National Innovation Foundation-India Team collated and penned the stories of these six grassroots achievers.
Shalini Kumari, Patna, Bihar
Modified Walker With Adjustable Legs
All Images Courtesy: National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF)
In the year 2010, Shalini Kumari’s grandfather met with an accident, after which he had to use a walker for support. Although this conventional walker was convenient for use on ground floor/ flat surfaces, it was not flexible enough to be used on stairs. As a result, her grandfather could no longer go to the terrace and enjoy his time in a peaceful corner. He expressed his helplessness to the family in a passing statement. Shalini still remembers the smile he had while sharing his concerns; she says she could read the sadness it was camouflaging. She became determined to know more about walkers and the other options available in the market to help her grandfather.
Shalini realised that if the front legs of the walker could be made adjustable instead of fixed, they could be used to climb stairs. And thus was born the idea of creating a flexible walker. She discussed it with her family and school teachers, who encouraged her to submit the idea to IGNITE 2011 of the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). She was a student of Class VIII at the time of the competition. She won and a prototype based on her idea was developed by the NIF team deploying the in-house infrastructure and also with the help of other specialised agencies and institutions. Her zeal to make life easier for her grandfather, lead her to finally devise “a walker that helps you go up and down the stairs independently.”
Shalini has been with the NIF since IGNITE 2011. She says it feels like yesterday when she heard the news of winning the competition that brought euphoria not only for her family, friends and teachers but people in the neighbourhood as well. She says that the night was joyous when she lay on her bed thinking about her idea and the possibilities it would open for her. “A small gesture of love and care can sometimes take you miles and miles ahead,” she says.
Her idea/innovation crossed another milestone with the help of NIF when it was transferred to the industry. It is being manufactured by Vissco Rehabilitation Aids, a leading manufacturer of orthopaedic products in the country, and is available for purchase through brick and mortar stores and also online through Amazon. Following are the main features of her technology:
- Ergonomic Design: The unique step walker enables movement up and down the staircase independently, and can be used both outdoors and indoors.
- Adjustable Height: Walker height can be adjusted from 91 cm to 100 cm, from the ground to the walker hand grips. Unique lever mechanism helps to adjust rear and front legs.
- Sturdy Design: Sturdy aluminum frame, high-grade rubber shoes and PVC grip ensure maximum strength while remaining lightweight.
- Easy Folding: Easy push-button mechanism for operating; foldable for easy storage and transportation.
After winning at IGNITE 2011, Shalini scaled more heights. In 2017, she was invited to be part of the fourth batch of Innovation Scholars’ In-Residence Program at Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was launched in December 2013 by then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, to encourage creative and innovative potential of people. She was featured in various television programmes on innovation, and in 2022, she visited the 3rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation Forum in Cambodia, where she presented her innovation to the international audience. There, she was awarded the 1st prize of $1,500.
Shalini is currently pursuing master’s in Bioinformatics from Savitribai Phule Pune University and says that her parents and two brothers are her pillars of strength.
Santosh Pachar, Sikar, Rajasthan
Laxmangarh Carrot
Santosh Pachar is known as the “carrot lady” because of the improvised variation of carrot that she has developed. Once, she bought a few carrots for her household from a farmer of Akwa village in Laxmangarh tehsil. The carrots turned out to have less forked roots and possessed good texture. Since the year 2000, she tried to select carrot plants based on higher number of leaves, vermillion colour, long root length, softness and sweetness and adopted the root-to-seed technique of planting so that it could produce seeds of the required carrot.
Pachar collected the seeds from the first year and re-sowed those in a small field; she followed this method for five years for stabilizing the desirable characteristics. For controlling insects, pests and disease, she used neem oil. Her developed variety is well adapted to high temperatures, and resistant to disease and attack by insects-pests. The length of a carrot is up to 1.5 ft with less percentage of forked roots. It takes about 2.5-3 months to be ready. The variety being less hairy, yields almost 630qt/ha, has sweet taste and fetches high market price due to its quality.
Santosh also experimented with the method of seed sowing and stored the seeds in a cotton bag. Before sowing, the seeds are scratched by rubbing between the palms. After this scarification, sesame oil is poured onto the seeds followed by sowing in pre-prepared plots. After sowing, heavy irrigation with sprinklers is provided to preserve the high soil moisture followed by light irrigation for a month. Later, the normal irrigation process is followed and weeding is carried out at an interval of 15-20 days. Within three months, the colour of the carrot leaves becomes light yellowish, indicating that the carrots are ready for uprooting and packaging for the market.
After the distribution of seeds of her variety, she taught her methods and practices to fellow farmers by inviting them to visit her field. Having visited KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendras), gram panchayat, and attended meetings where her innovation was a topic of discussion, she has gained recognition.
