Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, May 5: A girl student from here, who took interest in colocasia that grows everywhere from gardens, fields and mud walls, has succeeded in getting global honour for her research on this plant. She has proved that mixing of juice extracted from colocasia leaves with colours before painting the walls with them can protect the walls from fungi.

Aneesha Nayak from here, who has proved this fact through research, has won bronze medal at a conference organized in USA. She happens to be a tenth standard student of Sudana residential school here. Her project titled, 'Hydrophobicity of Colocasia Esculenta Leaves as a Wall Protector', was accepted and she was rewarded with bronze medal.

I-sweep (International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering and Environment Project) Olympiad had attracted 555 projects from students coming from 62 countries. Aneesha was the lone student representing India.

Aneesha's research has shown that just like water poured on colocasia leaves just slips away, water falling on walls painted with its juice also slip. She did research on this subject for six months, and used laboratories of Yenepoya and Nitte Universities for high level testing. She also got special training in Mumbai and Rajkot.

Her above project had won gold medal at the 'National Science Fair' held at Chennai last year. It also won second grand gold award at the National Science Fair held at Rajkot. Teacher, Sadhana Hebbar, who provided guidance to the student, also accompanied her to USA.

Correspondent of Sudana school, Rev Vijaya Harvin, has expressed happiness at the laurels won for the institution by its student, Aneesha Nayak. Head teacher, Shobha Nagaraj, felt that strenuous efforts put in by Aneesha have borne fruits.