Device Helps Physically Challenged Block Print - Banagluru

Summary: That’s how the idea for the Assistive Block Printing Device for the physically challenged, which can be used in the traditional art, was born. We want to ensure that they have job satisfaction.” This device also helps greatly in training newbies in block printing. Wood block printing on textiles is the process of printing patterns by means of incised wood blocks. “As part of our work with the local artisans around the country, we came across challenges faced by block printing artisans at the HHH, mostly leprosy patients and burn victims. It makes the whole process less labour intensive, thereby attracting more people to take up block printing as a sustainable employment option.

With a background in textile designing and working with tribal artisans of Northeast India for over a decade, Smitha Murthy founded The ANTS (Action Northeast Trust) Craft in Indiranagar. Murthy along with CEO of The Ants Craft, Sridhar Srigiriraju, works on development issues and showcasing the handlooms and crafts, mainly of the Northeast. Though their focus has primarily been on making these artisans self-sufficient, providing designs and helping them market their products, their experience with block printing artisans at the Hubli Hospital for Handicapped (HHH), made them take on a bigger task. “As part of our work with the local artisans around the country, we came across challenges faced by block printing artisans at the HHH, mostly leprosy patients and burn victims. We realised that their lack of precision and poor grip due to deformity of hands and weight of or pressure on the block was affecting their productivity. 

Deliveries were becoming a problem and we couldn’t really put any pressure on them to meet the demand,” says Murthy. That’s how the idea for the Assistive Block Printing Device for the physically challenged, which can be used in the traditional art, was born. They were are working with the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva), which aims to create affordable assistive devices and sustainable livelihoods for the physically challenged in rural areas. While Murthy along with Srigururaju presented their idea at the ICRC’s ‘Enable Makethon’ campaign, techie Prabhu Govindarajan, student/entrepreneur Abhinav Dey and CEO Nitin Bawsay came on board with their individual skillsets to turn this idea into reality.




Source: NYOOOZ ,13th April 2016