Waste to Valuable: Used Flowers in Religious Shrines Are given a New Life by These 2 Friends
Two friends in Kanpur were shocked by the amount of flowers that are dumped into the Ganges every single day, choking the river with pesticides and chemical fertilisers. They started collecting the flowers from temples and mosques in the city, and turned them into some brilliant eco-friendly products.Enter a temple, mosque, gurudwara or church in India and the first thing you’ll probably notice is the abundance of flowers at the place of worship. There are flower sellers at the entrance, flowers strewn all over the shrine’s floor, devotees receiving flowers in the form of blessings – there seems to be no limit. Ever wonder what happens to those sacred flowers once we are done with our prayers? According to many religious beliefs, flowers that are offered during prayers are sacrosanct and cannot be dumped into the garbage once they’ve wilted. This is one of the reasons why people prefer to discard them in rivers, lakes and other water bodies. But not many of us think about the fertilizers and pesticides that might have been used to grow these flowers, which then mix with the water and pollute it.
Ankit Agrawal and Karan Rastogi, two friends from Kanpur, had often thought of this issue. While growing up, the river Ganges had been an important part of their lives and it pained them to see it become increasingly polluted as the years went by.
“Karan and I have been friends since childhood and some of our friends live abroad as well. Whenever all of us meet in Kanpur, there isn’t much to show them in the city. And when our friends see the river, their first reaction always has to do with how polluted it is. That was the starting point for our idea. Karan used to go to the temple every day and he would see the waste flowers being collected to be dumped in the river. So we thought of doing something to treat these flowers,” says 27-year-old Ankit.
According to him, every year, approximately 80, 00,000 tons of waste flowers are dumped into Indian rivers. So, Ankit and Karan started thinking of a way to convert these flowers into an eco-friendly business venture. They started research in 2012 and a brilliant idea had taken shape by 2014 after several experiments. In May 2015, they founded Helpusgreen with the aim of utilizing the disposed flowers and turning them into bio-fertilisers and lifestyle products. The duo picks up flowers from different places of worship every day – approximately 500 kg of them. Since they don’t have a factory, they divide the amount equally between themselves and take the flowers to their respective homes. The flowers are then mixed with organic cow dung and treated with about 17 natural components like coffee residue, corn cobs, etc. These help increase the nitrogen content in the end-product. After a few days, earthworms are added to the mix. These worms consume the mixture and lead to the formation of vermicompost after 60 days. In this process, earthworms ingest the organic waste and then excrete it in a digested form. The excreta, called worm cast, is a dark, odourless and nutrient rich material that works as a great soil conditioner. Worm casts or vermicompost is a ready-to-use fertilizer.
Karan and Ankit have named this product Mitti and it helps improve soil texture for the better growth of plants. Helpusgreen product range
While 80% of the flowers are used to make vermicompost, the rest are crushed and made into incense sticks and yajna/havan items.
Messi to meet young Afghan famed for shirt made from plastic bag
KABUL (Reuters) - Barcelona star Lionel Messi will meet an Afghan boy who gained Internet fame after a touching series of photographs went viral, showing him playing in a shirt improvised from a plastic bag and bearing the name and playing number of his hero.
Five year-old Murtaza, from a poor family in the Jaghori district in the central province of Ghazni, became an unlikely Internet sensation after the pictures were shared on Facebook and other social media sites.
Unable to get a real Messi shirt, Murtaza's brother had rigged him up a plastic bag in the light blue and white colours of the Argentinian national team, with "Messi" and the number "10" written on it in marker pen.
The pictures were shared around the world and the Afghan Football Federation said on its website on Monday it was in contact with representatives of Messi and would arrange for Murtaza to meet the player soon.
Last month, Messi won the Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player for the fifth time.
Implementing Operational Excellence Concepts In Pharmaceutical Organizations Is Not Difficult
Globally automotive, aerospace, electronics and FMCG are successfully implementing OpEx concepts to augment their overall operational efficiencies. However Pharmaceutical organizations are lagging behind them when it comes to implementing OpEx concepts in their organizations. I talked to few Pharma executives and found out that regulatory aspects, limited knowledge of OpEx concepts and the general impression that it is only applicable for automotive, FMCG etc. is preventing them from imbibing OpEx principles.
