Karnataka MIT student prepares sanitisers and distributes to needy

Amid the coronavirus crisis worldwide, Simar Sharma, a third-year biotechnology student from Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) at MAHE, has brought a ray of hope to the underprivileged.

Simar has prepared and distributed hand sanitisers to daily wage workers, vegetable and fish vendors, quarantine homes and people living in the slums, who do not have access to proper hygiene or cannot afford to buy expensive sanitisers and also cannot wash their hands frequently.

While under the confines of a lockdown, Simar Sharma realised the gravity of the situation during these unprecedented times, which has inflicted havoc in all our lives. She decided to make her contribution amid the difficult times and came up with a simple yet practical solution of producing hand sanitisers at home using a combination of Iso-Propyl Alcohol, Glycerol, essential oils and water.

Simar has successfully made 150 bottles of sanitisers at home while adhering to the safety standards set by WHO. The sanitisers are 80% alcohol-based and have been prepared with the utmost care and precaution.

Simar said, “My friends have contributed their pocket money to this noble cause. To scale up, when I collect money from society, I become accountable to the money collected. I must bring enough confidence in them that the money collected is being utilised for the cause and there is transparency."

Dr D Srikanth Rao, Director, Manipal Institute of Technology, MAHE said the incubation centre has always encouraged the students to think for themselves and the betterment of the society.