Chapter Overview
This chapter tells the inspiring story of Arunachalam Muruganantham (called "Bablu" in the fictional adaptation by Twinkle Khanna), who revolutionized menstrual hygiene in India by creating affordable sanitary napkins and machines to manufacture them.
Part 1: The Story (Fictional Adaptation)
Character Introduction
- Bablu Kewat: An indifferent student who dropped out of school after his father's death
- Background: Started as a busboy in a workshop, became a welder, eventually owned the business
- Family: Married to Gowri through arranged marriage, lived with mother and sister Shalu
The Turning Point
- Discovery: Bablu learned that women used rags instead of sanitary napkins due to cost
- Market Research: Found that sanitary napkins cost ₹40 for a pack, while the cotton inside was worth only 10 paise
- Decision: Determined to create affordable alternatives
The Journey of Innovation
- Initial Attempts: Used scissors, needle, thread, cotton, and cloth to create homemade pads
- Challenges: Could not identify the correct materials used by commercial brands
- Experimentation: Tried different qualities of cotton and materials for months
Social Consequences
- Family Opposition: Mother and wife opposed his experiments, calling them disgraceful
- Village Reaction: Villagers spread rumors and treated the family with contempt
- Personal Sacrifice: Wife left him, mother followed, lost friends and money
- Isolation: Became a social outcast in pursuit of his mission
The Innovative Solution
- Self-Testing: Used blood and rubber tubes to test napkins on himself
- Further Isolation: Neighbors spread more rumors after witnessing his experiments
Part 2: The Real Story (Interview with Arunachalam Muruganantham)
Early Life and Inspiration
- Background: Son of a handloom weaver, dropped out at 14 after father's death
- Family Struggle: Mother worked on farm, couldn't afford his engineering education
- Career Start: Worked in welding workshop from young age
- Marriage: Married Shanti at 21, discovered her use of rags during menstruation
Research and Development Phase
- Material Discovery: Spent 2 years discovering that commercial napkins used pinewood pulp, not cotton
- Breakthrough Moment: Pet dog scratched sample card, revealing soft material and inspiring defibration process
- Machine Development: Created three separate machines for defibration, compression, and sterilization
- Timeline: Took 13 years to get patent for invention
Business Philosophy
- Patent Decision: Placed patent in public domain for anyone to use
- Pricing Strategy: Sells machines at subsidized prices to women's self-help groups
- Motto: "Profit margin based on need, not greed"
- Core Belief: Success lies in allowing others to benefit, not just making money
Mission and Vision
- Three Key Elements: Awareness, Availability, Affordability
- Goals: Generate 1 million jobs for women, promote 100% household hygiene
- Strategy: "Use power of women to empower women"
- Gandhi's Influence: Follows Gandhiji's belief that women can transform India
Impact and Recognition
- Business Success: Created 1,363 local brands, earned $750 million in revenue
- Awards: Grassroots Technological Innovations Award from IIT Madras, Padma Shri (2016)
- Policy Impact: Government waived GST on sanitary napkins
- Personal Victory: Family returned to him
Key Themes
1. Social Entrepreneurship
- Identifying social problems and creating sustainable solutions
- Balancing profit with social impact
- Empowering communities through innovation
2. Perseverance and Sacrifice
- Continuing despite social isolation and family opposition
- Personal sacrifices for greater good
- Resilience in face of failure
3. Women's Empowerment
- Addressing women's health and hygiene issues
- Creating employment opportunities for women
- Using women to create awareness among women
4. Innovation and Education
- Trial and error as method of genuine innovation
- Practical application of knowledge
- Converting problems into opportunities
Important Quotes
- On Entrepreneurship: "The success of entrepreneurship lies not in making money, but in allowing others to benefit."
- On Education: "We do not need to beg for a job after education. Try to find solutions to social problems and create jobs for yourselves and others."
- On Innovation: "Convert every problem into an opportunity. Come out with a solution, an invention, an innovation, an enterprise."
- On Approach: "More than turnover, I focus on impact. Social entrepreneurship should be impact-based."
