ‘... if they are not well trained’. This is an initiative by the Gujarat Police Department that was taken off in early 2011. The mandate for this Centre is to continuously update itself on the state-of-the-art on all types of cyber threats and cyber securities, technologies, products, etc, ultimately aiming to provide training to our manpower to fight this new bizarre type of terrorism that has no face. The concept of ‘fire-sale’ is no child’s play anymore. There is a serious possibility that this may happen. The US-Department of Energy has tested it. And it worked! They managed to bring

down a power station!! One mouse click and a whole city range block goes down into darkness. Search for ‘Aurora’ and you will find some more interesting stories unfolding. The term ‘Computer Terrorist’ has been included in police and law-keepers diaries, for real. Cyber technologies, and the use of these for fingerprinting, face recognition, brain mapping, DNA fingerprinting, voice recognition, and other forms of biometrics, have developed very fast over the last few years. There is no guarantee that watermark cannot be breached. There is no guarantee that an eavesdropper will not intrude on a 128 bit encrypted data channel. Online payment gateways, despite their security certification (VeriSign, Entrust

Cyber technologies, and the use of these for fingerprinting, face recognition, brain mapping, DNA fingerprinting, voice recognition, and other forms of biometrics, have developed very fast over the last few years.

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etc.) are all being used with suspicion these days. Cyber Security, Gandhinagar The Centre of Excellence on Cyber Security is physically housed in the campus of the Gujarat Police Academy, Karai (Gandhinagar). It has been conceptualized as positioning itself as ‘the think tank’ for the area of cyber security. The Centre has been set up with the idea of keeping a very close eye on the global advancement of technologies related to cyber forensics, including the newest being adopted at the Pentagon, the latest at Scotland Yard, how Irish intelligence is gearing up, how Israel, FBI or German intelligence is training itself to fight against cyber crimes, etc. Apart from this, obviously this centre is going to recruit some engineers and technologists who will conduct a detailed analysis of research publications worldwide on how to make our system more and more pro-active, responsive and well ahead of time. This is a new paradigm that this centre is planning to look into.

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While initially the Centre will create a resource centre of case-studies of cyber crimes and theology, in the very near future it will become an authentic one-point-reference-provider for any intelligence agency. Later, as told by Mr. Vinod Mall, the then Joint Director of Gujarat Police Academy, this centre will also produce its own white papers on the relevant issues of cyber security. The centre is also in the process of procuring various standard tools to analyze the forensic crimes. These tools are either software, such as, Guidance EnCase® Forensic, Deep Log Analyzer, to name a few, or in the form of hardware, for example, Project-A-Phone ICD-5200, family of Forensic Recovery of Evidence Device, Chat Stick, Image MASSter Solo-4, Rack-A-TACC. These will be helpful in providing training to workforce in the same area. The centre aims to present itself as a unique training centre for the intelligence and police forces of this country.

The Centre of Excellence on Cyber Security is physically housed in the campus of the Gujarat Police Academy, Karai (Gandhinagar) www.gtcglobal.in

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The Impact of Unified Communications

ICT at GIFT City When assessing how comprehensively ICT has been used in a project, one needs to begin by understanding the difference between IT and ICT. Information Technology (IT) is the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to store, retrieve and transmit information. ICT (Information and communications technology) applications go a step further & involve a much wider range of functions including unified communications and the integration of telecommunications, computers, middleware as well as necessary software, storage and audio-visual systems, which enable users to create, access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. Using the definition put forth by the Online Dictionary of Computing, “ICT applications, while including all IT-related functions, also extend to

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include telecommunication, broadcast media, all types of audio and video processing and transmission and network based control and monitoring functions.” The implementation of ICT is deemed important because of the potentially massive impact these can have on creating more transparent, efficient and advanced global economies, while also playing a critical role in furthering environmental sustainability. ICT at GIFT City The proposed GIFT ICT vision is to “Create leading-edge infrastructure, services and platforms and offer financial services enterprises a significant competitive advantage to operate regionally and globally”. Five major elements make up the overall GIFT ICT Value Proposition: Gateway to Financial Markets; Secure and Resilient ICT Environment;

