Name : Shazia Jan
District & State : Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir
Category : Agro based food processing machinery
Award : State
Award Function : 8th National Grassroots Innovation Awards
Award Year : 2015
Innovator Profile
Technical Specification
Scout: Direct
‘Samovar’ is the traditional Kashmiri kettle used to brew, boil and serve tea and uses coal as fuel. Shazia Jan (24), a young Kashmiri innovator,has come up with an innovative modification in traditional Kashmiri samovar enabling it to use LPG as a fuel. The innovation not only enables people to prepare Kashmiri namkeen tea commonly known as ‘noon-chai’’ in a much easier, hygienic, attractive, rapid & innovative manner, but maintaining the culture of making itas well.
Background
Born in a farming family, Shazia is the youngest among four siblings. She dropped out of school early as the family’s financial conditions did not permit her to continue her studies. She contributed to the daily chores of the household, helping in farming, even repairing electric switches, maintaining electric appliances, etc. Her father’s new job as a peon eased out finances a bit in the meanwhile. Being a tinkerer himself, her father did not mind his children playing around with things. Her father’s support later played a crucial role in giving direction to the idea of Shazia. As she was engaged in a variety of tasks during the day, she got exposed to a number of problems and challenges that one went through daily.