Detailed Story Summary
The Fictional Narrative (Twinkle Khanna's Adaptation)
The story begins with Bablu Kewat, a school dropout who became a welder after his father's death. Following an arranged marriage to Gowri, Bablu discovers that women in his family use rags instead of sanitary napkins due to cost constraints. When he buys napkins for his wife, he's shocked by the ₹40 price for what appears to be simple cotton worth 10 paise. This price disparity motivates him to create affordable alternatives.
Bablu begins experimenting with scissors, needles, cotton, and cloth, but struggles to identify the correct materials. His obsession leads to family conflict - his mother fears social disgrace, and villagers spread malicious rumors. The situation worsens when Bablu tests products on himself using blood and rubber tubes, causing his wife and mother to abandon him. He becomes completely isolated, losing family, friends, and financial stability in pursuit of his goal.
The Real Story (Interview Insights)
The interview reveals Muruganantham's actual journey from a 14-year-old school dropout to India's "Pad Man." After discovering his wife Shanti's use of rags, he spent years experimenting with different materials before realizing commercial napkins used pinewood pulp, not cotton. A serendipitous moment when his dog scratched a sample card led to the defibration breakthrough.
Over 13 years, he developed affordable machines for manufacturing, ultimately placing his patent in the public domain. His philosophy centers on social impact over profit, empowering women through employment and awareness. Today, he has created 1,363 local brands, generated significant revenue, and received national recognition including the Padma Shri.
Comprehensive Question-Answer Section
Questions from "While We Read" Section
a. What impact did his father's death have on Bablu's family? Answer: His father's death created severe financial hardship for the family. Bablu's mother struggled to support her children alone, forcing Bablu to drop out of school at 14 to work and contribute to family income. This completely changed his life trajectory from potential education to immediate employment necessity.
b. What traits of Bablu impress you? Answer: Several traits make Bablu impressive:
- Determination: Despite being an average student, he worked his way up from busboy to business owner
- Observational skills: He noticed and analyzed the cost disparity in sanitary napkins
- Innovative thinking: He attempted to reverse-engineer commercial products
- Social consciousness: He recognized broader social problems beyond his personal situation
- Perseverance: He continued despite overwhelming social and family opposition
c. How would the exorbitant price of sanitary napkins affect the family budget? Answer: The high prices would severely strain the family's limited budget. As Gowri pointed out, if she and Shalu bought napkins monthly, they wouldn't have money for basic necessities like milk, curd, and ghee. This highlights how menstrual hygiene becomes a luxury rather than a necessity for poor families, forcing women to use unhygienic alternatives.
d. Why was Bablu determined to start a new project? What was it? Answer: Bablu was determined to create affordable sanitary napkins because:
- He realized the huge profit margins in commercial napkins
- He understood that poor women couldn't afford hygienic options
- He recognized the health risks of using unclean rags
- He saw an opportunity to help women in his community and beyond His project involved manufacturing low-cost, hygienic sanitary napkins that poor women could afford.
e. What was the response of Bablu's family to his experiments? Answer: His family responded with extreme negativity:
- His mother beseeched him to stop, fearing family disgrace
- She worried about their social reputation in the community
- His wife Gowri eventually left him, demanding he abandon his "madness"
- His mother also left, unable to bear the social humiliation The family prioritized social acceptance over his innovative mission.
f. What was the response of the villagers to Bablu's experiments? What do you think of their attitude? Answer: The villagers responded with:
- Coarse whispers and rude glances
- Spreading malicious rumors throughout the village
- Social ostracism of Bablu and his family
- Creating a "mesh" of gossip that trapped the entire family
Their attitude reflects deep-rooted taboos around menstruation and narrow-minded thinking. They failed to see the social benefit of his work, instead focusing on perceived impropriety. This attitude is unfortunate as it stifles innovation and perpetuates problems that affect half the population.
g. Why was Bablu determined to continue his experiments even against his family's wishes? Answer: Bablu continued because:
- He understood the broader social problem affecting millions of women
- He knew women's health was at risk due to unhygienic practices
- He saw little girls in his neighborhood who would face the same problems
- He recognized that no one else was addressing this critical issue
- His social consciousness outweighed personal comfort and family pressure His determination stemmed from genuine concern for women's welfare rather than personal gain.
h. Describe Bablu's plight at the end of the story. Answer: By the story's end, Bablu faced complete devastation:
- His wife abandoned him, demanding he stop his experiments
- His mother left due to social humiliation
- He lost all his friends and social connections
- He exhausted money he couldn't afford to lose
- He became completely isolated in his community
- Despite being a simple welder with good intentions, his life was "ripped apart" His situation illustrates the personal cost of pursuing social innovation in traditional societies.
