tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post113151734302308912..comments2023-11-19T00:42:48.156-08:00Comments on balancing life: Engineering innovations for rural IndiaSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1136636328238825132006-01-07T04:18:00.000-08:002006-01-07T04:18:00.000-08:00now they just need to expand the ideanow they just need to expand the ideaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131767156114799842005-11-11T19:45:00.000-08:002005-11-11T19:45:00.000-08:00Sadly, I can’t remember any of us doing any useful...<I>Sadly, I can’t remember any of us doing any useful projects of this kind</I><BR/><BR/>Me neither. At one of the neglected corners of IIT Bombay is <A HREF="http://www.iitb.ac.in/~ctara/" REL="nofollow">CTARA</A>, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas. Most of us students never cared to see what happened there. But now, when I had a look at their webpage, they seem to be doing a good amount of work. Hope they keep it up and improve!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131724165664642282005-11-11T07:49:00.000-08:002005-11-11T07:49:00.000-08:00Chappan....Michael and Swati aren't really "part o...Chappan....Michael and Swati aren't really "part of an NGO", but started off on their own, and then became an NGO...<BR/><BR/>Jim.....yes, it can be done on a larger scale....depends on what you call larger scale. Barefoot college (http://www.barefootcollege.org), another org has its presence in well over a 1000 villages. The entire region around Anna HAzare's Ralegan Siddi has been transformed. Many such examples (that usually the MSM doesn't care to highlight). But the important point is to work locally, with local needs. The needs for each region are different, and what works in one place doesn't in another. there isn't a one-size fits all (which is why many govt policies don't work...they try to force fit it). But a single group can work in a large scale if they get local support in each place.Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131709120527551692005-11-11T03:38:00.000-08:002005-11-11T03:38:00.000-08:00Interesting read Sunil. Ofcourse the question is w...Interesting read Sunil. Ofcourse the question is whether this can be done on a larger scale.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131707048239693082005-11-11T03:04:00.000-08:002005-11-11T03:04:00.000-08:00SunilTerrific piece. What is Michael's motivation?...Sunil<BR/>Terrific piece. What is Michael's motivation? Is he a part of a NGO or a lone samaritan?<BR/>In this instance you couldnt fine a better use for the use "Necessity being the mother of invention". Simply amazing.<BR/>SourinSourin Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10403501269620049377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131643788460663402005-11-10T09:29:00.000-08:002005-11-10T09:29:00.000-08:00PK.........you make a very good point, the same th...PK.........you make a very good point, the same that Michael was making.<BR/><BR/>Sterilizers for biomedical waste are extremely expensive, and use up a lot of energy (to complete sterilization). Now, these might even be needed in colder areas (with long, dark winters) where solar energy cannot be harnessed by Scheffler reflectors, but it is almost perfect for a good part of india. There however remains a strong inertia to adopt such technologies.<BR/><BR/>This technology is not expensive, and is a single investment with little recurring costs. Perhaps you can convince your hospital to adopt this. If you (or any other doctors you know) are interested in taking up such a project, i'll be more than happy to hook you up with people like Michael.Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131638268202385732005-11-10T07:57:00.000-08:002005-11-10T07:57:00.000-08:00Sunil, very interesting read.I was particularly im...Sunil,<BR/> very interesting read.I was particularly impressed about the use of Scefler reflectors to sterilize and dispose biomedical waste.Even after 8 yrs. BMC and maharastra Pollution Control Board are unable to develop cheap and effective method for Mumbai hospitals.At present they have proposed dumping at 3 sites. Incenerator run by BMC at Sewree has stopped working for last 2 yrs or so.We have lot to learn from dedicated people like Michael.-PKPKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288316071377288075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131637912374272282005-11-10T07:51:00.000-08:002005-11-10T07:51:00.000-08:00Sujatha.......yes, that's kind of the type of thin...Sujatha.......yes, that's kind of the type of things profs and students want. Plus, in India, there is little incentive or encouragement for engg. students to get their hands dirty and do any kind of useful work. <BR/><BR/>Charu....i'm just the messenger, talking about and spreading the knowledge of all these people i get to meet or talk to quite often (either directly, or through volunteering with different groups). So, <I>they're</I> absolutely right :-)Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131625126976675682005-11-10T04:18:00.000-08:002005-11-10T04:18:00.000-08:00Sunil, you are absolutely right - there are simple...Sunil, you are absolutely right - there are simple solutions to many problems in India - but the approach has always been to look for larger "dramatic" solutions at the cost of the simpler and sometimes right-under-your-nose ones<BR/><BR/>(Patrix, didn't mean to point that you were wrong - I was just wondering - I googled after I left the message and found that there was a Sanjay someone else in the team:))Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131622911024042562005-11-10T03:41:00.000-08:002005-11-10T03:41:00.000-08:00Sunil,Very satisfying. When I read the pedal power...Sunil,<BR/><BR/>Very satisfying. <BR/><BR/>When I read the pedal power generator part, I was reminded about one of V's jokes about his Mechanical Engineering days - apparently they built a hand-operated pedal push motor for one of their projects. Sounds very flashy, eh? May be this is what those students are looking for as well..:))Sujatha Bagalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02140274113596874518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131605266473602912005-11-09T22:47:00.000-08:002005-11-09T22:47:00.000-08:00Apu, anonymous......there are many many such ideas...Apu, anonymous......there are many many such ideas in India....constantly at work.