Name : Modified Combine Harvester
District & State : Sant kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh
Category : Agricultural (General)
Award : National
Award Function : 9th National Grassroots Innovation Awards
Award Year : 2017
Innovator Profile
Surendra Prasad (55), who is in the profession of agriculture machinery manufacture and repair, has developed a harvesting machine, which can be used for simultaneous harvesting, threshing and collection of straw.
Prasad’s father had expired when he was still in primary school due to acute tuberculosis infection. As his family struggled to make ends meet, he left his studies and began helping his elder brother to earn livelihood for their family of seven. The meagre income from agriculture proved to be insufficient for his family, which prompted him to start a cycle-repairing shop near the village. However, he had to close the shop after a couple of years as its income brought no substantial difference to his family’s pitiable economic condition. He then moved out and undertook odd jobs for two- three years in Punjab and West Uttar Pradesh before finally returning to his village in 1985. He then started a tractor repairing workshop Surendra Agro Works, about four kilometers from his village. He lives with his wife and three sons, who help him in his workshop.