Six dosa-making and three idli-making machines have been installed on the aircraft carrier
Even as aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, formerly Admiral Gorshkov, is getting ready for pre-induction trials, it has seen the successful demonstration of a product that is exclusively Indian.
For, a group of engineers from Eskay Enterprises, Bangalore, has installed six dosa-making machines and three idli-making machines on board INS Vikramaditya and just returned from Arkhangelsk region in Russia where the ship was docked. It will help serve traditional Indian delicacies to the Indian crew once the ship is commissioned.
The automated dosa and idli making technology was developed by Mysore-based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) and Eskay Enterprises is one of the licensees authorised to manufacture the automated machines.
Sources told The Hindu that initially CFTRI was contacted by the Defence authorities with a request to install the machines on board Admiral Gorshkov which was being overhauled and retrofitted with modern equipment to emerge in its new avatar as INS Vikramaditya.
“But CFTRI being a research institute does not have the mandate for bulk manufacturing of products though it develops the technology. Hence, we asked the Defence Ministry to contact one of our licensees in Bangalore who participated in the bid and was chosen for installation,” the sources said.
S. Krishna Murthy, who owns Eskay Enterprises, said that he obtained the technology from CFTRI and upgraded it for commercial viability before releasing it the market. Both the dosa-making and idli-making machinery have been installed in 12 ships of the Indian Navy so far. “But installing it on board the INS Vikramaditya was privileged work. We have just returned from Russia, and the automated dosa and idli-making machines will be fine-tuned once the ship is handed over to India in December,” Mr. Krishna Murthy said.
The automated technology will enable assembly-line production of 400 dosas and 1,000 idlis an hour on each machine and will cater to the nearly 2,000 crew members who will be on board the ship. Mr. Krishna Murthy said that eight wet grinders have also been installed for grinding rice and other ingredients for batter.
The technology was developed by the CFTRI in 1998 and since then has proved to be popular in major industries where catering for a large workforce requires mass production. The machines have been so designed that they take care of all operations pertaining to making a dosa such as spreading batter to the requisite size, oiling, cooking and even dispensing curry and chutney. The automated technology also ensures that hygienic norms are observed in the kitchen as it obviates manual labour during mass production of idlis and dosas of uniform taste.
Keywords: INS Vikramaditya
For those of us still making fun of this, let's remember that CFTRI was the institution that prepared and sent chappatis for Sq.Ldr. Rakesh Sharma's trip into space. This is exactly the sort of thing the CFTRI is meant for, and they're doing a fabulous job.
Wow...Now DRDO,HAL,NAL,BEML,BHEL,etc can take advantage of installing dosa
making machines and claim it as INDeGiNISATION and an indegenious ship.
After the the Tejas story proves it and also the L.CA
Here is the game plan:
1. We fire few Salvos;
2. Send for an treaty aboard INS Vikramadithya
3. Feed the Enemies with Dosas and Idlies laden with Palm Oil;
4. They go home happy; and die of Atherosclerosis.
OK We will make Dosa and Idli in somebody manufactured ships instead of
making war ships in our ports . Very good idea will arise from Antony
only !!!
I am 36 and happy to see the ship will be inducted in my life time. Dosa
and Idli maker is a welcome, after all my brothers will be living in
that metal ship in the middle of ocean for months.
Apart from the chip this machine has already been used in Railways (if I
recollect it correctly).
May be next time, this kind of machine will be installed on an Indian
made Aircraft carrier.
It is said that an army marches on its stomach. Even the Biryanis and Halim (a delicacy in deccan region) were specifically adopted for long range exploratory expeditions. Also to be noted that such machines save space required and time and not to mention the less manpower required plus hygeine. It also lifts the morale of the sailors who would be expected to be at sea for almost a month, that the public cares them. Though we would have been delighted to see all the parts of ship including armaments being designed by us it is no way shameful to say about the machine. I agree with others that the title could have been more apt.
so the idea is we will make dosa and load them in torpedo bay for fire, and in place of depth charge we will drop idli. whats next missiles to drop popcorn and tanks for pizza delivery to front line.
Great idea, but instead of eating the delicacies we should bomb the enemies with Idlis, dosas, sambar and chutney. They will beat a tasty retreat.
Nice to see the progress of automated Dosa machines,i hope they make idli and sambar
also.The only problem with these ships are they often experience heavy weather
changes,when exposed they loose their crispy taste,hope they find a solution for that.
We couldn't build the aircraft carrier, but managed to install idly/dosa machines onboard its kitchen...An achievement indeed!
Sorry, but couldn't help thinking - I hope this ship won't be sailed too much like Indian style driving! With its enormous size it could cause chaos to every ship in the vicinity if it is! Jokes apart, let's hope our servicemen and women enjoy the dosas and idlis! To the detractors to the contents of this article - What is wrong with this news piece? It certainly endeared the Indian Navy to me a little bit more!
Battles are not won with computers and missiles alone. People make that happen. Need to keep the spirit up when you are away from home for months on end. Part of morale is sustained by tasty food. No nuclear sub in the U.S. navy leaves port without at least three flavors of ice cream. High-tech fighting forces know the positive role that good grub plays in the military. Remember Bonaparte said, "An army fights on its stomach."
Vijay Annamraju
'The automated dosa and idli making technology was developed by Mysore-based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI)' but the ship was build in Russia Very nice!!
Hope this one is not as expensive as Ahluwalia's bill for 35 lacs. China will be right there producing this machine cheaper and selling it to Indians!!!
Now,Dosa and Idly will make March Past on the board of INS Vikramadhitya.Occasionally idly can be substituted for bombs in the artillery.
We are experts in spending billions on technology developed by other countries and give them sanskrit names. How pathetic! Let's hurl Idlies at our attacking enemies.
to think that they sat around a table in some high-security meeting room, discussed this proposal, and voted in favour of idly-machines. bizarre.
A fellow Punjabi and a dosa lover, I completely agree with Kanwar.
Great news, yes we did not build the ship but atleast built DOSA making machine. The photo is not on INS, but clearly mentioned that taken at CFTRI, Mysore.
Pathetic! Its been long that I have started realizing.. THE HINDU is the more sophisticated version of THE TIMES OF INDIA. ..... like they use words like JUSTICE rather than NEGOTIATIONS ......HUH!
Instaed of the idly/dosa maker you should have researched on the many technological modifications given by Indian companies to suit our theatre of war.
Excellent. While opening the article i thought of finding information about Indian made missiles, radars, computers etc.. But Krishnakumar talks about making idli and dossa. You are right. Soldiers need to eat before going to fight.. If you had talked about sambar the article will be complete.. To be impartial, this article is a good one but the title is not correct or it must be published in science & technology.
Is this the Indian touch? We spent billions on this ship and our only contribution is an Idly maker. I just love India more and more.
Picture isn't from INS Vikramaditya
Really? Installation of a dosa and an idli maker, which is capable of churning out large quantities of dosa and idli, respectively, is all that are required to give an 'entirely Indian' touch to this ship? Please elucidate on other Indian touches, if any, to this ship or else, according to me, it would be better if the title of the article can be altered; the present title seems a bit misleading.
Good thinking .... Dosa is a delicacy loved by all....though being a Punjabi but whenever I see dosa/idle my mouth waters :) its so good and healthy too
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