Students Of Odisha’s ITI-Chhatrapur Build Replica Of INS Vikrant From Scrap Materials

Berhampur: The government-run Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Chhatrapur in Odisha’s Ganjam district has built a replica of India’s warship INS Vikrant from waste materials.

Students of four different trades including Wielder, Fitter, Electrician and Electronics, guided by the faculty members, completed the replica measuring 30-ft high, 10-ft wide and 70-ft long in one-and-a-half year.

The frame of the model was made with scrap iron rods of about 200 kg collected from broken roof casting. The frame was covered with more than 3000 lubricant oil plastic cans collected from different garages. The plastic cans were cut and coloured to be fixed on the entire body of the ship model.

Trees were planted in the waste lubricant oil plastic cans to give it a permanent and soothing look. The outline of the frame was further illuminated with LED lights by the students, said Priyabrata Panda, Principal of the ITI.

The replica of India’s first aircraft carrier, used by the Indian Navy in 1971 Indo-Pak war, has been placed inside the ITI campus which has attracted many. Chhatrapur MLA Subash Chandra Behera inaugurated the replica on December 4 and it was dedicated to the Indian Navy.

The students of ITI, Chatrapur have already made a full statue of former Odisha chief Minister legendary Biju Patnaik, the Dakota plane used by him in an adventure trip to rescue Indonesian Vice-President Muhammad Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir in 1947 and the statue of former President of India and the ‘Missile Man of India’ APJ Abdul Kalam with scrap materials. The INS Vikrant replica has added another feather on its cap.

“Such crafts and objects made by the students will fetch them income while at the same time making them feel good for having recycled the wastes for saving our wonderful planet,” said the principal.

ITI Chatrapur, which has a strength of 850 students and 35 faculty members, is known for innovating new ways to make the environment green and beautiful. The institute has already attracted many curious minds after inventing solar charging systems for mobile phones, solar charging systems for electric vehicles. “We are now focusing on usages of solar and green energy on a wider perspective and persuading the local civic body to use it for a clean and green environment,” he said.

“I recently discussed with the Executive Officer Chhatrapur Notified Area Council (NAC) to use our solar charging system for electric vehicles widely. We are ready to provide them the system free of cost if they agree to supply the raw materials. This endeavour will not only help the public but also the students in their practical experience and develop a green environment in the locality,” Panda added.