
Sri Chintakindi Mallesham |
Village Sarajipet |
Mandal Aler |
Dist. Nalgonda |
|
Sri
Mallesham comes from a poor weaver family. He had to
discontinue studies after 6th class and started assisting
elders in handloom weaving. While practicing the family
tradition of weaving Pochampaly silk sarees, Mallesham
passed 7th class privately and attempted 10th class also,
which he passed it in 3rd attempt.
In weaving Pochampally tradition of silk sarees, the silk
thread has to be spread on a pattern for subsequent drawing
of designs and thereafter for tyeing and dyeing. The process
of asu is conventionally done manually by ladies of weaver
families and it takes almost five laborious hours for one
saree. In a day a lady could only do for two sarees which
takes away ten hours of day light and a severe pain in the
shoulder as she had to take the thread around studs for 9000
times over a length of one meter. He was concerned about the
mother’s pain and also the rate of production due to this
asu process. He was determined to automate the asu process.
It took him three long years to make such device. He
suffered the ridicule of family members, friends and
relatives. He worked as a daily wage earner in Hyderabad to
earn money for developing his idea. The Asu machine
developed by Mallesham is very impressive and brought
happiness and cheers for the families of weavers especially
their women. It can make five patterns in a day without an
attendant. Women can now spend ten day light hours usefully
in taking care of the family or doing something else which
fetches additional income to the family.
He redesigned the machine with electronic subassemblies but
maintained the same price for the last five years. Mallesham
sold almost 300 machines so far, and the demand is for
almost 10000 more. Already his machines are there in
Nalgonda, Warangal districts and contract district of Orissa.
Central Silk Board is considering subsidy for the buyers of
this machine as it enhances the productivity and State Bank
of Hyderabad has consented to extend loans to them. A
proposal for financial support for manufacture of Laxmi Asu
machine is under consideration of TePP, DSIR. |