Min vows support to student's smart sanitary pad innovation
Vijayawada: IT and HRD minister Nara Lokesh met Mangalagiri-based student Vanama Vamsi at his Undavalli residence and congratulated him for his innovation in women's health. Vamsi, a second-year B.Pharm student of Vigyan College, Vadlamudi, developed a smart sanitary pad called Magna Pads, which won accolades at the national-level 'Startup Maha Kumbh', held in New Delhi in April.
Lokesh appreciated Vamsi for representing Andhra Pradesh on a national platform and announced that the state govt would extend full support to take the innovation forward. "Vamsi's success is an example of how student innovations can contribute meaningfully to healthcare," he said, and promised help through the proposed Ratan Tata Innovation Hub in Amaravati.
Vamsi stood first from South India and received a cash prize of 8 lakh.
His invention, published in the Indian Journal of Patents, is designed not only to collect menstrual blood like conventional sanitary pads but also to reduce cramps during menstruation. The pad is coated with magnesium hydrogen, which absorbs into the body to provide pain relief. Each pad is expected to cost 25 and is currently undergoing first stage trials.
Vamsi said the minister's encouragement boosted his confidence to take the innovation further. In the second phase of the project, Vamsi plans to integrate a detachable strip with the pad to detect conditions like PCOD and, eventually, early signs of cancer using a scanning device. He expressed hope that, with continued support from the govt and his mentors, his innovation could contribute to better menstrual healthcare for women.
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