In 1995, at the age of 20, he set up his own workshop to make grill gates, different iron structures for household use, and do motor repairing work. Born and brought up in a rural area, it was easy for Rafiq to identify with the problems people face in their daily lives, a fact that finds reflection in the products he designs. Given the poor condition of electricity in the region, he was in dire need of an electricity generator for his workshop. However, he did not have the funds to make a purchase. This prompted him to design a pressure generator for producing electricity. Rafiq claims to have developed a generator, which can produce 40W electricity. His innovation won him a lot of admiration in the district as also an invitation to the Islamic University of Science and Technology to demonstrate his device.
Rafiq devotes most of his time working on his innovations and developing new prototypes. His wife is very considerate and supportive of his efforts and majorly shoulders the responsibility of the family, giving him the much-needed time to follow his passion. She hopes that one day her husband’s persistence pays off – ‘Mehnat tas Chu fal’, she says, implying hard work secures reward.
This iron ladder has a multipurpose use in horticulture during harvesting and branch cuttingand is more secure than those that currently exist in the market. It is designed like a tripodwith a full height of up to 12 feet. Its wide pillar length ensures that a person can stand on itsecurely without losing balance. A basket can be pulled up and down by means of a ropepulley attached to the supporting pillar, which can be adjusted by hand without the need foran additional tool. This ladder can be folded to half its size and used as a 6 feet ladder whenopen. It is portable and ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.
The ladder is made of strong material which can hold up to 100 kgs of weight. The producthas yet to go to the market. However, it is safe and secure and easy to carry, making it apotential winner. The ladder gained recognition and was awarded during the 9th NationalBiennial Grassroots Innovation Awards 2017, held on March 4th, 2017 at RashtrapatiBhavan, New Delhi.
