Atal Innovation Mission

One of my student named Anwesha Kar of Class 12 was a bit more inclined towards the unconventional way of thinking and would like to solve problems which are thought of as customary. One day she got a deep wound on her hand and had to get it dressed. When she was getting bandaged, she began wondering “Are all medical waste biodegradable?” then she came to me and had shared all about her query. I, being an IT teacher and a Mentor of Change for BUXI JAGABANDHU ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL II, Satyabhamapur turned to internet which showed that maximum waste produced by the pharmaceutical industry is non-biodegradable. There after we started thinking about the solution to this problem which is finding alternative of pharmaceutical products. While talking to a friend of mine who is a doctor, I got to know about the local biodegradable solutions like banana stem being used in the rural area of Odisha. After that we researched a bit thought of using banana pseudo stem fiber in the above project

Anwesha had participated in National Children’s Science Congress 2019 held in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala. It is an annual event for young scientists across India where children get the opportunity to present their project and interact with experts.

We had created a solution of Banana Pseudo Stem Fiber, Cassia Fistula and turmeric which had healing effects, anti-flammable properties and on top of that it was made of substances which are usually thrown away. The process started with researching about ecofriendly substitutes for non-biodegradable pharmaceutical substances. In some rural parts of Odisha, banana stem is used to heal wounds and after researching about medicinal herbs I got to know about cassia fistula leaves and as it was available locally, we made the mixture and applied it on fresh wound. It had amazing effects but also had a problem, it could not be kept in open for long, so I added turmeric to the solution for increased shelf life.

The most valuable lesson which I treasure is research. This event taught me the importance of research and the right way to do it. It also taught me how to notice problems in our surrounding which are often ignored due to our negligence. It taught me how to accept and appreciate people of different mindset.

SUBHASHREE PANDA
Mentor of Change