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| Prasannakumar, Laxmi Electronics Designs, Indira Road, Edappally, Kochi |
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At the age of 35, Prasannakumar realized with a shock that his world was becoming dark. An Assistant Manager in Keltron, he had led a bright existence in the workplace and now it was going to be over. Creeping blindness was smothering his effort to lead a relevant and useful life.
A post graduate in Electronics from CUSAT, Kochi, he had joined Keltron with a cadre promotion in 1981. Realizing his caliber, the company made him the team leader to install the Distributed Digital Control System at Vizag Steel Plant. Prasannakumar underwent training in UK and led the team of 8 engineers to complete the task.
Later he initiated a scheme whereby project guidance could be given to engineering students. Hundreds of students benefited from the scheme. In the midst of these activities, he did not realize the slow onset of blindness. The British doctors diagnosed it as nervous degeneration.
After a thoroughly unsuccessful operation at Chennai, he was in introspection for a year. Back at work, he developed Global Security System, as well as cost effective pH and conductivity analyzer. But unluckily, though many appreciated their technicalities, further encouragement wasn’t forthcoming. It was this rejection that hurt him more than the blindness.
In 1999, he opted for VRS and retired from the company. As he sat at home, the students, who were once beneficiaries of his project guidance programme, started coming to him. They needed his practical knowledge. And thus began the second life of Prasannakumar.
Since then he has guided more than 600 students and developed 50 projects for them. He develops software using PC and scans journals and papers to read them. His first product, e-Nose, leak detection system for domestic LPG, will be launched soon, in a house to house campaign mode. He has sought a loan for his tiny 4-worker home unit manufacturing it.
Courtesy:
Santhosh John Thooval,
Sree, Malayala Manorama,
July 17, 2005
Contributed by: Administrator