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ICT Pre-enabled on-demand infrastructure; Cost-effective ICT and the “Best in Class” Customer Experience. GIFT being a green-field development, provides a unique opportunity to introduce cutting edge technology, unencumbered by the need to preserve legacy services on obsolete technology. New applications will emerge to take advantage of the cheap and abundant bandwidth that will be available. Data services Data services available at GIFT promise to encompass the entire spectrum of requirements of potential businesses, residents and visitors. These Data Centre Managed Services will provide

secure, accessible, highly-reliable, high-performance and low-latency services to businesses, and will have provisions for Business continuity management as well as disaster recovery. Key Features of the Data Services at GIFT City include : • The Managed Data Network Services umbrella : including all services that are core to data communications whether local, national or international. • Public Wi-Fi : enabling residents and visitors to the City to access the Internet in City hubs, captive locations and also across the City as a whole.

The implementation of ICT is deemed important because of the potentially massive impact these can have on creating more transparent, efficient and advanced global economies, while also playing a critical role in furthering environmental sustainability. www.gtcglobal.in

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• Corporate Wi-Fi : allowing the creation of wireless networks specific to corporate environments. • Financial community extranets : providing access to the global financial community and financial sector information and applications. • Facilities to establish Closed User Groups would allow creation of VPNs. • TV services at GIFT would be integrated with the city infrastructure plan and would enable end users to watch free to air, premium and on-demand content. A financial extranet will enable GIFT to provide global connectivity to tenants who require electronic reach to a desired community of established venues beyond GIFT, ISVs and service providers. It will also allow service providers such as exchanges to connect the financial community to a GIFT-based service provider platform.

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multiple systems can be significantly reduced by using a single integrated approach, giving a competitive advantage to GIFT. In practice, IB boundaries can be defined by two distinct and complementary functions. These are: • ICT infrastructure: facilitating the connectivity of sensory data from an IB to an intelligent building operations centre, and • Facility management: providingmaintenance and management of IB using an integrated IB management system An IB solution helps reduce capital and operating costs through shorter commission time and simpler management. Producing more energy

Automation, Control, Efficiency The buildings in GIFT City will feature a high level of automation and control to reduce operating costs, deliver energy efficiencies and a world class working environment through monitoring and control of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), indoor air quality (IAQ), power and managed energy, managed lighting, life safety detection and notification system, and entry control. Conventionally, buildings rely upon multiple autonomous systems and infrastructure to manage everything from ICT to heating, lighting and security. With intelligent buildings (IB), like the kinds GIFT City will feature, the added complexity and cost of having

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ICT efficient buildings also helps satisfy green compliance obligations, match tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heightened expectations for innovative and sustainable buildings, and boost return on investment from rental as well as offering a smart and green home or work environment. City administration services ICT will be used heavily in the administration of GIFT. A variety of e-services will enable the delivery of an efficient City and respond to customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements for affordable, seamless and accessible services. These include: e-learning (through wireless Internet access video streaming and e-libraries), transport (i.e. e-parking management; e-transport updates to citizens; air pollution sensors; GIS support), and environmental health (i.e. e-portal; e-waste monitoring using sensor technology; energy controlled operations; local voice solution for public address; video streaming).

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The buildings in GIFT City will feature a high level of automation and control to reduce operating costs, deliver energy efficiencies and a world class working environment through monitoring and control of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), indoor air quality (IAQ), power and managed energy, managed lighting, life safety detection and notification system, and entry control... Producing more energy efficient buildings also helps satisfy green compliance obligations, match tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heightened expectations for innovative and sustainable buildings, and boost return on investment from rental as well as offering a smart and green home or work environment.

Services; and (v) Record keeping / documentation.

