An interview with Uddhab Bharali
Ever
since his first innovation in 1988, there has been no looking back for
Uddhab Bharali, serial innovator and social entrepreneur. He has
innovated 98 engineering devices so far for various purposes and has
100s of assignments in the pipeline.
He is also the winner of various prestigious awards including the
‘President’s award for innovation in 2009’ , ‘Shristi Samman – master
innovator award’ by NIF-India on 2007 and is also the recipient of the
‘Meritorious Invention award 2010’, from the Department of Science and
Technology, Government of India.
In
a discussion with the editorial board of Friends, about his journey so
far and future plans, Uddhab Bharali talks to Dibyajyoti Sharma and
Rupkamal Sarma.
1.
Though many of your innovations have other commercial applications, it
seems most of the machines you have built have agricultural uses,
including the mini CTC tea plant you have developed. Is it a conscious
decision to develop machinery to help in agriculture or agro-based
industries, or it just happens? I ask this question because Assam has
more potential for agri-based industries than other ventures.
2. As far as I understand, your first innovation was building a
polythene film-making unit. As the machinery available in the market was
expensive, you decided to make your own unit at a cheaper cost, and you
succeeded. It seems making machines, which the common man can afford to
use and profit from it, is one of the major goals of your innovations.
Isn’t it? Do tell us more about it.
UKB:
(Questions 1 and 2 combined) Yes as you said, it is a conscious
decision to develop machinery that benefits the poorer sections of the
society. It’s not only about agriculture based machinery but it could be
anything that makes life easier for those in need. My innovations are
meant to help people in need. I have come from very difficult
circumstances. I used to skip meals and sleep on an empty stomach at
times or borrow food to eat. Thus, I feel my innovations should mean
sometime to the sections of society so that people can have something
even out of nothing. Let me illustrate - Coconuts are sold in the
market and there are coconut trees in almost every rural household in
Assam but the coconut leaves are not put to use. If you start making
brooms tomorrow at home using a low cost machine that makes your work
easy you will get more income from selling those brooms than you get
from the coconuts. It will add to your income from the coconuts. Thus,
this is the benefit of innovation for the common man.
3/4
3.
Though you strive to build cost-effective machines, cost still remains a
major factor. Where do you get your raw material? Where do you build
the machines? Where do you test? How does the whole research and development
process work?
4.
As far as we know, you have an organization, UKB Agrotech, for research
and development. Can you tell us about the facility – infrastructure,
workforce and so on? Do you work alone or there are assistants to help
you?
UKB
(Questions 3 and 4 combined): Yes cost of materials can be expensive
but if you do not get materials make the design simple. That will cut
down the costs of manufacturing. I use materials that are locally
available because the idea is to keep the costs down and keep production
to such a level that might be sufficient for individuals but not
adequate for mass commercial consumption.
Machines
are usually built at UKB Agrotech machine designing research center.
Depending on the specifics of the machine, nowadays, the different parts
are manufactured by different people in my home district only to whom
this work is outsourced. These parts are then sent to UKB Agrotech
where the parts are assembled to build the final product.
The
UKB Agrotech is the only machine designing research center in India
where I have trained staff under me who work exclusively for UKB
Agrotech. Currently there are nine people working with me.
5.
Can you tell us about the business aspect of your innovations? How do
you actually go about marketing and commercialising your innovation?
Tell us the process.
UKB:
I am not interested in large scale commercialisation of my innovations
and since my main focus is the needy sections of the people. Private
parties interested in my innovations get in touch with me and they take
care of the marketing and commercialising. I like to focus on the
research and development part of the innovation.
6.
Your innovations include as many as 98 innovations for use in
agriculture and for commercial purposes. Do you have patents for these
innovations? Have you taken any special measures to protect the rights of your
innovations?
UKB:
All of my innovations are registered with the National Innovation
Foundation, which is an autonomous body of the Department of science and
technology, Government of India which in essence is
