Subang students' Covid-19 herbal mask, oil win big at innovation awards

 

The Gold and Diamond winning team. (L-R): Senior Assistant (Student Affairs) Selvam Myandy; Deputy Headmaster Sathiavani Govindasamy; Gautam Reddy Chandran; Prathees Selvam; Keertikaa Jega Jeevan; Janany Vikneswaran; Headmaster Malaraven Malayandy; and PTA president Jega Jeevan Elumalai. Pict courtesy of SJKT Ladang Ebor.

KUALA LUMPUR: Nine students from SJKT Ladang Ebor, Subang Jaya, Selangor have come up with creative ways to help the public stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Twelve-year-olds Keertikaa Jega Jeevan, Janany Vikneswaran, Gautam Reddy Chandran and Prathees Selvam have designed a washable three-ply mask which conforms with the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

Their "Super Shield Face Mask" comes with changeable filters of herbal patches, derived from natural ingredients including ginger and turmeric.

The creative bid won the students both the Diamond and Gold awards at the Virtual Invention, Innovation and Design Pharm-IIDEx 2020 which was organised by Universiti Teknologi Mara's pharmacy faculty recently.

Meanwhile, their schoolmates, Anusha Muthaiyan, Kaalishwaridewi Vadivelan, Tarmesh Mohan, Marthiny Poobalan and Madan Vicram Jayaghanes, all 12, bagged the Bronze award for their "Herbal Air Purifying Oil".

The oil, which is produced from six herbal ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties, can be used to scent living areas and workspaces.

SJKT Ladang Ebor Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president Jega Jeevan Elumalai said the students invented the products to help Malaysians cope with the new norms.

Jega Jeevan said the students' achievements were a result of their hard work and perseverance as guided by their science teachers.

"This is the second time our students have participated in this competition. Previously, we managed to win only one award. But this year, we are so proud to see our students bring home three awards," he said.

He also said the PTA was mulling to improvise the students' inventions and eventually commercialise the products.

"For instance, we are planning to offer more choices of herbal patches, such as basil and curry leaves, for the face mask.

"If we can commercialise these products, we can provide more cost-effective solutions for Malaysian households to make their living environment safer." - NST