Bill Gates tries his hand at pesticide sprayer made by startup to ease farmers' woes
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (PTI): Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has tried his hand at a new pesticide sprayer made by a startup here, creating a more handy and efficient option for farmers to help them safely cover more crops at a time.
The sprayer has been designed by local engineer Yogesh Gawande, who formed a company in 2019 to manufacture the product in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The company has so far sold more than 5,000 sprayer units and generated 100-plus direct and indirect job opportunities, as per Gawande.
Bill Gates tried his hand at operating the sprayer at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in New Delhi on March 17 in the presence of Gawande.
"I first made the sprayer as part of a project during my engineering course," Gawande said a press meet held at the Marathwada Accelerator for Growth and Incubation Council (MAGIC) office here on Wednesday.
With this sprayer, farmers do not need to carry heavy chemical tanks on their back for spraying pesticides. They can now spray chemicals over four rows of crops at the same time with this innovative device which is operated on wheels, he said.
The height of the sprayer's nozzles can be adjusted till 12-14 feet to cover large trees. The pressure of nozzles is adjustable and hence, the crop is not damaged due to the pressure, Gawande said.
"I had earlier tried to sell this sprayer on a highway near Chittepimpalgaon (Gawande's native village) at Paithan in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Subsequently, I dropped the idea to manufacture it further because though the product was applauded, it could not be converted into a business," he said.
Gawande said he later received help from MAGIC, following which he started his company.
"I have a unit now and the sprayer is sold in 22 Indian states. We have also started getting orders from African countries like Kenya and Namibia," he said.
"I am connected to the Gates Foundation. As Bill Gates came to India, my product was selected to be presented before him. He gave 5-7 minutes to us and also tried his hand at the sprayer. He asked multiple questions on the sprayer's functioning like a farmer," Gawande said.
MAGIC directors Prasad Kokil and Ashish Garde said it was a proud moment for their organisation and the city as products from here were being recognised globally.
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Udupi district set to be declared ‘fully literate’
Udupi: Udupi district is all set to be declared a “fully literate” district, marking a major milestone in its adult education drive launched last year, The New Indian Express reported.
According to officials from the Adult Education Office, declarations confirming near-total literacy have already been received from Kapu, Karkala, Hebri, Brahmavara, and Byndoor taluks. Udupi and Kundapur taluks are expected to submit their declarations shortly. Once these are received, the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) will declare Udupi a fully literate district.
As per Central government norms, a region is considered fully literate when it achieves a literacy rate of 95% or above, which is treated as equivalent to 100% literacy.
Udupi district has a total of 158 gram panchayats, all of which have submitted reports indicating near-total literacy. The final step involves consolidation of declarations by taluk panchayat executive officers (EO) and submission to the ZP Chief Executive Officer for official approval.
The achievement follows a focused initiative in which 1,246 illiterate adults were identified and enrolled in special four-month literacy courses. Conducted by the Adult Education Office, the programme used tailored learning materials to impart basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills, with participants assessed at the end of the course.
Officials said the initiative primarily benefited adults and elderly individuals who had missed formal education earlier, helping bridge literacy gaps and improve civic participation at the grassroots level.
District Adult Education Officer Yoganarasimha Swamy K M said specially designed textbooks, ‘Balige Belaku’ and ‘Savi Baraha’, which were specially designed for educating adults, were used to ensure the district becomes fully literate.
Officials said that about eight months ago, 45 out of 158 gram panchayats were yet to achieve full literacy, making the current progress a significant accomplishment.