NIF facilitated a validation trial of the carrot variety at Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, and observed that the Laxmangarh variety was superior to the other local varieties, Pusa Kesar and Ganganagar local. NIF also supported the biochemical analysis of these carrots at the calf lab, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Anand, for evaluation of β-carotene and iron content. β-carotene was found to be 124.5 mg/kg while iron content was 143.42 mg/kg. Evaluation trials were also conducted at farmers’ fields in the Bhavnagar and Patan districts of Gujarat where Laxmangarh variety overtook the other varieties. The seeds of this variety are high in demand by growers due to its unique traits.
In 2013, she was given the National Award by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at NIF’s 7th National Grassroots Innovation Awards. She was also selected for Innovation Scholars In-residence Program (fourth batch) at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Pachar lives with her husband, son and daughter-in-law all of whom assist her in farming. What started as a small plot for cultivation has expanded to an acre of land. This acre provides her with approximately 80-90 quintal crop of carrot annually. Apart from this, she keeps aside a dedicated land of around 10-11 bigha for raising seeds for the next season. Usually, an estimated quantity of 17-20 quintal seeds is achieved which she sells.
She is now trying to develop a variety of black carrot as many people have come to her asking for black carrot; it is advised for treatment of kidney stone and blood purification.
Padma Shri Yanung Jamoh Lego, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh
A traditional healer and conservator of plant biodiversity
Yanung Jamoh Lego, a resident of Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, is an agricultural extension worker. For the past several years, she has been actively engaged in studies of various herbal practices and is fully devoted towards the treatment of various human ailments. Her mother was a vein setter (healer), while her father was involved in preserving plant resources of the Adi community. Lego considers herself as a self-motivated healer, who believes in ethical healing. She does not impose any fixed healing fee; it depends on the wishes and economic condition of patients. She says, “I take this to meet the expenditure incurred in preparation of ethnomedicines. I do not take any fee from poor patients.”
traditions and rituals
Her routine includes travelling to remote forests for collecting required indigenous plant species. This has led to conservation of valuable plant species (~ 150) in her home garden. Her home is a veritable mini herbal hospital as on an average, 25 patients come to see her daily for treatment of various ailments.
Besides, she has also trained over 20 locals — mostly women — as healers. Her own practice is a constantly evolving one. Giving an example, she says that about 15 years ago, to cure malaria, typhoid and jaundice, she used plants like singer (Alstonia scholaris), sahjan (Moringa oleifera), bark and root of nemar (Piper mullesua) and black pepper. Now, she has refined her formulations and incorporated the use of Tinospora cordifolia, Leucus spera, kikar (indigenous ginger species), idu (indigenous variety of turmeric), Orxylum indicum (domir itkum, given as vitamin component in malaria), Acorus clamus and mani-mooni (Centella asiatica).
Lego says that herbal treatment is tedious and hard, but gives permanent cure, provided the healer takes right diagnosis at right time, and patient is ready to comply with the prescriptions with full faith in ethnomedicinal plants.
Unlike professional doctors, intuition, dream, mythological belief and folk tales help Lego to select the types of plants for a particular disease. For example, according to Adimythology, the wild jackfruit originated from the chest of goddess Kini Nane (the goddess of agriculture and forest resources) and its seeds, bark, flowers and immature fruits help in curing tuberculosis.
She follows certain criteria while collecting plants from forests. For example, during menstruation, plants are not collected. Similarly, during the full-moon lunar cycle, any plant harvesting is also not collected so as to sustain the plant species. Before plucking any important plant, ginger, apong (fermented rice beverage) and boiled eggs are offered to the forest deity as obeisance. Only required parts of plant are harvested, as injudicious harvesting leads to the death of the collector.
In 2003, Lego came in contact of Honey Bee Network (HBN) and its volunteer, Ranjay K Singh, then at Central Agricultural University, College of Horticulture & Forestry (CAU-CHF), Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh. Since then, she is part of all local initiatives and projects of HBN implemented through CAU-CHF network. This grassroots network has undertaken several activities including efforts at establishing Village Traditional Knowledge Bank in Sibut village; conducting eco-literary activities for spreading awareness among local communities to conserve plant biodiversity; formation of SHGs of women for value addition and promotion of local plant based products such as Siang Nutri, among others.
On account of her tireless efforts in promoting ethnomedicine and adding cultural and ethical value to plant species, Lego was given the SRISTI Samman award 2007, and was honoured with the prestigious Padam Shri award of the government of India this year.
