Viraj and his team of Parikshit Jadhav, Nilay Kulkarni and Hiren Panjwani had developed the Oshito — a crowd counting mat which was used during the three important days of holy bath.
Viraj Ranade, a third-year student of engineering, was one of the student representatives in the delegation that had gone from Nashik to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston to share their experiences of the Kumbh Mela. The delegation included senior government officials who presented how the Mela was successfully conducted. Viraj was part of Kumbhathon, the initiative held under the aegis of MIT in Nashik for a period of two years before the Kumbh Mela, to develop ideas and innovation that will help Nashik during the mega event as well as aid it in developing into a smart city.
Viraj and his team of Parikshit Jadhav, Nilay Kulkarni and Hiren Panjwani had developed the Oshito — a crowd counting mat which was used during the three important days of holy bath — to count the number of people entering a particular ghat. This real time counting was shared with the police machinery, which was responsible for crowd management. "Developing an innovative idea at Kumbhathon was a great experience as we developed something from an idea to the level of a product. We used a black rubber mat to get real time data and divert the crowd, if necessary, from one point to another. The process of developing the mat and using it was fantastic," states Viraj. "The MIT experience has impressed me with its level of innovation," added Viraj, who has missed his terms for engineering due to ill-health. "I feel that education in India needs to be more open, flexible and practically oriented. Due to my ill-health, I am unable to attend college regularly but as the Kumbhathon activity was flexible in time and open in its scope, I could work at home at my pace with my team mates," opines Viraj.
In November 2014, Viraj and his friends started a movement of innovation activities called 'I Make'. According to Viraj, This provides space and opportunity for anyone to create anything.
While in Boston, Viraj was interested in the Maker Space at the MIT Media Lab. "Maker Space should come to Nashik. There are resources like tools, infrastructure, material, equipment available and students explore ideas with almost anything like wood, electronics, crafts, language, science, etc. I would like to start a Maker Space in Nashik to promote this innovation culture. Such a space brings people with thought together and it is in itself is a great opportunity," said Viraj.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "kumbh")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}