Four rural innovators, including a school student, were recognised by their gram panchayats and presented with the ‘Intinta Innovator Grameena Awards’ , initiated by Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC), as part of the Republic Day celebrations.
Chief Innovation Officer of the State Shanta Thoutam said the award is an inclusive step taken by TSIC towards sensitising villages about the significance of innovation and exemplifying an innovator from the neighbourhood and sharing his or her journey of problem solving with the residents. In four villages of Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Wanaparthy, Mahabubabad and Mulugu districts, the gram panchayats recognised innovators, she said.
Edulapuram Shashidhar, a young innovator from Azamnagar village of Jayashankar Bhupalapally, was recognised for a mechanism he devised to automatically switch off and turn on streetlights in his village. His innovation works on a one-to-many mechanism, where one device fixed in the respective lane automates the on-off control for all the streetlights, thus paving way for energy conservation, a release from the IT and Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao’s office said.
Resident of Palampet village in Mulugu Vollala Sai Kumar, a young serial innovator who has devised many solutions for farmers, specially-abled and electricians, was recognised by the gram panchayat for his solution to save electricity and prevent electrocution.
Another rural innovator recognised by his gram panchayat is Velle Srinivas, a cable TV mechanic from Jayyaram village in Mahabubabad, for the automatic advance drip irrigation system using solar energy that he had devised. The system automates the working of motor for water flow and at regular intervals tests the moisture level in soil.
School student from Wanaparthy’s Pamireddypally village Barige Sai Praneeth Rao was recognised for his suggestion regarding placement of wall-mounted commodes in school toilets based on height of the users.
TSIC said the objective of the initiative was to sensitise villagers on the concept of frugal innovation. The aim is to also help gram panchayats become social and cultural validators for innovation and innovators.
