SOLAN, Apr 27:
Soon the people will be able to buy pure organic incense sticks prepared from flowers offered by devotees at religious places.
An Una-based entrepreneur Ravinder Prashar, with the technical guidance from the scientists of Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni, has developed incense sticks by utilising the flower waste from temples.
The idea, supported under the Chief Minister’s startup scheme, aims to provide a novel solution to the problem of disposal of flowers offered by devotees at places of worship.
The process uses natural portions and essential oils from flowers to make the organic incense with no charcoal or any other synthetic chemical.
In addition, the process of making the stick is completely carbon neutral. No waste is generated from this process and even the unused portions of the flowers are being utilised to make compost. The company has already developed five fragrances including rose, sandal and lavender. All the sticks were rolled with hand. These would be available to the customers from June onwards.
The entrepreneur thanked the CM Start-Up Scheme, university and its scientists for their guidance and support in making the product a reality.
He said, ”The objective was to utilise the pious flowers from the temples and make organic incense sticks. Through this, we also wanted to provide an alternative to the disposal of these flowers in open areas and drains.”
Congratulating Mr Prashar and the university scientists on their achievement, Dr H C Sharma, University Vice-Chancellor said, ”It is very heartening to see young entrepreneurs coming up with novel ideas that not only generate jobs but also address some problems the society faces. The university regularly helps farmers to establish new enterprises through the dissemination of information and transfer of technology and will continue to support such initiatives in the future as well.”
Dr Sharma was of the view that in order to give respect to the agricultural profession, people particularly the youngsters would have to take up entrepreneurship in this field.
The startup scheme envisages practical exposure, orientation training, entrepreneurial guidance and hand holding to potential entrepreneurs whose projects were approved. Once a project is recommended by the host institution and approved by the empowered committee, monthly support is provided as sustainance allowance for one year. One such incubation centre was established at UHF in 2017. The centres support startups and innovation by providing mentoring services, access to their labs, facilities on a free-of-cost basis.
Mr Prashar has completed his Bachelor degree engineering from BITS Pilani, had registered a company ?Yuvan Vendors during the last semester of his MBA. Thereafter, he took up this with the CM Start-Up Scheme of the state.
(UNI)
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