Well, life is to be enjoyed and experienced with all kinds of flavors, which quite evidently should be sweet and irresistible. At the end, when eternity knocks, one can proudly declare that this life was well-lived. The pleasures of the flesh, vivid soothing dreams, and things that please the senses at every breath are dominant. An average man strives for such a life cause it is the smoothest and most immediate way of life. The majority of the people quite apparently submerge themselves in their base tendencies, and cravings thinking it to be happiness. But, this story is of a man for whom happiness held its true and pure worth.
Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan
His name is Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan, who finds the solution to a wide range of problems facing humankind in chemistry. Particularly disposal of plastic waste, which till his innovation came into light posed a perpetual threat to the environment. Dr. Vasudevan is a simple man from a humble background who believes in knowledge’s infinite power. Knowledge is why man can influence the entire planet and even beyond. He was a young man of twenty-six in 1972 when he started his career as a teacher.
Subsequently, with tenacity and sweat, he advances in his career, achieving a Ph.D. in Chemistry which fails to impress many. As he was still working in a polytechnic institute, his Ph.D. appeared to be futile. His long years in the polytechnic institute turned out to be a boon for him as it was the starting point on the path to thinking differently. Eventually, his love for chemistry manifests with the realization that the intricacies involved in the subject have applications everywhere. Thus, innovation took birth in plastic roads from the womb of passion.
The ominous issue of increasing pollution caused by non-biodegradable plastic waste became a source of immense concern for Dr. Vasudevan. He after intense research finds out that the littered indisposed plastic waste has already reached dangerous levels. Driven by the responsibility for the welfare of future generations, he began experimenting with a newfound zeal. His determination strengthened day by day to find a solution for this plastic menace.
Padamshree
After a decade of research, he successfully descends on a concrete solution. Suppose one adds the shreds of plastic waste to bitumen at a particular temperature, the material that forms increases the road’s tensile strength. It also makes the road an all-weather one, not to forget the long-lasting nature of the road. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam also honoured and blessed his innovation. He was also awarded Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s memorial award for innovation.
His innovation achieved recognition worldwide, winning him the prestigious Padma Shree in 2018. A man with a generous heart gifted his patented road-making method to the Indian government free of cost. Our honorable prime minister Narendra Modi also announced in a recently held international summit that India today has a way to utilize all the plastic waste in the world. Not even a gram of plastic will remain thus, without a single harmful effect. Dr. Vasudevan, whose smile holds the profundity of his great work, is credited with many other innovations. Corrosion-free rods and plastone blocks, to name a few.
Recognition
Famous television talk show Satyamev Jayate also showcased his research. He expresses his firm belief that a ban on plastics will have an effective and positive outcome only with the growth of the plastics industry. He has also become a sensation in the media world and among young innovators. His friends, colleagues, and the all-illumining Bhagavad Gita play an integral role in his day-to-day life. He says the journey wouldn’t have been in the way the world knows today without them. The government has already built 16,000 km in Tamil Nadu and 8,500 km across India using his method of road-making. Even marine life will benefit in the future as 1 Lakh marine mammals are killed every year because of the disposal of plastic waste in the oceans.
-Rajshahi Bhattacharya
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