Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog Visits Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University

Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at NITI Aayog, visited Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University for an interactive session. Dr. Vaishnav, a socio-technologist and engineer, is trained to design and build large-scale systems that encompass both human and technological complexities. Currently on leave from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he is living and working with rural communities in India to develop solutions that address fundamental constraints to improving human conditions. The Atal Innovation Mission is a flagship initiative of the Government of India under NITI Aayog, aimed at fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country. Established in 2016, AIM has launched Atal Community Innovation Centers (ACIC) to encourage entrepreneurship in underserved and unserved regions of India by providing the necessary infrastructure and supportive environment for innovation. ACIC operates using solution-driven design thinking and is supported by a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. These centers are designed to facilitate the widespread diffusion of innovation from community roots. The application submitted by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) for an ACIC has been placed in the selection category. The Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of SMVDU, Prof. Pragati Kumar, highlighted the university’s activities in promoting entrepreneurship and community development, including the support to 39 incubation units through the Technology Business Incubation Center (TBIC). The selection of SMVDU’s ACIC proposal will aid local communities in leveraging local knowledge, contextual market needs, and diverse skill sets, combined with a shared pool of public knowledge. The meeting was attended by SMVDU Registrar, Sh. Ajay Kumar Sharma (JKAS), CEO of TBIC, Prof. Ashutosh Vashishtha, Coordinator of ACIC, Dr. Sanjay Mohan, and core committee members.