IMechE India and Honorary Fellow Ratan Tata step forward into the global fight against COVID-19

Call of Duty...for humanity for the World! In response to the need of the hour, IMechE India members have been involved in many initiatives lead by many corporate houses, as the nation stands together to fight the battle against COVID-19. They share through this article, their attempts to join the cause.

IMechE Honorary Fellow, Mr. Ratan Tata, known as the man with a heart of gold, has proactively offered a monetary aid of INR 1500 Crore from the TATA Trust and TATA Sons, to the Indian government to fight the pandemic.

He said,

“...the need of the hour is greater than any other time”.

The aid will be used for giving proper equipment, testing kits, setting up treatment facilities and respiratory systems across the country. He has also opened rooms at Taj Hotel Colaba and Taj Lands End Bandra, for all the BMC doctors on-duty to treat Coronavirus patients saying,

“Time to make the heart as big and accommodating as possible”.

Even in action, he has inspired the TATA group of companies to get into the act together, through physical efforts on a multi-pronged strategy.

Ventilators

An open design of ventilator has been finalised through a community group, where IMechE corporate members from M/s TATA Motors, Mahesh Shinde, Shripad Ponkshe and Ms. Manasi Mone have been actively involved. The design has been launched into the open market so that anyone willing to, can take up the manufacturing.

Also, as M/s Tata Motors we are also engaged in augmentation of production capacity of a ventilator company in south India by using some of our vehicle parts such as HVAC compressor, HEPA filter, AC tubing, Window winding/wiper motor, et al. Few other Tata companies have also partnered in this venture. Mahesh Shinde, Mallanagouda C, Ms. Manasi Mone and other fellow IMechE-ians from Tata Motors as well as South India panel are working together for this.

UV light sanitisation project

Mahesh Shinde, Ms. Mrunal Hatwalne, Ms. Manasi Mone and other Tata Motors IMechE corporate members from have in parallel been working on UV-C light sanitisation (post resumption after lockdown) and have created project framework. The idea is to be able to sanitise vehicle interiors, congested areas and external surfaces with a bank of UV lights mounted on sides of vehicle which can move around doing the job. The detailing of the project is being worked out.

Additionally, M/s Tata Motors is embarking on providing virus protection PPEs for the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers who are on the frontline taking care of the COVID-19 patients by being their lifeline risking their own lives. This is being effected through the company’s supplier base and augmenting the production capacities of existing manufacturers.

Nonetheless, we IMechE-ians from India branch West Panel and Automobile Division are also exploring the possibility of helping production ramp up for India’s first, highly efficient and economical COVID-19 testing kit. The Make-in-India testing kit from the Pune based firm, Mylabs Discovery Solutions, can halve the time for test results. The woman behind this testing kit, virologist Mrs. Minal Dakhave-Bhosale, delivered the kit only a few hours before she delivered her baby girl, setting an example of humanity and commitment towards society. We at IMechE will try to take it global with the help of Mr. Vijay Raman, an active trustee board member.

The IMechE members from India branch panels, Automobile Division are proudly joining the noble contribution through the multipronged approach taken up by the TATAs, and individually as well. We are inspired to walk the shoes of great Honorary Fellows of IMechE like Mr. Ratan Tata and Dr. Pawan Goenka.