Environment monitoring solutions would perform real-time data collection and trend analysis on measurements so that the appropriate ecology program benefits can be delivered.

Equipped with IBMS, building in GIFT shall be connected to the CCCC in order to provide interface between user and utility service providers and serve towards smooth and efficient functioning of the City.

Central Command and Control Centre The GIFT Central Command and Control Centre (CCCC) would be developed to control various services and provide security and assistance to its users. The Objectives of the planned CCCC are (i) Ensuring efficient services to the Users; (ii) Ensuring Safety and Security; (iii) Co-ordination and Integration among various service providers & Users (iv) Disaster Management & Emergency

City Services The GIFT ICT domain encompasses all of the IT and communications requirements of the City, not only for the introduction of services to attract customers and generate revenue, but also to support the efficient and secure running of the City itself. These City services will include the monitoring and management of core services from the verticals (transportation, power

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distribution, solid waste management, district cooling, intelligent buildings, landscape and water distribution.) The ICT needs of the City verticals will vary, but most will need to communicate to/from remote sensors, monitoring units, such as closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, alarms, temperature sensors and other devices to a central management station. The ICT infrastructure would be synchronised with the introduction of City services in terms of its availability, capacity and capability, and that connection and usage guidelines would be produced for the verticals and other City service providers. Environmental Focus The environmental design principle is used to support the objective of reduced impact from GIFT ICT on the environment. By adopting several means, such as ensuring technical design considerations and procurements are based on constrained power and cooling demand; designing and operating the complete platform at peak utilisation capacities; innovative use of technologies such as virtualisation and liquid cooling, and through implementing globally recognised green standards and achieving associated certifications, GIFT hopes to be a truly green city. Urban Infrastructure Integration through GIS It is intended to create a technology platform that enables the creation of a spatial data information system as part of the Urban Information Infrastructure by GIS application for GIFT City.

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The overall objective shall be to develop an advanced urban information infrastructure and digital framework of the urban system by using integrated Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Information & Communication Technologies (ICT). GIS Applications are envisioned to facilitate planning, designing, development, management, operation and maintenance and future expansion of GIFT. It shall also serve for real time monitoring, database creation, effective information exchange, service convergence and centralized management bringing operational effectiveness. This would enable to improve working efficiency, make intelligent and sound development and management decision, Improve quality of the services to the public and enhance city efficiency to ensure sustainable urban development. Earlier in June 2012, financial institutions committed Rs 393 crore for the first phase of GIFT City. The fund will be invested to expedite infrastructure building in the first phase, say GIFT officials. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The financial closure shows the confidence and interest exhibited by the investors in the project. The deal will expedite the first phase of the project,â&#x20AC;? Ramakant Jha, director of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Limited (GIFTCL), the special purpose vehicle created for the project. The funding is provided by a consortium of 15 financial institution and banks under the Pooled Municipal Debt Obligation Facility (PMDO) comprising Indian Infrastructure Finance Co Ltd, Canara Bank, IL&FS Financial Services Ltd, Allahabad Bank, Bank of India, Dena Bank, Central bank of India, Corporation Bank, Indian Bank, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Syndicate Bank, Union Bank of India,Vijaya Bank and Indian Overseas Bank. PMDO is a pool created under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for funding the infrastructure projects in urban areas.

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Game Changers

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Gujarat Science City Kids City

June 2012

Edutainment Keep It Simple ; Make It Fun ! cience, in the way it is perceived and practiced in the contemporary context, has come a long way from the traditional percept of the subject as being an area of super-specialization, understood and accessible only to those endowed with a high level of formal education. And accompanying this overall change in the perception of science as going beyond theoretical realms to becoming more application and experience-based, has been the recognition of the need for lay people, especially the youth, to be exposed to the progress made by science in terms of new & emerging technologies, and how these developments relate to our daily lives.

