Suzuki Innovation Centre

My Biggest Dilemma - Innovation vs Workforce Replacement? My biggest dilemma while aspiring to make innovation for mechanization in Rice is – Is it really a good thing to transition the workforce away from women (“natlu” in Telugu)? Rice seedlings are grown separately first and 6-8 people work for 8 hours to transplant the seedlings in 1 acre. These people are mostly women who get wages for these kinds of seasonal agriculture activities.  From the looks of it, transplanting looked super painful. One has to bend for most of the time while their feet are soaking in the mud. To empathize with it myself, I did try out the transplanting in a nearby farmer’s field for an afternoon. Ms. Radha, a very cheerful lady who is younger than me, became my teacher. As exciting as it was, I could feel the exact pains I would feel on a leg day at Gym. Shouldn’t we make it easier? was the first thought. Will making a machine help make the job of these women easier? No, Not necessarily. After talking to lots of women on the ground in the villages of Telangana, we realized that this kind of machine might not be affordable for these women to buy. Simply nudging the women to even pool in the money to buy the machine and start a business might sound fantastic on paper. But in reality, it might not be sustainable. These women have to first overcome their family expectations. In fact, these machines would probably be bought by the farmers directly instead of these women, which would inevitably replace these women, and deprive them of their seasonal income. But does that mean we shouldn’t innovate for mechanization? We should innovate! Most current wage workers are middle-aged women, and their children—the next generation—aspire for regular, stable jobs, creating uncertainty in the availability of labor. Moreover, physical drudgery in farm jobs demotivates farmers towards continuing agriculture. Hence, it makes me believe that innovation, that is indigenous to us, is not just desirable but essential for making agriculture efficient and easily adoptable by the future generations. Why indigenous innovation? That’s a story for another day! You can let me know your thoughts!  Suzuki Innovation Centre Next Bharat Ventures

As a cross-border innovation centre connecting India and Japan, our mission is to foster insights that drive collaborations and build a stronger Indo-Japan community. We’re excited to share that we will be presenting our research paper, ‘Addressing Rural Challenges in India: Lessons Learned from Japan,’ at the India-Japan Science Technology Innovation (STI) Forum, hosted at Keio University under the theme of Societal Challenges on 4th December, 2024. This research highlights the challenges faced by India’s rural areas, home to 65% of the population, in domains such as agriculture, supply chain, etc. Drawing inspiration from Japan’s success in overcoming similar rural issues post-1945, the study explores Indian government-private sector initiatives in ‘smart villages’ and evaluates how Japanese rural planning approaches can be applied to address these pressing challenges. About India-Japan Science Technology Innovation (STI) Forum: The forum was co-created in 2023 by India Japan Laboratory of Keio University, Japan, and Centre for Society and Policy at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India. #IndiaJapanCollaboration #science #technology #innovation #indiajapanlaboratory

SIC Hosts Japan-Style Sports Day: Dosti Mela (Friendship Festival)! Last weekend, we successfully organized a unique Japan-Style Sports Day in Hyderabad, uniting Japanese professionals and Indian students for a day of fun, teamwork, and cultural exchange. With the theme "Let’s Make 100 Friends", we gathered 83 participants for the event's first edition! While it’s common for Japanese and Indian communities to engage separately, this event was special—it brought Japanese and Indian participants together for a Friendship Match, creating a truly collaborative and inclusive experience. Key Highlights and Impact: First-ever collaborative sports day between Indians and Japanese in Hyderabad! Students from IIT Hyderabad (IITH), nearby universities, and employees from local Japanese companies came together. Participants shared how much they valued the chance to interact in a casual, non-professional setting. Many students expressed how they felt warmly welcomed, like family, by the Japanese participants. The event opened new opportunities for recruitment discussions between students and companies. It served as a unique platform for cross-cultural bonding, breaking the barriers between work and personal life. Participant Reflections: One Indian student shared: "Working with Japanese professionals isn’t new, but spending quality time with them in a personal, playful setting was an incredible experience. I felt truly connected and appreciated as part of the community." While we’re proud of the event's success, as organizers, we’re hungry to improve and grow this initiative further. Next time, we aim to hit our 100-friend goal and create an even bigger impact!  Join Us: If you’d like to be part of the organizing team or contribute to future events, we’d love to have you on board! Let’s create more opportunities for cultural exchange and collaboration. #SICSportsDay #CulturalExchange #FriendshipFestival #Hyderabad #IITH #IndiaJapanCollaboration

🇯🇵 Last Friday, we hosted our third "Japan Hour" at IITH! This time, Suzuki Motor Corporation's HR team joined us, and we all tried our hand at Japanese calligraphy. 🖌️ It was a wonderful experience as everyone focused on each brushstroke, putting their thoughts into each character. Toward the end, we naturally started discussing the difference between “love＝愛” and “romance＝恋,” which led to some laughter and a meaningful exchange of ideas 😆 The next Japan Hour will be held on Friday, November 15! （5pm~6pm） We have more Japanese cultural experiences in store, so please join us! A huge thank you to everyone who participated, and we look forward to seeing you again next time! #JapanHour #SuzukiInnovationCentre #IITH #CulturalExchange #Calligraphy #International #SIC

