Used refills bring world monuments to life

Elsewhere used pen refills might have little or no use. But here they have become raw materials to recreate landmark structures of the country and abroad including Taj Mahal and Charminar. It is a creation of the deft hands of a software professional from Bengaluru.

M R Sreenivasalu, a techie, has put on display nine such creations at ‘Pride of India,’ an exhibition organised as a part of the ongoing 103rd edition of Indian Science Congress at Manasagangotri, University of Mysore.

It is not just a passion for art, but also Sreenivasulu’s concern for nature that turned refills into artefacts. The refills made of plastic are hazardous to nature, which if dumped will certainly pose a threat, says Sreenivasulu.

The artefacts also include Big-Ben Clock, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Gateway of India, Seattle Space Needle and Sydney Harbour Bridge. In all eight kg of pen refills have been used to create attractive monuments.

Sreenivasalu was 15, when he developed a hobby of making miniature house models using invitation cards. In the later years, he decided to make use of waste pen refills.

As a part of 'Say No to Plastic' programme, which he regularly organises to create awareness on global warming in schools and colleges, he set up an used pen refill collection boxes at the institutions in Bengaluru, Andhra Pradesh and other places. It turned out to be the source of raw materials for him to pursue his art. He started creating miniature structures out of pen refills in 2007. The miniature of 'Eiffel Tower' was his maiden artefact. It took him eight months to recreate the tower from 200 refills.

“The monuments are amazing. It shows the way of utilising waste materials into attractive useful items. These works are worthy in foreign countries,” said Prof M V Bhaskara Rao, a former scientist of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Not only scientist, even school and college going students too, were all thrilled to witness such a wonderful works.

“Apart from studies, these works make us to think out of box and more innovative things,” says Shishira A S Rao, a PU student of Jnanaodaya PU College. Another student, N G Nikitha says, the concept helps to produce ‘best out of waste’ and simple methods to decorate interiors of the house.

Interestingly, his work on ‘Taj Mahal’ from 700 used pen has made an entry into ‘India Book of Records’ in the year 2012. His miniature structure works are being published in social media by various groups and organisations.