Bengaluru, Feb 11 (.) In a move that symbolises the bridge between grassroots ingenuity and global opportunity, tech veteran Sanjay Koppikar, who has spent 37 years shaping India’s IT journey, has joined the Advisory Board of IFIA Bharat to help take frugal and community-level innovations onto international platforms.
Koppikar’s appointment to IFIA Bharat, the India chapter of the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA), signals a push to connect grassroots inventors with structured mentorship, policy support, and global exposure.
From witnessing the early days of India’s IT evolution to cofounding global technology enterprises such as EvoluteIQ and Quadwave, Koppikar’s journey mirrors the country’s own transformation from back-office services to AI-led innovation. Now, through his social impact initiative Million Mutinies, he has been working closely with grassroots entrepreneurs solving real-world problems at the community level.
His induction into IFIA Bharat’s Advisory Board brings together two distinct but increasingly converging worlds — high-tech automation and frugal, purpose-driven innovation emerging from India’s towns and villages.
Speaking on the development, Koppikar said Indian innovation, particularly grassroots and frugal solutions, is gaining global relevance and requires stronger bridges to national and international ecosystems.
“At Million Mutinies, we see innovators addressing real challenges in agriculture, healthcare, sustainability and livelihoods. The next step is enabling them to scale beyond prototypes and connect to global platforms. I look forward to contributing to IFIA Bharat’s mission of strengthening these pathways,” he said.
IFIA Bharat National Director Anand Kannan said Koppikar’s experience across enterprise technology and ecosystem building would add strategic depth to the organisation’s work.
“He understands both high-tech innovation and the importance of nurturing grassroots impact. His guidance will help position Indian inventors more strongly on international platforms,” Kannan said.
As part of his advisory role, Koppikar will support strategic planning, mentor innovators, contribute to ecosystem dialogue, and help enhance India’s representation at global innovation forums and exhibitions.
The appointment underscores a broader shift in India’s innovation narrative — from unicorn valuations to inclusive, impact-driven solutions — where grassroots creativity is increasingly seen as a global asset rather than a local experiment.
. BDNARN