It is true that the environment in which pharmaceutical organizations operate is lot different from other sectors. But it is still possible to successfully implement OpEx in Pharma sector and reap benefits. The key is to understand the spirit of OpEx principles and apply them to suit the corporate objectives. Executive management should play pivotal role in creating conducive atmosphere for implementation of OpEx.
Several large organizations are already implementing or in the process of implementing OpEx. There are many potential areas where OpEx can be applied within a Pharma company to improve operational efficiencies. Some of the areas where OpEx is being applied are:
New drug development process
Reducing manufacturing process variability and waste
Improving API yield and minimizing cost
Batch record time and cost reduction
Optimal equipment startup/shutdown time
Increasing dissolution and yield
Reducing dispensing to package cycle time
Lead time reduction, WIP inventory minimization, and reduction in production space
Smooth product launch
Planning ahead to keep supply chain healthy
Improving supply chain to enhance revenue flow
Optimizing movement of goods from warehouse to packing lines
Rapid replenishment to the forward distribution centers
As it is evident from the above, there are several potential areas where OpEx can be applied without compromising regulatory aspects and quality. The OpEx concepts can be applied to other business segments also. It is very much possible to implement OpEx in Pharma sector. OpEx concepts are not all difficult to understand. There is no reason to panic as they are easy to understand and implement. It is high time that mid-size and small size companies also seriously consider implementing OpEx concepts to sustain competitive pressure and enhance growth. OpEx implementation requires executive management blessing, all employee participation and disciple to focus on continuous improvement which will give the desired results. If the desired results are not achieved, it has nothing to do with the OpEx concepts per say. It really boils down to our inability to understand the true spirit of the OpEx concepts and apply them in the context. There are no short cuts. One should not expect results overnight. The change process takes time and one has to be patient. OpEx must be implemented with the right mind set and disciple. Results are bound to follow.
“A classroom is
generally a box with 4 walls and a blackboard on one side,” says budding
architect Jayshil Patel, “I came up with the whole idea of modifying the same
box in a different version making it modular and mobile”. The result is Baksha,
a modular moveable classroom that can be transported to remote places and
villages devoid of any educational infrastructure. Thus, bringing education
literally to the doorstep of disadvantaged communities.
Having been forced
to go to boarding school because there was no quality senior-secondary school
nearby, Jayshil says he couldn't help but think of those students who had
absolutely no access to any form of education and had to travel miles just to
get to a classroom. “Due to the sheer scale of the population in India, education is a luxury not a right;
especially for the poor and down trodden” he says.
This made him
rethink the whole concept of school and classroom, and sparked off the idea for
a moveable classroom that would bring education to children, particularly in
the rural areas, instead of forcing them away from their homes. The concept of
Baksha was thus, born. While examples are rife, across the world, of mobile
vans being used to provide books and other educational materials to people on
the go, there are several unique features that set Jayshil's innovation apart.
Although, it functions primarily as a
classroom, Baksha’s flexible nature allows it to be used for other purposes as
well. “The modular classroom with an area of 21 square metres is equipped with
the latest teaching techniques, storage space, modular furniture and public
utility services. As the furniture is modular it aligns itself with the floor”
Jayshil explains. “Fusing a few of the Baksha units together, it can be
utilized for performing various other activities. It can be converted into a
relief camp, clinic, polio booth centre, etc”
Besides being multi-purpose and
versatile Baksha is also environmentally friendly. Built using Medium-Density
Fibreboard (MDF) it uses solar panels for electricity and is economical in the
long run. It is also relatively easy to transport. Jayshil’s ‘box of life’ can
easily be attached to a truck, train or a helicopter depending on where it
needs to be transported.
He further adds, “The structure is
transparent so it gives an eye for natural light and ventilation.
Sound-proofing materials are also used. It can also be raised on stilts which
protects it from rain.”
However, despite the overwhelming
positives, the 22-year-old graduate of Sardar Vallabhai Patel Institute of
Technology is finding it extremely difficult to get adequate resources for his
project. As a result he is yet to create a prototype. He is currently looking
at government and corporate backing to help get his idea off the ground.
Innovation Jockey’s, he says has
given a great platform and the confidence to pursue other ideas and innovations.
And he doesn’t intend to stop. A conscientious architect he wants to innovate
in the field of sustainable buildings. “I am working on a concept home, which
would be the first Lead and Griha certified” says an excited Jayshil.
However, early challenges and hurdles
have already made the 22 year old wise beyond his years.