D Vasini Bai, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Developing 10 varieties of ornamental plant Anthurium
D Vasini Bai, an innovator from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has developed 10 varieties of Anthurium, a flower with high market value, by cross-pollination. Anthurium (Anthurium spp.) is a vast group of high in demand, beautiful blooming plants available in a range of colours. Last year, over 8500 plants and flowers were sold in the markets of Pune and Thiruvananthapuram.
D Vasini Bai got interested in Anthurium in the 1970s when her son brought two plants home
The innovator has been propagating it through cuttings and seeds and supplying plants and flowers throughout the country, but she was unable to meet the high demand. Therefore, the National Innovation Foundation (NIF)-India has facilitated mass multiplication and large scale production of four highly demanded varieties through tissue culture technique at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, for the diffusion of the varieties in similar agroclimatic zones of the country.
Anthurium is one of the best domestic flowering plants in the world. Besides being beautiful, it also purifies the air and removes harmful airborne chemicals like formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene, xylene, and allergens.
The uniqueness of these varieties developed by D Vasini Bai lies in large and medium-sized flowers with uncommon colour combinations of spathe and spadix (viz. light and dark orange, magenta, green and rose color combination, dark red and white colors). She has also developed a new method for raising the seedlings in limited space using corrugated asbestos sheets. For transplanting grown-up seedlings, she uses concrete troughs instead of pots. These methods have helped her in growing more plants in limited space, thus reducing the cost and maintenance, and increasing the income at the same time. She sells anthurium flowers and plants to local florists as well as in cities like Pune and Mumbai at an average price of Rs 60-75 per flower.
Vasini Bai has received a number of awards and recognition for developing the anthurium varieties. In March 2017, she was awarded by the then President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee at the Ninth National Biennial Competition organized by National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF).
She got interested in developing new anthurium varieties in the late 1970s when her son brought two plants of anthurium. She was attracted to the beautiful plant, and wanted to raise more such plants with uncommon colour combinations. In 1980, she manually cross-pollinated for the first time, and in 1985, developed the first variety of Anthurium Dora (single plant with 8-10 leaves and multiple flowers with orange-coloured spathe). Between 1985 and 2000, she developed another five varieties, viz. Dora – I, Dora – II, Dora – III, Dora – IV and Dora – V. The other five varieties, Akash, George, Giant Pink, JV Red, and JV Pink, were developed later through manual cross-pollination.
The NIF facilitated validation trials of Vasini Bai’s varieties along with six parent varieties under the varietal testing programme at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Her varieties were reported to be healthy, vigorous with prominent and distinguishable characters of spathes and spadix ranging from light pink, pink, red, white, violet and orange. The leaves were found to be shiny, medium-large, and heart-shaped. The flower spathes were bright coloured and had short spadix, and these parameters were comparable with existing commercial varieties.
Salient features of the Anthurium varieties are:
- Large beautiful flowers
- Different colours of spathe and spadix
- Long stalks
- Better shelf life
- Good market value
NIF has facilitated mass multiplication and large scale production of Dora, George, JV Pink and JV Red anthuriums, which have significant market value, through tissue culture technique at IIHR, Bengaluru.
Padma Shri K Chellammal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Organic Coconut Cultivation
K Chellammal is a veteran organic farmer from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. She is known as Nariyal Amma/Coconut Amma for her efforts in increasing the coconut crop production and for also taking the initiatives in protecting coconut and palm trees from damage. Living as a marginal farmer for decades, Chellammal was used to traditional growing methods which included a coconut garden along with mono-cropping. Income was less and in order to support her growing family, she felt the need to improve crop production and started learning about the same. Gradually, her exposure to the trainings at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) motivated her to explore the possibility of various methods including intercrop growth, harvesting rain water, organic farming as well as certain soil conservation techniques.
Chellammal recalls that intercropping was the first method that started yielding faster and better results in terms of monetary growth. Some of the women from adjoining farms also helped her in this journey and adopted her methods. She gradually acquired a total of 8 acre land in her name, which she calls her “natural experiment lab”. All of her farming practices are organic, which means she doesn’t use any harmful chemicals. Despite limited formal education of up to sixth grade, she has been an agricultural innovator for over six decades.
Her methods have led to a significant increase in productivity, with the farm harvesting over 28,570 coconuts per annum from a plantation of around 460 palms. Her field economics include an expenditure of approximately Rs 2 lakhs towards the cost of cultivation for different components and in turn earns 1.65 lakhs from coconut (Andaman Ordinary Tall variety) alone. Her other source of income include promising intercrops viz., ginger, chillies, banana, papaya, tapioca, elephant foot yam, cinnamon, black pepper and betelvine. She has now prepared a fish pond as well in her farm that adds to her annual income.
