Innovation
The Serial Inventor
Padma Shri Uddhab Bharali from Assam has over 150 inventions under his belt, and continues to make life easier for people through his machines…
A grass root innovator from Assam, today Uddhab Bharali is known for more than 150 innovations to hisname such as paddy thresher, cane stripping machine, pomegranate de-seeder and low-cost incinerator.
How did it all start?
While Bharali was good at academics, the engineering aspirant had to drop out of college during his final year owing to financial hardships. To help his father in repaying debts, he experimented with innovation and developed new tools — an interest that Bharali had, even as a child.
However, his first innovation came in 1988, when he developed a polythene making machine for the tea industry. Till then, Lakhimpur in Assam was a zero industries district, and at the time only the tea industry was booming. They required polythene covers in bulk and instead of buying a machine which would cost him lakhs of rupees, Bharali developed his very own for about Rs 65,000.
The beginning…
The success of the polythene cover making machine gave him the confidence he needed. To come upwith his innovative products, Bharali, like many others, relied on ‘jugaad’ where he used cheap, easy to find materials to develop products which are sustainable and efficient. By 1995, Bharali had paid-off all his father’s debt and got a job of looking after the machinery used in a hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh. But it was short lived as he had to return back to his hometown after the news of his elder brother’s death.
Realising he was the only bread earner for his family, Bharali had to make ends meet. Between the 1990s and mid-2000s, he developed 24 products which focused on helping farmers. Though Bharali wanted to develop or innovate for other sectors too, but the demand was huge from the farm sector.
From developing different kinds of peelers, re-designing Assamese paddy grinder to cutters for tea- leaves, he took extra effort to simplify agricultural processes for the farming community. Identity as an inventor
Bharali’s ultimate recognition came in 2006, but not before the serial inventor designed and prototyped an entire range of mechanical innovations. Bharali’s pomegranate seed peeling machine, which he designed, garnered accolades and appreciation not only from India but also from across the world.
Truly one of its kind, the machine was designed to separate the outer skin from the thinner membrane without causing any damage to the seeds. The machine was an instant hit with orders pouring in for this unique invention from Japan, US and Turkey.
Some of Bharali’s other inventions include: an arecanut peeling device, and the Cassava Peeler among others. The basic idea behind Bharali’s inventions was to reduce hours of back-breaking labour that farmers put in day and night; thus, making these inventions a hit with the farming community and those engaged in agricultural labour. In addition to these, he has also invented remi recortication machine, garlic peeling machine, tobacco leaf cutter, paddy thresher, cane stripping machine, brass utensil polishing machine, safed musli peeling machine, and jatropha de-seeder. These inventions are popular abroad and local authorities like the Central Silk Board, North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project and the National Innovation Foundation have helped Bharali to install these new machines. Bharali have recently developed a red cardamom dryer for the Spice Board of India, and a seed extractor for bananas for Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology.
For a cause
Despite his clients which consist of government bodies and research institutes, Bharali spends some of his time working for the betterment of the underprivileged. Keeping with this, he has started a shelter facility in his area, as well as a feeding programme. Bharali has also developed a number of machines for the differently-abled which helps them enhance their quality of life. Apart from being an innovator, he is a guest lecturer at a number of colleges and universities in Assam and all across India. A winner of many awards and recognitions, Bharali is far from retiring as his quest for knowledge and innovation is helping in bettering the society.
-Dr Shobha Tawde
Team ScienceNow Digital
