Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Innovation and invention is not intellectual property of only highly qualified literates and this is evident in the Rural Innovators Meet in Jammu University where unique inventions by ordinary persons are on display.
You could perhaps not imagine of traditional Kashmir pot ‘Samavar’ with a gas burner and a stick helping visually challenged by giving audio alerts.
But these are at place and more interesting aspect is that the inventors of these products are not scientists of a Research Institute but ordinary persons with no higher education.
Modified gas burner inside Samavar is the invention of Shazia Jan, a matriculate young housewife of Kulgam in Kashmir.
“During peak winters, scarcity of coal in Valley gave me the idea to modify this Samavar with a gas burner for our convenience,” she told the Excelsior while explaining how the upper part of this gas samovar is also modified to make it convenient for preparing chapattis also.
“It (gas Samavar) has not only got us rid from the frequent problem of coal scarcity but also saved from smoke,” Shazia said.
Stick for helping visually challenged has been designed by Wazir H of Karnataka. This unique stick gives audio alerts, such as ‘Excuse Me’, ‘Side Please’, etc on pressing switches on it. It also alerts the user about mud, water or other obstacles by producing vibrations.
A motorcycle driven agricultural machine and seed dibbler is also main attraction in the Rural Innovators Meet, organized near General Zorawar Singh Auditorium in JU. The meet is part of ongoing Indian Science Congress.
Innovated and developed by Mansukhbhai Jagani of Gujarat, this machine consists of a self fabricated chassis and drive and power of a Bullet motorcycle. Instead of one backwheel, the machine has retrofitted attachment with two wheels at the rear. The attachment has a toolbar to fit various form implants.
Hand operated water lifting device, invented by N Sakthimanathan of Tamil Nadum and automatic food machine by Abhishek Bhagat of Bhagalpur, Bihar are among other attractions in the Innovators Meet, which is attracting huge rush of visitors.
Besides these innovations of ordinary people, heat tolerant apple variant from Bilaspur, HP, improved variety of carrot and cauliflower are also on display in the exhibition.
“I developed this improved variety of carrot by root to seed method without any help from the Government Agriculture Department or assistance by any research agency,” informed Santosh Pachar while displaying the improved variety of carrot.
She explained that it took more than seven years for her to develop the improved variety by segregating good quality carrots from others every year.
The Children Science Congress at Gymnasium Hall, where child scientists from different parts of the country have displayed their models, is also inviting attraction of the visitors during ongoing 5-day mega event.
A geyser made by circulating water pipe inside decomposed cow dung is the unique attraction at Children Science Congress. Solar equipments, multipurpose cooker and some other interesting innovations of child scientists are on display in the exhibition, which was inaugurated and visited by former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam on last Tuesday.
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