🎉 Join Us for Japan Style Sports Day "Dosti Mela" on 9th November! 🎉 We’re thrilled to invite you to the first-ever Japan-style Sports Day in Hyderabad! This event brings together 100 participants from IITH students and representatives from Japanese companies in Hyderabad, including Toshiba and the entire Suzuki Innovation Center team! 🌏🇮🇳🇯🇵 Whether you're a sports enthusiast or just looking for a fun day of bonding and team-building, we’ve got activities for everyone!  Let’s build new communities through casual conversations and fun games! 📅 Date: 9th November  ⏰ Time: 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM 📍 Location: IITH Gymnasium and Athletic Track 👉Sign up here: [Student]https://lnkd.in/gcztC7M4 [Teachers and adults] https://lnkd.in/gJ866YrJ 👉Event details: https://lnkd.in/gFFjn8Kj ⚠️ Please ensure you can join the entire event as we’ll be forming teams! - Let’s make unforgettable memories together – if your organization is interested in collaborating, feel free to reach out! #SportsDay #DostiMela #Hyderabad #IITH #SuzukiInnovationCenter #JapaneseCompanies #CommunityBuilding #IndiaJapanRelations Next Bharat Ventures Vipul Nath Jindal Minori Yokoi Prathyusha Thammineni Sae Hombe Ronit Kumar Praneeth Maram Raghu Vamshi Giddigi Ramadevi Chinmaya Pradhan Kiran Kumar

Know the Power of Rice Cultivation: Earn Carbon Credits! While we are exploring the possibility of doing a pilot on carbon credits in villages, we found that adopting new agricultural practices in rice cultivation provide a way to earn carbon credits and also motivate the farmers, though challenges are associated with it. Besides, we also learnt about the government initiatives. Watch this short video to know more about it. For more details, please read the report here: https://lnkd.in/dJJ_YNmX Next Bharat Ventures Vipul Nath Jindal Prathyusha Praneeth Ronit Minori Akari Raghu Ramadevi Sae Chinmaya Kiran Soumya Sachin Akash Aditya Pankhuri Anun Tsubasa Nozomi #CarbonCredits #SustainableFarming #RiceCultivation #ClimateAction

\\\\Revival Japan Hour 🇯🇵🎉//// Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad students, great news! Japan Hour at Suzuki Innovation Centre is making a comeback! This time, Sae Hombe, an intern from Japan currently at IITH, will be leading the session! 📅 25th October ⏰ 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM 📍 SHIRU Cafe 👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/guGjwRB7 Open to all IITH students! For this first edition, let’s sip on some matcha lattes and brainstorm ideas about future activities. It’s a great chance to connect and share ideas with everyone! Don’t miss it! #SIC #JapanHour #CulturalExchange #IITH #Innovation #LearningTogether #SuzukiInnovationCentre Next Bharat Ventures Vipul Nath Jindal Kotaro Kataoka Minori Sae Ronit Praneeth Raghu Ramadevi Prathyusha Kiran

Super exciting day at SIC! 🎉 We had an awesome visit from the Embassy of Japan in India and JICA, talking about some possible collaboration for the future of Japan-India collaboration. 🌍 ✨ The possibilities are endless, and we’re pumped to keep building bridges between our two countries! Thanks to everyone for the support—stay tuned for more! 🙌 Next Bharat Ventures Vipul Nath Jindal Minori Yokoi Prathyusha Thammineni Sae Hombe Ronit Kumar Praneeth Maram Raghu Vamshi Giddigi Ramadevi Chinmaya Pradhan Kiran Kumar  #SuzukiInnovationCentre #JapanIndiaVibes #GlobalConnections #JICA #BuildingTheFuture #EmbassyVisit #InnovationForTomorrow

We were thrilled to welcome Kanematsu Electronics Ltd. to the Suzuki Innovation Centre (SIC)! Kanematsu Electronics Ltd is a leading trading company specializing in cybersecurity solutions, and their interest in exploring new partnerships and initiatives in India is a testament to the growing synergy between Japan and India in the tech space. During their visit, they discussed potential collaborations with local Indian partners and expressed great enthusiasm for their future engagements in India. We look forward to seeing them return soon and strengthening the innovation bridge between our countries! Vipul Nath Jindal Minori Yokoi Ronit Kumar Prathyusha Thammineni Praneeth Maram Sae Hombe Raghu Vamshi Giddigi Ramadevi Chinmaya Pradhan #Innovation #Cybersecurity #IndiaJapanPartnership #KanematsuElectronics #SuzukiInnovationCentre #BusinessDevelopment #TechCollaboration #GlobalBusiness 

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