An innovator he says, like his idol Steve Jobs needs to have tremendous belief
in himself and his ideas in order to fully succeed. For that one has to be
willing to put up with the occasional failure.
This 17-year-old law aspirant, uses his toes to write exams
Manoj Machra was born with no hands. In normal circumstances, someone with his disability would have accepted his fate and moved on, but not this 17-year-old: He hopes to get 80-85 percent in his secondary exams and aspires for a career in law.
His sheer grit and determination to complete his education against all odds is now inspiring his peers in a Rajasthan village these days. Manoj uses his toes to write his answer papers.
It is not for the first time that Manoj, a resident of Amarsar village in Churu district, over 250 km from Jaipur, has fluently written this way. This wonder boy has proved his academic excellence over the past few years despite being disabled.
"I secured 78 percent marks in my secondary examination. I cleared the upper primary education with 86.86 percent," Manoj proudly told IANS.
"Now I hope to clear my senior secondary by securing over 80-85 percent marks", he said. He has taken science and maths as his subjects.
Manoj said that as he grew up, he found in himself a strong desire to complete his education.
"My parents used to worry how I would chase my dream, but I never let my disability bog me down and come in the way of my dream. I worked hard and practised to write using my left leg. Everybody gets surprised when they know that I have been able to secure such good marks without hands," he said.
Manoj who took the help of a writer in his 10th class exam, didn't ask for an assistant writer during the senior secondary examination.
"I am entitled to it, but I didn't ask for help. I did seek additional time to complete my examination paper as I am entitled to an hour's extension," said Manoj.
"In the 10th class exam, I felt I had secured less percentage because I took the help of a writer so this time I did not take help," he said.
He added that he had to practice for hours to comfortably write with his toes.
"I am now very comfortable with writing with my toes. I have just finished writing my senior secondary examination. I have studied a lot and hope to secure distinction in all the subjects," said Manoj.
Manoj aspires to join the legal services after completing his education. "I now want to take up law as a subject," he added.
Manoj is the eldest of two brothers. His father runs a fair price shop for providing subsidised foodgrain.
"We and his school always encouraged him to do whatever he wants and we will continue to do so," his father, RK Machra, said.
Arunima, first female amputee in the world to have conquered Mt. Everest, has set her eyes on highest peaks in seven continents
Arunima Sinha’s story of grit and glory started on the railway track. And, it took her to the world’s highest peak. Coming across as any other regular youngster, Arunima can influence anyone by narrating her life experiences. The first female amputee in the world to have scaled and conquered Mt. Everest was in the city on Friday to address women managers of various corporate firms.
Titled ‘TAF Leadership Programme,’ the event was organised by The Atlanta Foundation (TAF).
“Lying in the hospital with an amputated leg and serious injuries, I decided to play the toughest game of my life which was climbing Mt. Everest,” said Arunima, who was a national level player of volleyball and football prior to the accident.
Arunima had lost her leg in April 2011, when she fell off the running Delhi-Lucknow train after a scuffle with some thieves. She spent almost four months recovering from the accident during which she got prosthetic legs.
Surprisingly, she climbed the Mt. Everest in May 2013 exactly two years after the incident.
Elaborating on her 28-hour mountaineering journey, which included reaching to Mt. Everest and returning back to the base camp, she said, “From the beginning the toughest part was not to convince myself that I can do this but rather was about convincing others around me. Even on the day when I set out from my base camp, the accompanying local Sherpa was hesitant to accompany me.
“As we were nearing the summit, we encountered a lot of problems, my artificial leg was giving me problems as it was bleeding heavily. I was also low on oxygen in the cylinders that we were carrying. The only thing on my mind was to be alive till I hoist the tricolour on the summit.”
Passion drives her
Having given inspirational talks to more than 1.5 lakh youngsters after her successful expedition, she has a strong message for youngsters. “These days, youngsters lack serious aim in their life and the passion to achieve it. They seem to be straying because of which some of the suicides are taking place.”
On her future plans, she said that she wants to climb all the highest peaks in the seven continents of the world.
He is a 10th grader, but don't mistake him for an ordinary school going student. At 13, Aman Rehman creates an unbelievable sight when he dons the hat of a lecturer, teaching college students in animation institutes in Dehradun. Aman has already made more than 1000 animation films. Take a look at this incredible story.
