About the Project

The Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) Hub for Tribals is an initiative of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar, supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. The project focuses on creating inclusive and sustainable development pathways for marginalized ST/SC communities in Odisha, especially in the districts of Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.

By integrating modern science with indigenous knowledge, the STI Hub acts as a catalyst for improving livelihoods, education, healthcare, agriculture, and entrepreneurship among tribal populations.

Vision & Mission

Vision: To empower tribal communities with the tools of science, technology, and innovation for self-reliance and socio-economic upliftment.
Mission: To establish local hubs that provide training, infrastructure, and entrepreneurship support to ensure sustainable livelihoods, improved health, and better quality of life.

Core Objectives

  • Develop Local Infrastructure – Training centers in tribal regions; solar energy, water, and sanitation facilities.
  • Promote Skill Development & Employment – Training in food technology, solar products, digital literacy, telemedicine, and entrepreneurship.
  • Enhance Agricultural Productivity – Training in organic farming, crop diversification, high-yield varieties of cassava, millets, and sweet potatoes.
  • Address Poverty through Financial Inclusion – Microfinance, credit support, and financial literacy programs.
  • Healthcare & Indigenous Knowledge – Telemedicine using indigenous herbs, awareness, and wellness camps.

Key Interventions

  • Solar Energy & Clean Technologies: Lighting up remote villages.
  • Food Technology Innovations: Value addition to cassava, millets, and sweet potatoes.
  • Indigenous Telemedicine: Blending traditional herbal knowledge with modern telemedicine.
  • Skill Training & Workshops: Hands-on training and entrepreneurship bootcamps.
  • Micro-enterprise Development: Linking communities with government schemes and CSR support.

Future Prospects

  • Scale the STI Hub to more tribal districts.
  • Establish rural start-ups in food processing, renewable energy, and healthcare.
  • Create innovation labs combining traditional knowledge with modern science.
  • Expand market linkages for tribal products nationally and globally.
  • Integrate sustainability goals like renewable energy and climate-smart practices.

Industry Linkages

  • Food & Agro-Industry: Commercializing millet, cassava, and sweet potato products.
  • Healthcare & Pharma: Partnerships for herbal medicine and telemedicine.
  • Renewable Energy: Solar panel manufacturing and assembly units.
  • Financial Institutions: Microfinance and digital literacy partnerships.
  • CSR & Start-up Ecosystem: Corporate collaborations for tribal entrepreneurs.

Monitoring & Impact Measurement

  • Quarterly Reviews: Assess training centers, food processing units, biotech labs, and solar projects.
  • Annual Reports: Track skill development, agricultural outputs, and financial schemes.
  • Beneficiary Feedback: 100% feedback collected for program improvement.

Why STI Hub Matters

  • Bridges the gap between tribal communities and modern science.
  • Creates sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship.
  • Empowers women through SHGs and micro-enterprises.
  • Promotes food security with millet, cassava, and sweet potato products.
  • Strengthens communities with infrastructure and financial inclusion.

Collaborators & Partners

  • Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) – Project Anchor
  • KIIT-TBI (Technology Business Incubator) – Tech & Entrepreneurship Support
  • National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – Innovation Integration
  • Local Government & NGOs – Implementation Partners

Get Involved

  • Corporate Partnerships – CSR collaborations for technology and training.
  • NGO Engagements – Scaling outreach and awareness.
  • Research Collaborations – Translating science into innovations.
  • Volunteer & Internships – Hands-on field activities.

