Cotton Innovation Shines in Southern India
July 26, 2022 Innovation is needed in developing sustainable advanced products from cotton. Engineering institutes are focusing on entrepreneurship development, which is a welcoming sign.
During a recent function to inaugurate the “Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development” cell at RVS College of Engineering in Dindigul, India, the importance of translating ideas to reality was emphasized.
Dindigul region is an important cotton spinning region in the State of Tamil Nadu with about 800 cotton spinning mills.
I had the opportunity to lecture to about 100 people in the audience regarding the need to work on ideas that will help society, such as using sustainable materials.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Binod Badhri, Advisor for the RVS Group of Institutions, emphasized the importance of the innovation pipeline in higher education institutions. Researchers from the institution exhibited products that came out of their research such as cotton-bamboo sanitary napkins, cotton oil seed crusher, and a method to automatically inflate tires, among others.
A student displays products made from cotton+bamboo during a recent innovation event in India. (Photo: Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar)
“Entrepreneurship education should be part of the curriculum in higher education institutes, which will help many to be job creators,” stated Dr. Vaidyanathan Krishnakumar, Director, RVS Group of Institutions.
My lecture promoted the value-added applications of cotton such as cotton-layered face masks and oil absorbents using mini demonstrations. Natural fibers like cotton, bamboo, and their blends can be used to develop advanced products like conveyor belts, medical pads, toxic chemical absorbents, and more, which was evident from the many products displayed at the exhibition at the institute.
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