- Share your Educational and Professional Journey
I started my career in 1980 with Bombay Dyeing and Mfg. After Cotton Terry weaving Technology Course from 1984 from Silk and Art Silk Mills Research Association. From 2007 onwards, I was with Textile Education & Research at Center for Textiles NMIMS Deemed to be University. My last 12 years were devoted to Industry-Institute interaction leading to the education of Technical personnel to develop practical competency in Textile production, planning, maintenance and other allied activities. Training in Textile manufacturing processes such as Spinning, weaving, knitting. chemical processing and garmenting, etc.
The main focus was to bridge the gap between Industry and Education by Industry participation in education. The advantage of the this education system developed, was to train technical personnel in the available Technology in Textile Industries. So, technical graduates are ready for work from the day one on the production floor. Industry Training component is reduced to a minimum. Further, each technical personnel is given one project that is useful to a Industry. The project taken up by Technical graduates must be leading to solutions for the production problems in the Corporate Textile Industry. This, leading to publication in important refereed Textile Journals. The education system developed at CTF NMIMS Deemed to be university is unique in that, it selects rural students with poor background leading to 100 % placement in the Textile Industry. Curriculum for DTT B.Tech is such that students spend 60% of their time on the modern production floor. These students, if given basic necessities of life will work for the textile production units continuously and will not look elsewhere and are an asset to the production unit.
- Being an Educationist, your interaction and life in the Industry
I am proud of my professional career in Textile Industry, education and research. This was possible due to the guidance by dedicated and senior Mentors in the Textile Industry viz Bombay Dyeing, Mr. M. Srinivasan, Ex-CEO; Mr. R. H. Bengeri, Ex- CEO; Silk Research Dr. T. H. Somashekar, Director Rtd., CSTRI; Mr. D. Mahadevappa, Additional Director Rtd. DOS GOK, Dr Rajan Saxena, Ex-VC NMIMS Deemed to be University; Mr. M. S. Anjane, Executive Director Rtd. PSSGL; Prof. H. V. Sreenivasmurthy, VJTI; Mr. K. H. Gopal, HR President Alok industries and Mr. Updeep Singh, HR President Welspun. These are few leaders from the textile industries, who helped me give shape to unique education system to provide employable programs with Textile industry by participation in Education. Hence, it was possible to initiate Research in the Textile Industry by Textile undergraduates. Curriculum must be built in such a way that, in addition to regular teachers teaching, Textile Industry seniors also guide and monitor graduates for Industry useful projects.
- As a Mentor, what capabilities would you choose in your Ph.D students?
We select students for innovative work in Textiles like, to improve quality, enhance productivity, to offer new technology, to produce eco-friendly sustainable technology. Optimum utilisation of the technology has to be taught to each technical personnel.
- How has the industry evolved In the last few years ?
The Indian textile industry is one the most important industries for the Indian economy. Its importance is underlined by the fact that it accounts for around 4% of GDP, 14% of the industrial production and 17% of the country’s total export earnings. Besides, the sector employs nearly 35 mn employees; the textile industry is the second-largest employment generating industry in both rural and urban areas, after the agriculture industry. The vast pool of skilled and unskilled workers, availability of labour at low cost, strong base for production of raw materials characterize the textile industry in India. The increase in domestic demand and ability of the units in the industry to process small or customized orders are some of the advantages for the textile industry in India. The textile sector is highly diverse and has hand-spun and hand-woven segments at one end of the spectrum and capital-intensive, sophisticated and modern mills at the other. The textile industry is vertically-integrated across the value chain and extends from fiber to fabric to garments.
Industry is modernising rapidly in all segments of textile processes such as Spinning, Weaving, Knitting, Chemical processing and Garment manufacturing etc. The value addition in ready-made garments made by garment manufacturers are not able to compete due automation needed in garment manufacturing. Availability of the required supply chain in the entire production circle, is one of the disadvantages in India. There is acute shortage of Technical people to work for automation of Textile Industry in the country. Technical textiles Industries has good future in the country with the support from Centre of excellence under various COE developed by ministry of Textiles.
- What are the latest trends in the industry?
Production of eco-friendly Textiles with Anti-microbial treatments for the apparel /baby care and for allied health care products is offered as Technical Textiles. Hygiene and health promotion is possible by use of textiles such as Mask, PPE KITS ,Baby wear, ladies wear etc. Thus, increased usage of Technical Textiles in various segments such as Apparel, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Auto sector /Transportation and Communication, textiles is making its way to provide an improved life style. Textile Industry in India needs automation to support large-scale quality manufacturing. There is great scope in decentralised sector, to upgrade technology and supply chain systems required for automation in India. For this, awareness program for the entrepreneurs has to be made available.
- Sustainability, Carbon footprint, Waste management, how relevant and important is it? Is it just talk of the town or any fruitful measures are taken by industry?
Sustainability, carbon foot print and waste management is essentially required for textile industry growth in the country. Textile hard waste reutilisation and recycling has to be done to protect nature. As on today systematic hard waste recycling or regeneration has to be worked out on a war footing. For example, Carbon fibre hard waste, especially from electronic goods produced by carbon composites are a problem to the entire world its production is not degradable and hence not sustainable.
- How have you personally adopted sustainability in your life?
Promotion of eco-friendly natural textiles usage, I personally practice and promote. I encourage Textile Industry participation in education to develop sustainable educational system to meet the requirements of both the stake holders. Textile Industry for its Competent Technicians requirement on the other Rural youth with basic qualification of SSC with gainful employment after 3 years of education in Textiles. This, I have done in cotton Technology Industries. I also have the educational curriculum model for Man- made Textiles, Wool and Silk industries. This education system needs support from the biggest Industry who is mother Textile Industry to employ all engineers including Textile engineers and Technologists. The need based sustainable Textile education model needs to be promoted in rural india, where the textile Industry base is being spread.
- How has COVID 19 treated you and what changes do you feel post-pandamic?
Well, COVID 19 has affected normal life of me in promoting education for employment. The entire Textile Industry stopped for few days, but now almost all Textile Industries are working to full strength. Migration of competent workers has affected normal working of the corporate textile industry. Whereas, in the decentralised sector, export orders have reduced drastically. Some technical textiles orders have substantially increased viz. masks and PPE kits. Personally for me, I got a great opportunity to work both as a Educationist and Researcher, to meet challenges in Textile Industry post-pandamic. Our priority is promotion of Technical Textiles for health and hygiene maintenance by encouraging producers of Technical Textiles with structured educational program jointly by association of Education /Textile Industry /Research Institutes, for grooming new generation entrepreneurs.