Questions from "Let's Recall and Recreate" Section
1. Why do Bablu's neighbours and friends desert him? Answer: They desert him because his work with sanitary napkins violates social taboos around menstruation. In traditional Indian society, discussing menstruation openly, especially by men, is considered inappropriate. His experiments, particularly testing napkins on himself with blood, create scandalous rumors. The community views his behavior as abnormal and shameful, leading to social ostracism. Their desertion reflects societal narrow-mindedness and the power of social pressure in traditional communities.
2. Why does Bablu continue his experiments? Answer: Bablu continues because he recognizes a critical social problem that affects millions of women. He understands that:
- Women use unhygienic rags due to cost constraints, risking infections and diseases
- Commercial napkins are overpriced, making hygiene a luxury for poor families
- No one else is addressing this widespread health issue
- Young girls in his neighborhood face the same future problems His motivation transcends personal comfort or social acceptance - he's driven by genuine concern for women's health and welfare. His persistence demonstrates true social entrepreneurship, where solving social problems takes precedence over personal consequences.
3. What, according to Muruganantham, is the purpose of education? Answer: According to Muruganantham, education should:
- Empower people to identify and solve social problems
- Create job creators rather than job seekers
- Develop problem-solving abilities that benefit society
- Convert problems into opportunities through innovation
- Build knowledge that can be applied practically to help others
He believes education's true value lies not in securing employment but in empowering individuals to create solutions, enterprises, and opportunities for themselves and others. Education should produce social entrepreneurs who transform society rather than people who merely seek jobs.
4. Why did Muruganantham begin to think of designing machines? Answer: Muruganantham realized that commercial machines costing crores made sanitary napkins expensive and inaccessible to poor women. He understood that:
- High machinery costs were passed on to consumers through product pricing
- Affordable napkins required affordable manufacturing processes
- Expensive machines limited production to large corporations
- Democratizing manufacturing would make hygiene products accessible
By designing affordable machines operable without extensive training, he could enable women's self-help groups to manufacture napkins locally, reducing costs and creating employment while addressing the hygiene problem at grassroots level.
5. What ideas of Muruganantham impress you the most? Mention any two. Answer: Two most impressive ideas:
1. "Profit based on need, not greed": This philosophy prioritizes social impact over monetary gain. Instead of maximizing profits, he focuses on making products affordable for those who need them most. This approach ensures sustainability while serving the underprivileged.
2. Placing patent in public domain: Despite spending 13 years developing his innovation, he made it freely available to anyone. This selfless act demonstrates his commitment to solving social problems rather than personal enrichment, enabling widespread adoption of his technology for maximum social benefit.
Detailed Character Analysis
Arunachalam Muruganantham (Bablu Kewat in the story)
Background and Early Life
- Social Origin: Son of a handloom weaver, representing India's working class
- Educational Background: School dropout at 14 due to father's death and financial constraints
- Early Career: Started as busboy in welding workshop, gradually became owner
- Family Situation: Arranged marriage, traditional family structure
Personality Traits
Positive Traits:
- Observational Skills: Notices cost disparity in sanitary napkins, recognizes broader social problems
- Analytical Mind: Calculates costs, understands profit margins, identifies market inefficiencies
- Determination: Continues despite overwhelming opposition from family and society
- Innovation: Uses trial and error method, develops creative solutions
- Social Consciousness: Prioritizes women's health over personal comfort
- Perseverance: Sustains 13-year journey from idea to patent
- Humility: Credits trial and error, acknowledges failures, remains grounded despite success
- Selflessness: Places patent in public domain, focuses on social impact over profit
Challenging Aspects:
- Obsessiveness: His single-minded focus strains family relationships
- Social Insensitivity: Initially fails to understand cultural taboos around his work
- Communication: Struggles to explain his mission to family and community
Character Development Arc
Phase 1 - The Catalyst (Recognition)
- Discovers wife's use of rags, recognizes cost disparity
- Transforms from passive observer to active problem-solver