She pioneered the cultivation of Krishipathi, betelvine as well as elephant yam in Andaman Islands. Along with maintaining the natural essence of the region she was able to gain additional income for farmers as well. She also has 15 bee hives in her garden. She adopts organic farming techniques, viz. Jeevamrudham, Panchagavya mulching with coconut husk and branches.
Now she is not using any chemical fertilizer and saves money. Labour cost has also reduced due to less irrigation and application of chemical inputs. She proudly speaks about the cattle and poultry in her house that provide additional income while giving manure for the farm. She also supplies cuttings and planting materials to other farmers.
In 1998, Chellammal’s efforts were praised during Island Tourism Festival by Development Commissioner for encouraging the growth of bittergourd and snakegourd in the region. The Director of Agriculture, Port Blair, also felicitated her with an award in 2013 and 2014. She is the recipient of best farmer award in Kisan Mela organised by ICAR-CHARI in 2012. In 2022, she was given the Best Coconut Farmer award by the Coconut Development Board, Cochin. This year, she was declared as a recipient of the Padma Shri award by the government of India, for her exceptional work in organic coconut plantation.
Now 67, Chellammal has three daughters and lives with her son and daughter-in-law. Her family is working on a spice garden and also exploring the option of growing Heliconia flowers (also called as false bird of paradise or lobster-claws) along with the business of oil production from Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) plant, which is used in the perfume industry. Her spice garden is listed on Google Maps, where her Patchouli garden too will soon be listed.
Arenla M Subong with Moa Subong, Dimapur, Nagaland
BamHum, a musical instrument of Bamboo
This wife-husband musician duo, best known for their folk fusion band Abiogenesis founded in 1990s, has developed BamHum, a new wind musical instrument made out of bamboo. The name BamHum is derived from two words, bamboo and humming. Playing the BamHum is simple; one has to simply hum into the hole which in turn produces a melodic tune. This instrument was unveiled by the then governor of Meghalaya MM Jacob at the International Bamboo Fest in May 2005 at Shillong.
In 2002-3, Arenla was appointed as a guru in the North-East Zone Cultural Center, Ministry of Culture, to teach folk music and theatre and she needed someone to play her compositions. This led to the appointment of Moa in the same centre, a self-taught musician who was part of a band in high school. When they both started working on Arenla’s compositions, they felt that the western instruments did not justify their music and started looking for a traditional Naga instrument to best represent their compositions. After tinkering for months, Arenla and Moa discovered a new sound, and were awestruck by hearing it. In a year-and-a-half, they finalized and refined the dhun.
While recording an album in Kolkata, they were approached by regional manager of Magnasound. This lead to the release of the album Rapture as the first English album by an Indian artiste and also the formation of the band Abiogenesis.
Bamboo is available in abundance in Nagaland. Moa says that the round and hollow bamboo is like a “ready, God-given body” for the musical instrument BamHum. Often, the instrument is compared to the flute though it does not look like a flute. And unlike a flute, it can be mastered within weeks. It is shaped like a small bamboo flute, that requires the user to hum a tune into its ‘hole’, which instantly results in a melodious, reverberating sound. After picking up the accurate bamboo, 6-7 months are dedicated to the tests. No machinery is required except a stove to heat the iron rods to make the holes and regular cutting equipment. A tribal Naga cloth attached at the end of the instrument gives it a more ethnic look. By using acoustic science Arenla perfected the flute from a mere bamboo to a musical instrument.
Between 2005 and 2017, the Bamhum was promoted solely through folk fusion where Arenla was the lead singer and the lead Bamhum player. They were felicitated with the National Award during the 9th National Biennial Grassroots Innovation Awards, 2017, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. They were selected as an Innovation Scholar for the Fourth Batch of Innovation Scholar In-residence Programme. A patent has also been filed in their names.
Arenla is now 61 and Moa is 63 years old. There was no inspiration for music at home, but Arenla was good at singing since early age and her family and school teachers encouraged her. She always sang solo and never thought of joining any band although the band-culture strongly prevailed in the region. She married early and was a teenager when she had her first son; they have three sons and eight grandchildren. Today, they continue to compose music although at a slower pace. Their dedication and love for creating music has earned various accolades including the Nagaland Governor’s Excellence Award 2016 for distinction in folk fusion music. Their album Aeon spell was released by Saregama in 2007 and was pre-nominated in the 50th Grammy Awards in the category of Best Contemporary World Music album of the Year. Arenla has been awarded by FLO North East Women Achievers Award for Excellence in the field of Cultural Heritage and Music 2022 by Professor Jagdish Mukti, Governor of Assam and Nagaland.