This global shift in the positioning of the relationship between science, technology and human interactions has led to another very perceptible change ; that of a number of informed and pro-active governments across the world recognizing the need for offering platforms that allow an experiential understanding of science to the wellinformed and educated as well as to lay

people, through a variety of complexity levels, and accessible across socioeconomic sectors. The Game Changers section this issue focuses on two such science and technology-based projects in Gujarat that are making strong efforts at reaching out to the community, especially the youth, and at spreading awareness by using a medium that people of our times understand best : educating through entertainment. Or Edutainment, as the concept has now come to be known. This feature projects:

showcases

two

such

Gujarat Science City, an initiative by the Government of Gujaratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Science and Technology, which looks at increasing awareness through edutainment about the fundamentals of science and technology ; and, Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; City, by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, that focuses specifically on imparting experiential fun-based learning through technology to kids.

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Gujarat Science City

Demystifying Science through Edutainment

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To achieve this vision, the Government of Gujarat has established a registered society called the Gujarat Council of Science City. The Government is already in possession of 107 hectares of land and another 300 hectares are being acquired for the future expansion of Science City & related projects. Wonder, Exploration and Learning for All The awareness-building and learning methodology implemented by the Gujarat Science City is focused on informal, interactive, community-based teaching methods that are imparted in a fun, entertaining environment, different from the formal mode of education. All programs organized and implemented at the GSC are carefullydesigned so as to ignite imagination, foster creativity and develop a spirit

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of inquiry, especially in young minds through the culture of â&#x20AC;&#x153;learning by participatingâ&#x20AC;? that is unique to GSC. Children visiting Gujarat Science City are able to explore the wonders of science and technology, at their various levels of complexity, while being surrounded by the most exciting and contemporary forms of entertainment regardless of the social stratum they belong to, their educational background or age group. With its expansive infrastructure, imaginative design and concept, and innovative activities, Gujarat Science City is becoming fast-recognized internationally as a leader amongst the best Science Centres worldwide. Gujarat Science Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commendable achievement in terms of increasing science literacy can be gauged from the fact that about 40 lakh visitors, including 24 lakh school children, have visited

The awareness-building and learning methodology implemented by the Gujarat Science City is focused on informal, interactive, community-based teaching methods that are imparted in a fun, entertaining environment, different from the formal mode of education. www.gtcglobal.in

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Edutainment GSC over the past six years, with this number increasing consistently every year. Catering to all socio-economic sections of society, and being at the forefront of science-related programs organized in Gujarat as well as across the country, Science City celebrates science by conducting various scientific and educational activities round the year and also releases unique Scientific Event Calendars year wise for maximizing awareness and participation. Gujarat Science City has been instrumental in introducing young talents from both rural and urban areas prestigious International Science Olympiads, INTEL Science & Technnology Fairs and other ambitious scientific programmes and competitions. Technology Partners Gujarat Science City has been conceptulized as a futuristic science city which will ignite imagination, foster creativity and develop a spirit of inquiry, especially in young minds. For this, the Science City has installed India’s first IMAX 3D Theatre which has been used as for markting for students aware of some very exciting science concepts and science fictions. In addition, it has motion simulators, LED Screens, Multimedia Panaromic projections and console operated musical fountatin which makes science interesting and exciting for one and all. One of Gujarat Science City’s existing technological partners is IMAX Corporation from Canada that has supplied the IMAX 3D Theater Projection systems and the scientific IMAX films to Gujarat Science City.

