From an 18-year-old empowering women in rural India to IIT-Madras’ industrial robot, here are the top social stories of the week
These stories will inspire you to do your bit to save the environment, help people in need, and learn about new innovations.
India has many prestigious institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology that are the forefront when it comes to new research and innovations, especially in the fields of science and engineering. This week, we published a story about the team at IIT Madras that developed a multi-purpose grasper, a robot which can function like a human hand. This invention, we are sure will have a far-reaching impact.
There are a lot of young people who are focussed towards their contribution to society. A group in Tarapur, Maharashtra is doing just that, by empowering women by encouraging them to contribute to waste management.
Read on to find the stories that made the cut this week.
Garment trader Noushad donates his entire stockpile to Kerala flood victims
Noushad, a garments trader from Mattancherry in Ernakulam district in Kerala donated his entire stockpile to victims to those affected by the floods in Kerala. The trader has donated to flood relief all the dress material he had collected to sell in the days leading to Bakrid.
Praise for Noushad’s timely help has poured in from all quarters. Applauding his contribution, Kerala Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran took to social media to point out that Noushad, through his selfless act has sent out a positive message to society.
Delhi gurdwaras go on green drive, give saplings as 'prasad' to devotees
Gurdwaras in Delhi have taken up a unique initiative by giving away saplings instead of prasad to their visitors to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
The Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee (DGMC) is aiming towards planting one lakh trees across all gurdwaras and Sikh educational institutions. The trees will include species like neem and ber, which are mentioned in the Gurbani.
Moreover, to engage students in the noble cause, they will be given marks for carrying out the plantation drive, which will be included in their annual results. Also, the students will have to submit reports presenting the status of trees planted by them along with photographs annually.
How this 18-year-old turned industrial waste into a tool for women empowerment
Raena Ambani (18), Founder of BigPA, is fighting for two important causes - women empowerment and waste management. Her initiative uses textile waste to make felt spectacle cases, floor-protecting devices, and coasters, which are not only attractive but also eco-friendly.
Now, she has around 12 part-time women employees whom she employs when there is a large order to ship. The women are given a week to finish making the products and they get paid per piece. The pieces are then collected and sent to the main office in Mumbai.
Thanks to the Amazon Saheli Programme, Raena claims BigPA’s bulk orders have gone up, for which she keeps stock ready.
Meet these ordinary Indians who go beyond their call of duty to honour those who died for India’s independence
On the occasion of India’s 73rd Independence Day, it was interesting to see how a few millennials are doing their own small bit to not only preserve the memories of the martyrs but also going the extra mile to share the sorrow with their families.
While researching for her book, Kargil, Untold Stories from the War, author Rachna Bisht Rawat was pleasantly surprised to encounter people who had not forgotten India’s war heroes, especially those who fought its most recent one in Kargil.
These ordinary citizens have continued to work with the families of the martyred soldiers, assuring them that their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their sons will never be forgotten.
IIT Madras researchers design robot with graspers that function like the human hand
Called the “Grasp Man”, this new class of robot will have various industrial applications such as pipe inspection, search-and-rescue operations, and others that involve climbing, holding, and assembling.
Developed by researchers at IIT-Madras, the robot is fitted with a pair of graspers that provide morphological adaptation, enabling it to conform to the geometry of the object being grasped, and allowing it to hold objects securely and manipulate them much like the human hand.
The two graspers are equipped with a robotic platform that provides behavioural adaptation, meaning the “capability to change the locomotion behaviour to adapt to the environment”.
(Edited by Rekha Balakrishnan)