Laboratories / Facilities

Product Development

Team Details

Dr. Rashmi Mohapatra
Principal Investigator

Dr. Snigdharani Panda
Co-Principal Investigator

Dr. Umesh Chandra Dash, PhD
Project Co-ordinator

Mr. Jay Prasad Jena
Project Associate-1

Mr. Soumya Ranjan Mohanty
Project Associate-2

Mr. Tatwadarshree Mohapatra
Laboratory Assistant

Events

Activities

Sl. No. Workshop Title Collaborating Institutions Date Organized By Speaker(s) Beneficiaries Key Objectives / Highlights
1 Capacity Building Workshop to Empower and Inculcate Entrepreneurial Skills NIF, KIIT-TBI, Centres for Indigenous Innovation & Herbal Medicine 1 Oct 2024 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Mr. Subrat Kumar Barik, Senior Project Associate, NIF India 44
  • Enhance entrepreneurial and business development skills among tribal people.
  • Promote value addition and innovation using locally available raw materials in tribal locality.
  • Encourage self-reliance, eco-friendly activities, sustainable livelihoods, and socio-economic development.
2 Biotech Start-up Innovation Ecosystem: BIRAC as an Enabler KIIT-TBI, Centres for Indigenous Innovation & Herbal Medicine 5 Oct 2024 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Vinita Jindal, DGM & Head IP & Technology Management, BIRAC 52 BIRAC’s Role:
Funding, mentoring, and incubating biotech innovations with social impact, especially in underserved and rural regions.Support for Tribal Entrepreneurs: Financial Grants:
BIG (Biotechnology Ignition Grant)

  • up to ₹50 lakh for early-stage startups.
  • SEED Fund for scaling up validated technologies.

Incubation Support:
Access to BioNEST incubation centres with lab facilities, mentorship, networking.
Special preference to marginalized communities using local resources.

