Mangaluru: Though the government has been creating awareness on cleanliness drive, dumping waste in public place is still rampant. Despite `Swacch Bharath` campaign being held in each and every corner of the country with a ban on using plastics, not much has changed. But, here is a woman who shows us how to handle plastic items and how waste can be turned into many useful items.
Sunanda is a senior staff nurse in the Ayush Department of Wenlock Hospital from the past several years. When there is any programme in their hospital, Sunanda prepares some flower bouquets in order to greet guests. She does not use any costly items to prepare flower bouquets, but she uses coconut leaf, betel leaf, banana leaf among others. During the recent `Ayush Day` programme in Wenlock Hospital, she prepared a flower pot using only coconut leaf. While greeting the guests to the programme, flower pots comprising jasmine, betel leaves and an arecanut, were given to the guests which was liked by one and all present.
Besides that, Sunanda prepares `goodu deepa` (Basket Lamp), artificial flowers and decorative items, using discarded plastic items, waste papers, paper cups among others. “People should think twice before throwing any waste items as they can be converted into something useful. Instead of recklessly throwing away things, we must study how best they can be utilised,” she says. She also maintains a garden in her house and grows special pooja grass and mint plant. “People should not opt for pooja grass and mint plant from outside but grow on their own”, she opines.
The inception
As Sunanda’s mother Janaki was weaving mats using palm leaves, Sunanda was inspired and she studied the same. Going one step ahead, Sunanda tried to make sweaters, embroidery items among others. When she was studying nursing course, she had emerged as a best all rounder student also.
Master of all
Sunanda born and brought up in Madikeri was an all-rounder during her school and college days. She was the captain of the hockey team in school and had secured many prizes. She was also playing throwball, javelin throw, shot put, chess, carrom board among other sports and won several medals. Sunanda had participated in the state level handicrafts competition at Shivamogga, meant for state government employees, in which she had secured second place. “Though I was selected for the national level competition, the work pressure prevented me from participating in the competition”, she says.
Sunanda’s husband Gangadhar is a retired army officer and her two sons Karthik and Keerthan are engineer graduates. “I am always grateful to my family members as they always support my hobbies”, she adds.
