The Hindu : Front Page : Student's project highlights medicinal qualities of algae

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007
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Front Page

Student's project highlights medicinal qualities of algae

Staff Reporter

BUDDING SCIENTIST: B. Nandakumar of Peerkankaranai Government Higher Secondary School. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM: The nutritive quality of common blue-green algae or `paasi' in Tamil was the focus of an award winning science project of a government school student near Tambaram.

Fourteen-year-old B. Nandakumar's project, `Single Cell Protein: algae as alternate food,' that outlined the qualities of spirulina bagged top honours at the 33rd State-level Jawaharlal Nehru Science and Maths Competition held recently in Madurai.

Son of P.K. Balasubramanian, an attendant with a doctor, and B. Lalitha Kumari, a housemaid, Nandakumar outlined not only the medicinal qualities of algae but also ways to cultivate it at home and use it as a dietary supplement. He is a student of Peerkankaranai Government Higher Secondary School.

Easy to cultivate

Spirulina spores introduced in fresh water attain full growth in three months. It could then be harvested, dried and used in different food items.

The algae used in some Siddha drugs and popular in Asian nations had high fibre supplement that could benefit diabetics, Nandakumar said. It helped in prevention of diseases involving protein deficiency in children.

Nandakumar's guide Prema Joseph said he had received the `Thulir Vignyani' (young scientist) award for his project on information technology and communication at a district-level meet held in Chengalpattu last year.

P. Rani, school Headmistress said Nandakumar was interested in the practical applications of science. The boy would leave for Bangalore to compete in a South Zone meet.

The school's Parent-Teacher Association is funding his trip.

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