Nagpur: After hitting the streets of London with Bamboo Rakhis, a housewife from Chandrapur, Meenakshi Walke (29), has added another fur to the lid by designing and testing the first bamboo QR code.
This may be the first time in the country, the QR code made of bamboo has been developed.
The QR code is a barcode that is scanned which is encoded with data.
Toi has been in July reporting how shelves and friendships are truly out of bamboo by Walke in demand abroad.
After turning into entrepreneurs by preparing at least 50 types of creative bamboo artifacts, he has designed a bamboo QR code.
Previously, such a code was developed in China.
“For people, it might look simple, but for artists like me, it can be a good alternative to the QR code made of non-environmentally friendly plastic.
It also reflects traditional skills and values,” Walke said.
Sharing his experience to make a QR code, Walke said, “Our small business to sell bamboo articles took a big hit during Covid-19 and the family was shaken based on the financial crisis when a businessman asked us whether the QR code could be made bamboo.” “I accept the challenge.
But two months ago, when I started working on it, I was skeptical whether the technique would work on bamboo or not.
I prepared the first model in two days.
The model is 15cm high and 8cm wide with a thickness of 5mm.
The QR code is easily handled and durable, “he said.
The QR bamboo code by Walke has attracted global attention.
Susanne Lucas from the World Bamboo Organization said, “This is a very good innovation.
We have to stay away from plastic as a recycled plastic depends on energy and removing noble water.
I will see how he can be supported.” Walke even won awards from the bamboo artist who was known globally, Ivan Platas.
“I like the ideas and results.
We held a laser machine immediately and would try to make a QR code like that,” he told Walke.
Walke provides direct and indirect work to many women in slums, known as Bengali Camp, in Chandrapur to make bamboo articles.
He was given National Nari Shakti Award-2018 for his initial business.
In 2019, he was also split by the Burad community, which is a traditional bamboo craftsman, for his contribution.
In 2021, on World Women’s Day, Indo-Canadian Arts & Cultural Institutions Presented the ‘Woman Hero Award Virtually.
Seeing the art of bambunya, Walke was also approached in 2019 by the organizer of the Contest of Global Beauty Contest, which asked him to make a beauty crown for winners.
This bamboo crown clapped by one and all.