  • Product Development Assistance: Funding for R&D, prototyping, validation, pilot-scale production.
    Guidance in regulatory compliance, IP support, commercialization.
  • Potential Areas for Tribal Innovation: Herbal medicine and nutraceuticals.
    Sustainable agriculture and bio-inputs.
    Forest-based bio-products.
    Water purification and rural healthcare solutions.
3 Hydroponics: The Next Generation Farming Centres for Indigenous Innovation & Herbal Medicine, KISS DU 1 Oct 2024 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Niranjana Behuera, Project Co-ordinator & Jay Prasad Jena, Project Associate, KISS STI Hub for Tribals 57
  • Site Selection & Setup
  • Water & Nutrient Management
  • Crop Selection
  • Training & Capacity Building
  • Market Linkages
  • Oil-Independent Farming
  • Water Efficiency
  • Year-Round Cultivation
  • Income Generation
  • Youth & Women Empowerment
4 Future Trends in IPR Protection for Indigenous Communities NIF, KIIT-TBI, AURORA Centre, IQAC, IIC 24 Mar 2025 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Vinita Jindal, DGM & Head IP & Technology Management, BIRAC 76
  • Intellectual Property (IP) as an Intangible Asset: Creations of the mind such as inventions, literary works, designs, symbols, traditional practices.
  • Nature of IP Rights: Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Geographical Indications.
  • Why Promote and Protect IP: Prevent misappropriation, acknowledge and reward, support preservation, benefit-sharing framework.
  • Why IP is Essential for Business
  • Understanding Traditional Knowledge (TK)
  • Understanding Cultural Heritage
  • Challenges Faced by Indigenous Communities
  • Importance of IP Protection for Indigenous Communities
  • Future Trends in IPR Protection: Sui Generis Laws, TK Digital Libraries, GIs, Blockchain for IPR, WIPO Global Policy Evolution, Community Trademarks
5 Tuber-Based Food Innovation & Livelihood Development KIIT-TBI, Centre for Indigenous Innovation & Herbal Medicine 24 Jul 2025 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Umesh Chandra Dash, Project Co-ordinator & Jay Prasad Jena, Project Associate, KISS STI Hub for Tribals 47
  • Development of ready-to-eat / ready-to-cook products (chips, flour, noodles, snacks).
  • Fermented and baked tuber-based health foods.
  • Use in gluten-free and functional foods.
  • Tuber-based beverages or energy foods for athletes and school meals.
  • Improved income through value addition and product diversification.
  • Food security and better nutrition in tribal households.
  • Employment generation, especially for women and youth.
  • Promotion of traditional crops and protection of indigenous knowledge.
  • Support for climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture.
  • Promote R&D partnerships with food technology institutes.
  • Encourage government schemes and subsidies for equipment and training.
  • Certification and branding of tribal tuber products (e.g., organic, GI-tagged).
  • Set up local processing units and incubation centers in tribal areas.
6 Capacity Building for Tribal Youth through Vermicomposting & Value-Added Product Development Awareness & Training Program at Nayakote, Keonjhar 23–25 Oct 2025 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Umesh C. Dash & Jay Prasad Jena 58
  • A three-day awareness and training program was organized at Nayakote Panchayat, Banspal Block, Keonjhar District, from October 23 to 25, 2025.
  • A total of 58 beneficiaries from nearby tribal communities actively participated.
  • The program aimed to promote social and economic development among tribal populations.
  • It focused on fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and the use of indigenous knowledge systems for sustainable livelihoods.
  • Key training areas included vermicomposting, compost technology, and value-added product development from cassava and millets.
  • The first day covered an introduction to the STI Hub project, its objectives, and impact areas.
  • Field visits were conducted to observe local resources and community-based practices.
  • Networking sessions were held involving experts and local stakeholders.
  • The second day included hands-on training in vermicompost and compost technologies.
  • Participants learned about organic waste management, sustainable farming, and start-up culture.
  • Training emphasized micro-enterprise development for rural sustainability.
  • The final day focused on value-added product development from cassava.
  • Expert demonstrations covered processing techniques, nutritional benefits, and market opportunities.
  • The program enhanced participants’ technical skills and entrepreneurial awareness.
  • Beneficiaries gained motivation to initiate micro-enterprises for socio-economic transformation.
  • The training strengthened innovation-based community development and sustainable livelihood practice.
7. Awareness cum Training on Vermicomposting & Nutraceutical Products NIF, KIIT-TBI 13-15 Nov 2025 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Umesh Chandra Dash & Jay Prasad Jena 76 – Training on vermicomposting and compost technology.
– Value addition of indigenous herbs (Guduchi, Bhumiamla, Moringa, Gotu Kola) for nutraceutical and therapeutic products.
– Entrepreneurship and micro-enterprise development.
8. Ideation & Training Workshop on Entrepreneurship, Value-Added Foods & Ayurvedic Herbs NIF, KIIT-TBI 17-19 Dec 2025 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Umesh Chandra Dash & Jay Prasad Jena 145 – Entrepreneurship and start-up awareness for tribal communities.
– Value addition of indigenous pulses (Kandula, Biri) and traditional food crops.
– Commercial potential and sustainable use of Ayurvedic and indigenous medicinal herbs.
– A strategic meeting was held with Maa Manikeswari University to plan a student-led Ideation and Hackathon.
9. Ideation Workshop on Entrepreneurship, Value-Added Foods & Solar Energy Solutions NIF, KIIT-TBI 19-21 Jan 2026 KISS STI Hub for Tribals, KISS DU Dr. Umesh Chandra Dash & Jay Prasad Jena 120 – Entrepreneurship awareness and self-reliance.
– Value addition of indigenous food products.
– Introduction to solar-based innovations (lighting, pumps, small-scale applications) for sustainable energy access and livelihood enhancement.
10. Build Your Own Enterprise
From Idea to Business		 NIF, KIIT-TBI 29-31 Mar, 2026 KISS & KIIT STI Hub 55 -Provides a structured framework to systematically transform a nascent business concept into a viable, operational enterprise.
-Participants will learn to rigorously validate their core value proposition through targeted market research and competitive analysis.
-The curriculum guides you in developing a robust, adaptable business model that aligns with financial realities and operational capabilities.
-A key focus is on practical execution, covering essential steps from legal structuring and resource acquisition to product launch and initial customer acquisition.