The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Model banana fibre: Tuticorin engineer’s feat

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Monday, Jan 28, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Model banana fibre: Tuticorin engineer’s feat

R. Vimal Kumar

Tuticorin: K. Murugan, native of Tuticorin, who developed a model banana fibre separator a year ago, has found a place in the latest issue of ‘Creative India booklet’ brought out by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology in connection with the 95th Indian Science Congress.

Previous awards

The young engineer, who runs a business in the heart of the town, was earlier awarded ‘L-Ramp Award of Excellence-2006’ instituted by Lemelson Foundation, U.S., and Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, for developing the gadget.

“Good quality”

The Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology in Mumbai, functioning under the ambit of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, which put the instrument to test, had in its report stated that fibres produced out of it were uniform and overall quality of fibres extracted were ‘good’.

Value-additive features

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Murugan said that the instrument gave value-addition to banana growers by making silk yarn from banana pseudo stem, which is usually discarded as waste.

He said average linear density of fibres produced from the equipment was 37 gm/text.

Awaiting patent

According to him, he has been awaiting full-fledged patent for the instrument from Intellectual Property of India.

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