INVENTOR
WHO DESIGNED SHOCK ABSORBERS FOR BICYCLES
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| Paramu, Kanjirathumukkil House, Thevalakkara, Chavara, Kollam 690524 |
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The unsung hero who designed shock absorbers for bicycles, three-wheeled cycles for handicapped and portable golf carrier lives a retired life at Kanjirathumukkil House, Thevalakkara, Chavara, Kollam. Paramu (88) had made these inventions while working in the army workshop at Bangalore.
His
bicycle had shock absorbers for both wheels. It had a special kind of
brake with the brake cables concealed.
Citation from Nobel Laureate C.V.Raman is a measure of the
ingenuity of this design.
His
next major invention – tricycle for handicapped
- was based on the need of suffering soldiers.
Using two levers held by hands this vehicle could be controlled.
However,
the work about which this 7th standard dropout is proud is the
invention of a machine to manufacture engine sleeves.
Till then the sleeves were made one by one with much effort.
His machine could manufacture 8 sleeves simultaneously.
Honours
followed soon. The Defence
Minister V.K.Krishna Menon was the first to applaud the effort.
Field Marshal General Kariappa visited his workshop and presented
him a gold medal and a cash award of Rs.100.
Bharat Ratna Visweswarayya too praised Paramu’s efforts.
Even
after retirement from service in 1977 he hasn’t stopped tinkering with
ideas. Stool with shock
absorber, a tea table that could double up as a box, movable camera-stand
for studios etc are some of the inventions of his twilight years.
Courtesy: Zakir Hussain (text), Shihab (photo), Sree, Malayala Manorama, June 16, 2002
Contributed by: Administrator
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