Tata’s water purifier wins top innovation prize

WASHINGTON - Tata’s inexpensive water purifier, aimed at households that may not have electricity, bagged the top prize in The Wall Street Journal’s Asian Innovation Awards.

The purifier named Swach, which costs just Rs. 999, won the award amid competition from nearly 300 entries.

The Swach prevents water from being dispensed once its filtration capabilities are exhausted.

Journal’s independent panel of Judges selected 12 finalists and reviewed entries looking for products and services that break with conventional processes in creative ways.

Kenny Tang, chief executive of Oxbridge Weather Capital and the head judge for the awards, said his criteria also included real-world benefits in Asia.

“The important criteria for me is the use, in the practical sense, that it could be. That’s been a clear feature of the winners, not just this year but in recent years as well,” the Wall Street Journal quoted him as saying.

While Swach, a Hindi word for ‘clean’, won the ace position, Functional MicroArray, a drug-delivery device made of tiny needles, won the Silver award and PassWindow, an authentication method for online accounts, took the Bronze. (ANI)