Nasscom launches social innovation honors

New Delhi, Sep 30

Nasscom is pioneering the Social Innovation Honors to recognize excellence and encourage innovation in social development initiatives. This honor is a celebration of innovations that bring about social change and development through the application of cutting-edge technology.

The jury for the honor comprises Narayana Murthy, Jaithirth Rao, Kiran Mazumdar and Kiran Karnik. The winners of the honor will be announced at Nasscom's India Leadership Summit in February 2009.

Speaking about the relevance of the honors, Kiran Karnik, Trustee, Nasscom Foundation said, “Our work endeavors to create spaces that foster social innovations. Diverse mixes of people connect in a unique physical space to stimulate new thought, the seeds for interventions and learning opportunities for doing social good. Nasscom Foundation is initiating the Social Innovation Honors to recognize excellence and encourage innovation in social development initiatives.”

There will be three categories for nomination:

1. Non-profit organization: ICT innovation for the community (non-profit)-An innovation that helped achieve social development, or aided a community, which is not part of a business plan.

2. Profit organization: ICT led business model innovation (for profit)-An innovation that helped achieve social development, or aided a community, which is part of a business plan. ICT innovation for the community (non-profit)-An innovation that helped achieve social development, or aided a community, which is not part of a business plan.

3. Government ICT led business model innovation: An innovation that helped achieve social development, or aided a community.