This initiative was launched by noted industrialist Adi Godrej, chairman of Godrej group along with IIT Mumbai director Ashok Misra, at the IIT campus as part of the institute’s ongoing golden jubilee celebrations.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Misra said this project is open only for the alumni, students, faculty and staff (past and present) of IIT Mumbai. “They can send their ideas in the area of science and technology. A special website ‘http://10greatindieas.iitb.ac.in’ has been created which requires IIT Mumbai members to register and send in their entries by October 30, 2008,” he said.

He said the entries will be judged by an international panel of eminent ideators and thought leaders, including Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India Dr R Chidambaram, Head of Nanoscience in Cambridge University Prof Mark Welland and Chief Mentor of Infosys Narayana Murthy. The panel will be chaired by former President of India A P J Abdul Kalam, he added.

Prof Misra said, “The selection of ten greatest ideas will be completed by February 28, 2009 and the owners of the ideas will be invited to present a white paper at a round table summit in March, towards the end of IIT Mumbai’s golden jubilee celebration period.”

The intellectual property for each idea contributed to this project will be owned by the ideator, and will receive recommendation and support of IIT Mumbai across relevant world institutions for possible implementation.

Prof Misra said, “IIT Mumbai has always played an important role in setting the stage for cutting edge technological research and innovation. This is the first of its kind initiative undertaken by any learning institutions and we are looking forward to the extended worldwide IIT Mumbai family coming forward to support the project with their discerning ideas.”

Godrej said IIT is a brand known worldwide and this concept would take “brand IIT” even further. Poverty, education, societal transformation are some of the issues where out of the box technological ideas can help to find solutions.

Advertising legend Alyque Padamsee, who conceptualised the great ideas’ initiative felt new, fresh, exciting ideas can alone make a country wealthy. “This concept is an attempt to look and grasp the future,” he said.

Prof Misra said connectivity of people through electronics like television and mobile phones has been the greatest idea in recent history, while Godrej said agriculture, engineering, food technology and preservation would help to usher in second green revolution. “Genetically modified food and crops have high potential,” he felt.