Mangaluru : AU Nachiketh Kumar, a student of Indraprastha PU College in Uppinangady, invented rubber sheets from a bilimbi fruit. Kumar was presented the Bal Shakti Puraskar award by the President of India for his invention, a sustainable and environmentally friendly substitute for latex.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised a student, while bringing focus on the humble bilimbi (tree sorrel), which dots most backyards of houses in Dakshina Kannada district.
“Innovative Yuva Shakti! A U Nachiketh Kumar prepared standard rubber sheets from a fruit named Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi) as a sustainable and environment friendly substitute for rubber latex created from formic acid by farmers. Best wishes to him for his future endeavours,” Modi tweeted.
A thrilled Kumar said: “It’s an unforgettable day in my life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent an hour with all Bal Puraskar awardees. He asked us to think on the country’s development.”
Nachiketh and classmate Aman KA, who hail from a family which owns rubber plantations, had invented the substitute while studying in high school. In 2017, the duo helped India win a silver medal at the International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering and Environmental Project (ISWEEP), the world’s largest science fair. Their product was judged in the environment category.
The idea for this unique product had popped in their minds when their families faced a shortage of formic acid.
His father, UL Udayakumar, is a journalist and mother Vinaya a homemaker. “I am happy about my son’s achievement. He was very active and innovative from his school days,” said Udayakumar.