Chandrapur homemaker develops first bamboo QR code in country

Nagpur: After hitting London streets with her bamboo rakhis, a homemaker from a Chandrapur slum, Meenakshi Walke (29), has added another feather to her cap by designing and testing the first bamboo QR code. This is perhaps the first time in the country a QR code made out of bamboo has been developed.
A QR code is a scannable barcode encoded with data. TOI had in July reported how rakhis and friendship bands made completely out of bamboo by Walke were in demand abroad. After turning into an entrepreneur by preparing at least 50 types of creative bamboo artifacts, she has designed a bamboo QR code. Earlier, such codes have been developed in China.
“For people, it may look a simple thing, but for artists like me, it can be a good alternative to QR codes made out of non-eco-friendly plastic. It also reflects traditional skills and values art,” said Walke.
Sharing her experience on making the QR code, Walke said, “Our small-time business of selling bamboo articles took a big hit during Covid-19 and family was reeling under financial crisis when a businessman asked us whether a QR code can be made out of bamboo.”
“I accepted the challenge. But two months ago, when I started to work on it, I was sceptical whether the technique would work on bamboo or not. I prepared the first model in two days. The model is 15cm high and 8cm wide with a thickness of 5mm. The QR code is easy to handle and durable,” she said.
The bamboo QR code by Walke has caught global attention. Susanne Lucas of the World Bamboo Organization said, “It is an excellent innovation. We should move away from plastics as recycling plastic is very energy-dependent and wastes precious water. I will see how she can be supported.”
Walke even won accolades from globally known bamboo artist Ivan Platas. “I liked the idea and its results. We are procuring a laser machine soon and will try to make such QR codes,” he told Walke.
Walke provides direct and indirect employment to many women in the slum, known as Bengali Camp, in Chandrapur for making bamboo articles. She was conferred the National Nari Shakti Award-2018 for her start-up venture. In 2019, she was also felicitated by Burad community women, who are traditional bamboo craftsmen, for her contribution. In 2021, on World Women’s Day, the Indo-Canadian Art & Culture Society presented her the ‘Woman Hero Award’ virtually.
Looking at her bamboo art, Walke was also approached in 2019 by a global beauty pageant contest organizer, requesting her to make beauty crowns for winners. These bamboo crowns were applauded by one and all.