Journalism of Courage
One is familiar with the multitude of snacks that used to always satiate those hunger pangs during one’s growing up years. The traditional method of deep-frying remains the most popular way to churn out the all-time favourites like pakoda and vada. Four final-year Mechanical Engineering students of Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (VIT) have come up with an innovative concept an automated onion pakoda making machine,as a part of their project.
The students,Tushar Salunkhe,Pramod Sargar,Vrushali Pawar and Mrunmayee Phadnis began working on this project a year ago during their vacations,with support from their guide,Prof Dr K Sundaram. “The idea was to help provide Indian snacks a position along side their foreign counterparts by making use of modern sophisticated machinery and a high degree of automation. The sole focus was to combine this with the tastes and preferences of the common man,” says Salunkhe. The machine was conceptualised with four modules – onion cutting,quantity of input ingredients,batter mixing and frying – and each module was designed,tested and implemented after detailed study and research by the students. Relevant feedback and pointers were provided by their guide.
To make sure that the taste and the texture of the final product does not change due to automation of the process,stainless steel components were used in the making of the machine. The cost of making the machine came up to Rs 12,000 and was borne by the students themselves. The machine will run on AC power supply. Prof Sundaram also assisted the students by helping them get the necessary resources as and when required.
To assess the practicality of such an endeavour,onion pakoda makers were approached and sought feedback from. Some marketing strategies was also given by Mr Dangat,CMD of SV group of industries of food machinery. When the prototype machine was ready,it was tried in the college canteen on a trial basis and the response from the faculty,staff and students was very encouraging. This boosted the confidence of these four youngsters and plans are afoot to start commercial sale of the machine after some more modifications. Portability is the next step that is being worked on and patenting of the product will also be done in the time to come.