- Shows emerging social consciousness
Phase 2 - The Struggle (Experimentation)
- Faces technical challenges in product development
- Encounters social resistance and family opposition
- Demonstrates resilience and determination
Phase 3 - The Isolation (Testing)
- Loses family support and social connections
- Tests products on himself, showing commitment
- Reaches lowest point personally while maintaining mission focus
Phase 4 - The Breakthrough (Innovation)
- Discovers pinewood pulp secret through pet dog incident
- Develops defibration process and machine design
- Shows adaptability and creative problem-solving
Phase 5 - The Success (Recognition)
- Receives national and international recognition
- Establishes sustainable business model
- Achieves family reconciliation and social acceptance
Psychological Profile
Motivations:
- Primary: Genuine concern for women's health and dignity
- Secondary: Challenge of solving complex technical problems
- Underlying: Desire to contribute meaningfully to society
Values System:
- Social Welfare: Places community needs above personal gain
- Gender Equality: Believes in women's empowerment and dignity
- Innovation: Values trial and error, practical experimentation
- Accessibility: Committed to making solutions affordable for all
- Transparency: Shares knowledge freely, opposes monopolistic practices
Leadership Style:
- Collaborative: Works with women's self-help groups
- Empowering: Creates opportunities for others
- Educational: Focuses on awareness and knowledge sharing
- Sustainable: Builds systems that continue without him
Symbolic Significance
The Phoenix Metaphor: Muruganantham embodies the phoenix rising from ashes:
- Death: His social death through ostracism and family abandonment
- Rebirth: His resurrection as national hero and social entrepreneur
- Transformation: From village outcast to Padma Shri recipient
- Legacy: Creating lasting change that benefits millions
Social Archetype: He represents the "reluctant hero" archetype:
- Ordinary person facing extraordinary challenges
- Sacrifices personal comfort for greater good
- Transforms society through individual action
- Achieves recognition after prolonged struggle
Impact and Legacy
Immediate Impact:
- Created affordable sanitary napkin manufacturing technology
- Established 1,363 local brands generating significant revenue
- Provided employment opportunities for thousands of women
Long-term Legacy:
- Changed conversation around menstrual hygiene in India
- Inspired policy changes including GST waiver on sanitary napkins
- Became symbol of grassroots innovation and social entrepreneurship
- Influenced next generation of social entrepreneurs
Global Significance:
- Demonstrates how individual innovation can address global problems
- Shows importance of understanding local contexts in solution design
- Proves that social impact and business success can coexist
Supporting Characters Analysis
Gowri/Shanti (Wife)
- Role: Catalyst for husband's mission, represents traditional women's constraints
- Character Arc: From supportive wife to opponent to eventual reconciliation
- Significance: Embodies the struggle between social conformity and progressive change
Mother
- Role: Represents traditional family values and social concerns
- Conflict: Torn between son's welfare and social reputation
- Resolution: Eventually returns, showing acceptance of son's success
Community/Villagers
- Role: Collective antagonist representing social taboos and resistance to change
- Significance: Illustrates how society can stifle innovation through prejudice
- Evolution: Likely changed attitude after his success and recognition
This comprehensive analysis reveals Muruganantham as a complex character whose personal journey mirrors India's struggle with social change, tradition, and progress. His story demonstrates how individual determination can overcome social barriers to create lasting change.
Quick Reference Summary
Key Points for Exam Preparation
Main Theme: Social entrepreneurship and innovation for women's empowerment
Central Conflict: Individual innovation vs. social taboos and resistance
Resolution: Personal sacrifice leads to social change and eventual recognition
Moral: Genuine social problems require persistent, innovative solutions regardless of personal cost
Literary Elements:
- Irony: Society rejects someone trying to help them
- Symbolism: Phoenix represents rebirth and transformation
- Conflict: Man vs. Society, highlighting social resistance to change
- Character Development: From ordinary welder to national hero
Lessons Learned
- Social Impact Over Profit: True success comes from solving social problems, not just making money
- Perseverance: Innovation requires persistence despite opposition and failure
- Women's Empowerment: Addressing women's issues can transform society
- Education's Purpose: Learning should lead to problem-solving and job creation
- Community Approach: Sustainable change requires community involvement and awareness