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Existing Tie-Ups & Way Forward Gujarat Science City is a proud member of the Association of Science Technology Centers (ASTC), Washington D. C. – an international organization having more than 530 science centres, museums and related organizations dedicated to increase public understanding and appreciation of science and technology across the world. GSC is also planning to establish collaborative programmes and projects with NASA and other International Science Centers. Having just completed its Phase I development., Science City Gujarat has already initiated its Phase II development which would be showcasing applied science and technology exhibits and applications. This includes: (i) Looking Ahead: New Frontiers of Science (Big Bang and First Three Minutes, LHC, Nutrinos and Faster-than-Light, Inter-Galactic Travel, Unity of Forces, Micro and Macro, Nanotechnology etc.), (ii) Space Park (Terraforming of Mars, Space Colonies, Zero-Gravity Life, Deep Space), (iii) Big Bytes – (IT, Electronics and Robotics), (iv) Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals (Origin of Life, Genetic Engineering, New Medical Frontiers) and (v) How Things Work (ball pens to space rockets – simple to complex mechanisms). Given the kind of B2B platform GSC offers itself as, the project becomes a premium opportunity for the corporate and business houses in the cuttingedge technology sector, to be a part of Science City and feature their products, programmes and activities here.

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Kids City Kankaria lake, Ahmedabad

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Sector June 2012 : edutainment

The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible… and achieve it, generation after generation. - Pearl Buck

concerted effort towards increasing the reach and awareness of modern science and its variety of applications within the larger community can all but ignore the need for this to be targeted at the children; future citizens of our society. Because, like American writer Pearl Buck once said, “The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible… and achieve it, generation after generation.”

It is this fact that makes obvious the need to inculcate that curiosity for “how things work” amongst children ; especially given how increasingly complex our lives have now become. An outright “WOW” project, Kids’ City is an ideal example of a place that inspires meaningful wonder and learning in young minds, and leaves a keen impression on kids where applications of science and technology in the contemporary world are concerned. The Kids’ City concept is centered on the idea of developing a children’s zone; the theme of this project being “Learning by Doing”. Developed for children between the ages of 5 to 14, the vision of this project

A City Within A City A City for Kids Only !

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was to develop a miniature city for kids ; a city that the kids themselves owned. Translated in physical terms, the activities at Kids’ City are based on kids working and running the place themselves ; a place where these young people can think and act independently from adults, where they have the choice to experiment while educating themselves, the responsibility to be supportive and proactive as well as the ability to be playful and participatory. Conceptualized, detailed out and executed wholly by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Kids’ City is one of Shri. Narendra Modi’s dream projects. The Chief Minister of Gujarat is a firm believer in initiatives

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and programs that focus on capacity building amongst the young people - the future citizens - of our state. Kids’ City was conceived by Mr. Modi as a platform for kids to explore and understand the world they live in, in ways that are fun and leave a strong impression. First conceived in 2009, this ambitious 4240 sq mt. project by AMC was completed in a short 15 month span and was inaugurated on 31st December 2010. Kids’ City has recorded 150,000 visitors since it started operations on January 1 2011. Imagine even if only half the kids went back home with a stronger understanding of any of the activities they undertake, that’s a huge impact already !

Meet the CM : Kids quiz Gujarat’s Chief Minister on matters close to their hearts.

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Edutainment

Getting a taste of being a radio jockey !

Experiential Learning Kids City focuses on delivering education through entertainment, that is, through the use of a scientific methodology that helps drive home a message in the most interactive, fun manner possible. Kids’ City, in implementing this idea of educating kids through entertainment and the use of technology, is the first project of its kind in India. “A City within a City ; A City for Kids Only”, is the Kids’ City motto. And the project sure lives up to it. Constituting a microcosmic version of the kind of cities we live in, the mix of activities housed within Kids’ City is a great example of how the easy availability of technology and

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related transfers can be maximized for providing experiential learning to children. From a miniature court-room, to a scaled-down ice-cream factory ; from a hospital to a radio centre ; from a physics lab to a fire station, Kids’ City offers young people the chance to explore all of these and many more. What makes the experience even more interactive and memorable for children is the work-earn-spend-play concept that the fully networked range of activities within Kids’ City delivers. Every single child that comes to Kids’ City gets issued a personalized Smart Card which has its own unique ID. This card, every child’s individual identity,

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records all transactions the child is part of while he/she is in Kids’ City – and this is applicable not only for that specific visit by the child, but needs to be brought along every time visit to Kids’ City. Every activity that the child performs, such as working as a radio jockey, as a doctor, a fireman, a lawyer, entitles the child to earn VirMos, which can later be spent by him/her on goods and services available in Kids’ City. The VirMos earned and spent are credited or debited in the child’s savings account in the virtual bank. For example, a child, in performing one of the activities in Kids City, works as a fireman, earns a certain amount of VirMos (Kids’ City’s own currency). He/ she can then withdraw these VirMos from an ATM machine within the city and spend them on whatever they like, just like we do in the real world!

