NEW DELHI: An ambitious campaign that began on Sept 13 will reach its grand finale on Dec 8 at a glittering ‘Ideas for India’ summit, where some of the finest minds in the country — ranging across diverse sectors like business, tech, policy, and academia — will assemble to brainstorm innovations that could transform the nation, and 12 winners whose ideas were chosen after a gruelling selection process will be felicitated. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be the chief guest and deliver the keynote address.The Times of India launched the Ideas for India initiative as a powerful thought-leadership platform, recognising that achieving the national vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 requires not just economic momentum, but a fundamental reimagining of solutions. The campaign was conceived with the core belief that answers to India’s greatest challenges lie within its people.The initiative has tapped the country’s innovative energy, drawing thousands of registrations from students, entrepreneurs and change-makers across India. At its heart is a nationwide Innovation Challenge that moves beyond speeches and slogans to focus on actionable blueprints.Participants were invited to submit solutions across three critical pillars – Make in India for the World, Environmental Sustainability, and Health & Social Wellbeing – with a focus on scalability, feasibility and impact.The promise is clear: your idea today can contribute to India’s progress tomorrow, provided it can be executed on the ground and deliver measurable change.Entries were expected to address real-world gaps, from inclusive industrial growth and skilling to clean energy, water security, mental health, digital inclusion and social equity.30 innovators will present ideas, prototypes at National SummitThe Innovation Challenge cast its net wide across emerging and priority sectors such as green and renewable energy, healthcare and health tech, advanced manufacturing, cyber security and digital public infrastructure, agri-tech, urban mobility, water and climate resilience, waste management and circular economy, logistics, and education and skilling.To ensure rigour and transparency, the process was structured as an end-to-end framework. After a national call for entries through a dedicated microsite, TechGig conducted the first-level screening, with EY validating the scoring and shortlisting. A 28-member screening jury of entrepreneurs, CXOs, marketing and tech leaders then helped narrow the list down to 67 submissions, from which 34 finalists emerged.Shortlisted participants were tasked with building first-cut prototypes and received one-on-one mentorship from a panel of five experts in early Dec. Their refined solutions were then presented before a Grand Jury of senior industry leaders and policy voices, split across two groups to evaluate categories such as Economic Resilience, Environment & Sustainability, and Health & Social across tech and non-tech streams.The journey now culminates in a National Summit, where around 30 of the most promising innovators will present their ideas and prototypes to policymakers, experts and industry leaders, and 12 winners will finally be chosen. A dedicated compendium will capture the 30 blueprints that made it to the finals — ideas that not only stood up to rigorous evaluation, but can also serve as potential building blocks for the Viksit Bharat that India envisions in 2047.
