TED Community » Chetan Prasad

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I'm passionate about

Innovation in India, its history and future and the lack of self help techniques. Broadly what makes us tick.

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Innovation in India

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• A comment on Talk: Aparna Rao: High-tech art (with a sense of humor)

  Jan 19 2013: Extremely thought provoking. The synergy between art and technology is superb. Keep it up.

• A comment on Talk: Michael Hansmeyer: Building unimaginable shapes

  Jan 19 2013: Truly amazing.
• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Are the changes in India, such as the influence of western culture, technology, and loss of tradition, altering the country for the better?

  Jan 17 2013: India is complex, and this is from an Indian. You have to live it to understand it. Tradition and culture in India, according to me are things that haven't changed for centuries and are practiced without question. And since Indians have been averse to most changes, almost everything we do has, by default, become tradition. In this context, when change occurs, however minute, we Indians feel that we are eroding our traditional values.
  One example, of many such millions, would be the headgear of the people of Rajasthan, a desert state of India. Here, men wrap several meters of cloth on their heads to form a turban. This would obviously have been to protect their heads from the scorching heat.
  Now this head gear, cumbersome and impractical as it is, is being replaced by caps. And Indians are crying hoarse about their loss of tradition and culture to western ideas.

• A reply on Talk: Nirmalya Kumar: India's invisible innovation

  Dec 30 2012: Arputha, you are right, I too had a run-in with Sashi Tharoor for the very same reason. More here http://chetanprasad.com/blog/2011/10/07/shashi-tharoor-innovation-in-india/

• A reply on Talk: Nirmalya Kumar: India's invisible innovation

  Dec 30 2012: Your opening line was very interesting, but you veered off.
  Can you please elaborate on what you see as the difference between innovation and invention?

• A reply on Talk: Nirmalya Kumar: India's invisible innovation

  Dec 30 2012: Ramaiyah Babu is absolutely correct and Peshi's reply is more of a personal attack and very condescending, caused by wearing his patriotism on his sleeve leading to a very defensive, nationalistic response rather than facts.
  
  The 2 examples that you allude to are not really examples of Indian innovation and you referring to them positively, unfortunately, shows your lack of understanding of the basics of Innovation.
  
  When you say that Indians are improving their country and ask for evidence to the contrary, all you have to do is open your eyes and look around. Don't tell me that you miss the chaos or utter lack of self help. You and several others assuming that things are hunky dory will only falsely lull us, as it already has, but not change the ground reality.
  
  My earnest request would be to ask Mr Peshi and his ilk to slow down and recognize the corpse. The Chanel you smell is not the reality.