Manipal, April 28, 2020: Amidst the widespread COVID 19 crisis worldwide , Simar Sharma 3^rd year biotechnology student from Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) at MAHE has brought about a ray of hope to the under privileged. Simar has prepared and distributed hand sanitisers to daily wageworkers, vegetable/ fish vendors, quarantine homes and people living in the slums, who do not have access to proper hygiene / cannot afford to buy the expensive sanitisers and also cannot wash their hands frequently.

While under the confines of a lockdown, Ms Simar Sharma realized the gravity of the situation during these unprecedented times, which has inflicted havoc in all our lives. She decided to make her contribution amidst the difficult times and came up with a simple yet practical solution of producing hand sanitizers at home using a combination of Iso-Propyl Alcohol, Glycerol, Essential Oils and water.Ms Simar Sharma has successfully made 150 bottles of sanitizers at home while adhering to the safety standards set by WHO. The sanitisers are 80% alcohol based and have been prepared with utmost care and precaution.

Sharing insights on her endeavour Ms. Simar Sharma said,“With constant support from my professors and friend who helped me in gathering all the required materials I managed to achieve the task. Infact donations from across various parts of the country are pouring in and that has motivated me to produce three more batches of sanitisers, which would be approximately 600 litres. I have collaborated with thepolice to distribute these in marketplaces and slums where this is needed the most, and with the help of donations, I have already ordered chemicals and bottles for my second batch. It gives me immense joy to see how we all are collaborating in our own ways to fight this crisis and really grateful to MIT for lending their support for this nobel cause.”

She further added, “My friends, who have belief in my activity, have contributed their pocket money to this noble cause through digital payment modes. To scale up, when I collect money from society, I become accountable to the money collected. I must bring enough confidence in them that the money collected is being utilized for the cause and there is transparency . Apart from undergoing regular classes through online mode, I am trying to use my learning inside the class into actual use and utilize available free time optimally. At the end, this is what an engineering graduate is expected to do. I am learning life lessons through this initiative. I would like to urge my fellow classmates to use their engineering skills and contribute to the society during these unprecedented times.”

However, Simar is aware of the challenges in scaling up the initiative, as it requires more money and work force. Recruiting staff for handling additional job, taking care of their health and hygiene will be a challenge during this lockdown. 

Sharing his views on this thoughtful initiative, Dr. D Srikanth Rao, Director, Manipal Institute of Technology said, “We at the Manipal Institute of Technology strive to build an accepting environment to foster creativity and out of the box thinking among our students. Our incubation centre has always encouraged our students to think for themselves and the betterment of the society. We are extremely proud of Ms Simar Sharma’s innovative approach and dedication towards helping our fellow countrymen. It brings us great joy to see our students practise the principles that we preach in real life and bring glory to the Institute.”

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