Tezpur University bags GYTI Award for third consecutive year

A Correspondent

Tezpur: Tezpur University accomplished a rare hattrick of different sorts by bagging the prestigious Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Awards for the third consecutive year. The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the student trio of Saurav Jyoti Sarma, Abhijit Nath and Chandeep S. Gogoi of Tezpur University the award for the year 2019 at a function organized by the Department of Biotechnology in New Delhi on Saturday.

GYTI awards are presented to innovative student projects in engineering, biotechnology, agriculture, pharmacy, material science and other applied technological domains every year.

The award was presented to the three students of Department of Mechanical Engineering for developing a pani puri vending machine that produces pani puri faster and in a hygienic manner. The students initiated this work as part of their B.Tech project. The idea behind this invention was to prepare hygienic pani puri quickly and make it available to the consumers, as per their choice.

This pani puri vending machine works as a single unit but has various subunits for storing items like hollow bread, different types of stuffings, various types of flavoured water and sauces. An interface unit (OLED screen) allows customers to choose appropriate option with guided instruction for transaction. Lesser space requirement makes it easy choice for installation in places like malls, restaurants, luxury hotels and airports. This machine is believed to promote acceptability and ensure availability of this Indian snack across the world.

The students, with the help of Tezpur University Intellectual Property Rights Cell (TUIPR), have also applied for patent of the product. The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Dr. R.A Mashelkar, chairman of BIRAC SITARE, Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) programme, Dr Renu Swarup, secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and Prof Anil K Gupta, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow and Founder Honey Bee Network, were also present on the occasion.

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