ALAPPUZHA (KERALA): A 38-year-old college dropout from here credited with the invention of more than 10 electronic devices will be attending the National Innovation Foundation’s exhibition in New Delhi as a special invitee of President Pranab Mukherjee.
Rishikesh C S who dropped out of studies while doing his pre-degree course, was selected for the honour after the National Innovation Foundation selected a wireless device developed by him to sense electrical energy. The device, that enhances the safety of workers dealing with maintenance of high-voltage power cables, will be showcased at the exhibition which will open at the Rashtrapathi Bhawan premises on March 7.
The NIF, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, is an initiative to strengthen the grassroots technological innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge.
Rishikesh, who will travel to Delhi on Wednesday, said he began independent research after reading electronic books. “I started experimenting at the age of 13 and have developed more than 10 devices which help reduce various types of accidents including those at work places,” he said.
NIF invited him for a presentation in December after Rishikesh applied for the innovation award. “I visited Gujarat and explained the functioning of the device. Later a team from the NIF visited Muhamma to check my claims,” he said.
Rishikesh said he started working on the device after Joseph, an employee of the Kerala State Electricity Board was electrocuted while working on 11 KV line in his village.
The device with a loop antenna, even when kept at a distance of 10 metre, will blink if the 11 KV line is live. Several workers of KSEB had died while attempting to repair 11 KV lines because they had no way of knowing if the lines were charged.