<BR/><BR/>Charu.....i think my phrase there was not clear. What i meant was that Mozda wants and makes products that cost $5 (figuratively) but academics want something that cost $150, and make a flashy paper. I should edit that bit sometime (lazy). Some of mozda's work goes beyond economies of scale....that torch for example, costs a pittance (even compared to a regular torch).<BR/><BR/>Patrix....it is indeed Abhay and RAni Bang. They have done some absolutely wonderful work, and the remarkable aspect of their work is the simplicity (they look at very basic parameters, and simple things like improving nutrition (slightly) amongs mothers has had a HUGE effect in child health. <BR/><BR/>There are simple solutions to many problems in India (unfortunately the government often tends to mess things up with its myopic top-down approach. The mai-baap mentality is yet to leave the government.Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131600847275842252005-11-09T21:34:00.000-08:002005-11-09T21:34:00.000-08:00Sunil, simple and effective ideas - the best part ...Sunil, simple and effective ideas - the best part about these are the way they can taken from this village / community and implementted anywhere else in the country... it is also to be kept in mind that innovations may cost $150 in the beginning but the cost will keep getting lower and lower as they are perfected / taken on to a larger scale..<BR/><BR/>Patrix, did you mean Rani and Abhay Bang? they are doctors who did a lot of work in "maternal morbidity" in Gadchiroli. If Sanjay Bang is different, do give more details here - would be good to read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131600696317593332005-11-09T21:31:00.000-08:002005-11-09T21:31:00.000-08:00Good read! All we need in India is many such loca...Good read! All we need in India is many such local movements - led by people like Michael...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131593677435077592005-11-09T19:34:00.000-08:002005-11-09T19:34:00.000-08:00Thanks for the inspiring read...Thanks for the inspiring read...apuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07806361192017548240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131560957782587712005-11-09T10:29:00.000-08:002005-11-09T10:29:00.000-08:00shoefiend.......in this case, it wasn't me, but Mi...shoefiend.......in this case, it wasn't me, but Michael who made it all easy.....but yes, their lives are inspiring indeed!<BR/><BR/>Gawker, transmogrifier......there are a number of groups doing things like this across villages in India. Many are now medium sized (covering many dozen villages. Vigyan Ashram and Sutra (Sustainable transformation of rural areas) come to mind, especially in alternative energy ideas. GIAN and SRISTI are good examples also). <BR/><BR/>TM.....local support is indeed needed and essential,a nd some times takes time. But it does not always <I>have</I> to be a local organization, the organization just needs to have local support and develop in the locality. <BR/><BR/>Barefoot college must be the best example of a large organization, that's now in hundreds of villages across the country, where the "engineers" are predominantly local, semi-literate women. Take a look at their website: http://www.barefootcollege.org/Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131551743666409682005-11-09T07:55:00.000-08:002005-11-09T07:55:00.000-08:00Hi SunilI had heard Michael's talk at the local AI...Hi Sunil<BR/><BR/>I had heard Michael's talk at the local AID chapter and it was really interesting. We are hosting him here next month. The work they have done is really great. <BR/><BR/>Re: Gawker's question about propagation of the technology in other villages, there are many organizations which are trying to promote and spread rural innovation like SRISTI and GIAN. AID-Orissa has a rural technologies center which is doing some work in this regard too. The problem in most cases is the need of local support. Every village has a different set of problems and even a generic solution needs tweaking to meet local demands. Where ever some local organization is ready to take the lead it won't be very difficult to implement the solution there.Transmogrifierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07660198214260692183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131546784697695262005-11-09T06:33:00.000-08:002005-11-09T06:33:00.000-08:00Excellent post. Would it be very difficult to now ...Excellent post. Would it be very difficult to now propagate this technology in every village in India? Sounds like it's generic usefulness could benefit a lot of people, not just those of the village mentioned because these problems seem to be those faced by every village in India.gawkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17081710140055676484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1131531304311172782005-11-09T02:15:00.000-08:002005-11-09T02:15:00.000-08:00as always you make science & tech subjects easy to...as always you make science & tech subjects easy to read!inspiring and interesting.The ramblings of a shoe fiendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193183543700543479noreply@blogger.com