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In the various carefully simulated environments, kids also get uniforms and equipments to play the role of the various professionals like doctors, RJs, firefighters and manufacturers; adults do in real life. In addition, the VirMos help kids comprehend the value of money, while also getting to learn about spending wisely and saving money for better things. Unlike theoretical knowledge, it is this ever-so-effective hands-on experience within Kids’ City offers that kids never get bored of. A more expansive account of the various activities offered by Kids’ City includes a Telecom Service, Banking for Kids, Science Centre, Police Station, Medical & Dental Hospital, 108 Service, Fire & Emergency Services, Heritage Gallery-3 D Room, Art Theatre, NCC Zone, Ice Cream Factory, Print Media & IT Centre, Meet the CM Zone-News Media, City Governance, Janmarg- BRTS

A Mini Willy Wonka’s factory experience ! Havmor’s scaled down ice-cream factory that demonstrates how fresh ice-cream is made.

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Edutainment In the various carefully simulated environments, kids also get uniforms and equipments to play the role of the various occupations like doctors, RJs, firefighters and manufacturers, which adults have in real life. In addition, the VirMos help kids comprehend the value of money, while also getting to learn about spending wisely and saving money for better things. Unlike theoretical knowledge, it is this ever-so-effective hands-on experience within Kids’ City offers that kids never get bored of... Mr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Municipal Commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation

Technology Partners The Kids City ITS system mainly consists of the Enterprise Edutainment Delivery Management System which integrates and allows various subsystems to work in tandem to deliver world class operational experience. The various sub-systems that have been implemented within Kids’ City are as following: 1. Smart Card Based Ticketing 2. Seamless integration with activity centres to manage activity accounting 3. Touch Screen based activity logging system with smartcard interface. 4. Interactive Interface at activity centres to prompt kids of activity usage 5. In-campus state of art digital surveillance system. 6. Activity broadcasting in common areas using digital interfaces.

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7. State-of–Art wireless network campus using hi-fidelity WIFI hotspots. Way forward “Providing kids with a hands-on experience of the real world through entertainment”, in a never-before manner, is Kids’ City’s overarching vision. After successfully completing its 1st year of being in operation, the way forward for the project, according to Mr. Chirag Panchal, who oversees all Kids’ City activities, involves “Bringing Kids City out of Kids City”. AMC is currently actively working on a comprehensive promotional strategy for Kids’ City. This strategy involves a number of innovative strategies such as promoting the project through activity partners, e.g., branding on BRTS & Municipal Transport buses, summer workshops, quizzes etc. It also is looking at increasing the project’s market visibility through making information on Kids’ City more widely available through brochures & standees at public places like the airport, railway station, shopping malls, strategic branches of banks, restaurants etc., promotion through the radio as well as web-based social networks, and more. Kids City’s proactive management is continuously looking at improvement opportunities and enhancing activity levels and options. They are constantly looking to add more exciting activities

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to ensure that kids have a novel experience every time they visit the campus. The Kids’ City website is scheduled to be upgraded in terms of being enabled with an electronic ticketing and payment system which would further offer options to visitors to buy tickets online. The Kids’ City club / social network is being developed as yet another offering to enable kids to create their own fun club.

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AMC is currently actively working on a comprehensive promotional strategy for Kids’ City. This strategy involves a number of innovative promotional methods, such as promoting the project through activity partners, e.g., branding on BRTS & Municipal Transport buses, summer workshops, quizzes etc...

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