Nominated for the Eco Oscars, this 14 year old is already a Winner with an Astonishing Idea for Press Wallahs!

Vinisha Umashankar is another 14-year-old. Yes and No. A regular teenager who has invented a solar cart which powers the ‘Press’ that can be used by Press wallahs all around. She is one of India’s youngest green inventors who came up with this idea and which has the potential not only to save tonnes of charcoal but also the trees which are cut down to make charcoal. This 14 year old from Tiruvannamali in Tamil Nadu is the brain behind such a revolutionary idea which can save us from the escalating pollution. Also, the lakhs of press wallahs who bear hazardous smoke as well as heat can benefit enormously from this “Solar Press Cart.”

Vinisha’s idea has won the international award Children’s Climate Prize as well as the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE award. Vinisha’s ironing cart has been chosen for the Earthshot Prize 2021, also known as ‘Eco Oscars’. The awards were started by Created by the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William back in 2019, to honour people playing a part in sustainable development and 5 such people have been chosen out of which Vinisha stands tall as the creator of this winning idea,

Vinisha conceived the idea a few years ago when she observed a press wala dousing the burning embers at the end of the day. She found out how the charcoal is then thrown away as it cannot be used again. At home, Vinisha researched about the use of charcoal in the informal ironing industry, the number of trees that are cut to make charcoal and its harmful effects on the lungs of those in the trade of ironing clothes. Supported and with able guidance from her parents, Vinisha started working on the design of this cart. In 2018, she completed her solar ironing cart’s design. A group of engineers at the National Innovation Foundation in Ahmedabad helped bring her idea from the drawing table to reality a year later.

Tweaked and perfected, the ironing cart has solar panels as roof and needs five hours of sun light to be full-charged to give energy to use the iron for 6 hours without any break. The cart also has a USB charging point for phones. Vinisha wants to sell this highly eco-friendly Solar cart at affordable price so that normal press wallahs can actually start using it reaping its benefits! Vinisha your powerful idea is a sureshot Winner!