COIMBATORE: Cricketer Dwayne Bravo may soon arrange for the production of low-cost sanitary napkins for women in Trinidad and Tobago, a twin island country of the West Indies.
Chennai Super Kings allrounder Bravo on Wednesday met Arunachalam Muruganantham, a Padma Shri recipient known for introducing affordable sanitary napkins in the market.
It was during the recently held IPL that Bravo came to know about the work of Muruganantham and expressed his wish to meet him.
After Bravo's managers confirmed the address of 'Padman' Muruganantham in Coimbatore, the 35-year-old cricketer came all the way from Trinidad and Tobago for a meeting at KNG Pudur here.
During the discussion, Bravo said many school girls in his country do not show up for classes during their periods, adding that awareness on menstrual hygiene was much-needed there.
Muruganantham assured that he would send an indigenous low-cost sanitary napkin manufacturing machine to Trinidad. The shipping cost from Coimbatore to the destination would be borne by Bravo but the machine comes free of cost.
Muruganantham said it might take a month and a half to get his machine delivered to Bravo, whereas the device would be ready within 10 days.
"Cricketer Bravo saw the working of my device and said he wanted one for his country. He also made two napkins after carefully learning the steps. It was a wonder to meet Mr Bravo because the only cricketer I knew was Sachin (laughs)," Muruganantham told TNIE.
Further, Bravo himself will be the brand ambassador to spread awareness in his country for this cause. Once Muruganantham's machine starts operating in Trinidad and Tobago, the total tally of countries using his device would rise to 27.
"Besides his busy cricket schedule, Bravo's visit here proves that menstrual awareness is the need of the hour," Muruganantham added.