Why would somebody design a tractor that is driven like a bullock? Instead of using reins, there are two joysticks to turn, accelerate or stop left and right wheels independently. The very idea of doing away with the steering wheel would not even occur to most automobile designers. But, Bachubhai Savajibhai Thesia is no ordinary designer. He is 10th pass,self-taught inventor and innovator, and engaged in designing different devices. He lives in village Kalavad, 30 km, away from Jamnagar having several provision stores and also blacksmith workshops.
The motorcycle on which he came to receive us on the road is actually not just a motorcycle. Even that he uses for ploughing and interculture. In this case he has taken the cues from others.Modifying existing designs of products to make them more useful for fellow farmers is his obsession. A bulb with a small circuit and the name of the owner inside it is one such product.But then there are a whole range of applications for irrigation, electricity testing, peeling the chickpea pods from the plants, multi purpose pump to cut iron, lift water, grind flour and do several other operations,which we sawin his house.Fifty-seven years of his life, he has carried himself very lightly but has always been brimming w i t h ideas. He saw new opportunities in what appeared to us like junk, spread all over his house. He kept on showing us one after another innovations of his, some 20 or 30 years old and some very recent. |
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