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India Innovation Institute

A clearing house for ideas.

The India Innovation Institute at the University of Toronto is a hub for researchers across the university and around the world that aims to bring together faculty and students who are interested in how India is using innovation to transform itself across a variety of spheres - innovation in technology, manufacturing, services, processes and government.


“There is a lot that India can learn from the west. However, there is also a lot that the rest of world can learn from India.”

-Partha Mohanram


In recent years, India has risen to prominence to become one of the world’s leading economies. In purchasing power parity terms, India is already the third largest economy in the world. Among leading economies, India is the only country to maintain consistently rapid growth rates in excess of 7%, as the world markets face serious headwinds. Yet, despite the progress and promise, India also faces serious economic, political and social challenges. One tool that will help India and other similar emerging economies is Innovation. This institute will aim to study how Innovation can help India reach its potential.

AARDHAARNano CarMitti Fridge

“I see Innovation as a two-way street”, says Professor Partha Mohanram, CPA Ontario Professor at the Rotman School of Management and director of the India Innovation Institute since January 2016. “There is a lot that India can learn from the west and developing economies as it tries to modernize itself, lift millions out of poverty and manage growth while dealing with the problems of climate change. However, there is also a lot that the rest of world can learn from India. For instance, the ongoing success of the AADHAAR universal i.d. program shows how one can use technology to ensure that social services and government programs reach those they are intended for. Similarly, breakthroughs like the Nano car or the Mitti Cool refrigator demonstrates how one can innovate frugally.”

The institute plans to be a clearinghouse for ideas broadly related to Innovation and India. In a recent interview on the Agenda with Steve Paikin, Professor Mohanram said “What we are trying to do is to get the best minds at the University of Toronto and indeed elsewhere to highlight issues related to Innovation and India, broadly defined”.


Partha Mohanram on Your Morning

The Indian government's decision to demonetize the Rupee has created a cash crunch in the country. Partha Mohanram, director of the India Innovation Institute at the Rotman School, discusses the impact of the decision on YOUR MORNING with Ben Mulroney.

 Watch the video »

Partha M. on the Agenda

Partha Mohanram, director of the India Innovation Institute at the Rotman School of Management at University of Toronto, joins The Agenda to discuss how India's economic promise and potential could have an effect on Canada and Canadian-Indian relations

 Watch the video »


With this aim, the institute plans to hold talks by academics, policy makers and leaders in business and government, as well as roundtable discussions and other events to generate and propagate ideas about Innovation and India. The institute is also in discussion with the South Asian Business Association at Rotman with the aim of holding a student run conference on India sometime in the Spring of 2017.