IIT-Madras gives its touch to microwaveable clay products from Tiruvallur

CHENNAI: To help potters in the State earn more from their business, IIT-Madras has set up a common facility centre at Perumudivakkam village of Tiruvallur district, where they are taught to make microwaveable clay products.

Many traditional potters’ families live below the poverty line. To increase the income of these artisans, modern machinery needs to be introduced alongside additional skill and product training, said an IIT-M statement.

The common facility centre has been set up with funding from the Southern Region Pipelines Division of Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Centre for Social Development, a Nagercoil-based non-governmental organisation. Here, traditional potters are trained to make diversified microwaveable clay products, artistic products, cooking utensils and storage containers, which have a higher market value. The Common Facility Centre envisages a three to four-fold increase in potters’ income.

IIT-M has collaborated with Central Glass and Ceramic Institute, Kolkata, to leverage technology while the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) of IIT-M is implementing the project.

Abhijit P Deshpande, Professor-in-Charge, RuTAG, said, “Technology development within an institute has to be followed up with a multi-stakeholder initiative. Once identified, needs can be conveyed to faculty/students to carry out further technology development.”

A total of 82 people have been trained in this facility centre so far.