HYDERABAD: Proving that only rural innovators will solve the real problems of Indian people, Siva Kumar Modha, 42, has devised two inventions meant to reduce the time, physical toil and investment of weavers while ensuring a standard quality of production each time. His first innovation was an electronic jacquard machine for handlooms, which is aimed at reducing the recurring cost of punch cards. Explaining the process, Siva Kumar, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, tells TNIE, “For a two sq-inch design on a saree, about 300 punch cards, each costing `9, is required. For more intricate designs, weavers may need to buy as many as 15,000 punch cards, which will entail a major investment.”
In a traditional Jacquard loom, the punch cards help create a sequence of pattern, thereby making a design and a saree usually takes 15 days (eight hours per day) to be produced manually. However, Siva Kumar remained determined to resolve the issue. “I started the project in 2002. After I completed my graduation, I learnt loom (maggam) work for two years and understood the entire process. It was only in 2018 that I was able to come up with a working model and applied for a patent,” he adds.
“However, with this machine, weavers can upload the desired design through a USB drive and the machine will take care of the output. The entire Jacquard machine works on a 3.7V Li-ion battery with a backup of more than 12 hours. There will not be any limitation on the size of the design either. So, it helps in reducing the investment and waiting time for the weavers,” Siva Kumar mentions.
Stress on weavers
His second innovation is a pedal-operated machine aimed at reducing the toil that a weaver has to go through.“Weavers usually undergo a lot of physical stress and a number of weavers suffer from knee issues and lose their means of livelihood as they can’t continue in the profession,” says Siva Kumar, adding that their knees have to support a load of 20 to 45 kg on a regular basis.
“I initially designed this product for a weaver who had lost his legs in an accident. He has been able to earn a steady income with the help of this product. With the motorised machine, the stress on the knees will be reduced to a large extent, and weavers can just pedal while the machine will generate the necessary energy. This machine encourages the young to take up this occupation without any fear,” Siva Kumar mentions.
“The Pochampally Cooperative Urban Bank has recognised my work and provided loans at nominal interest rates to the weavers to buy these pedal machines. These machines are now being exported to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and even to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh,” he adds.His innovations have been recognised by the Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC) and supported by Palle Srujana since 2018.