Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw hails Bengaluru professor who turned coconut leaves into straws: 'Local ideas...'

Bengaluru-based billionaire and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw recently shared a video on social media that garnered significant attention for highlighting a homegrown innovation with global reach. The video featured a sustainable invention by Saji Varghese, an English professor at Christ University in Bengaluru, who developed biodegradable straws from dry coconut leaves. In her post, Mazumdar-Shaw wrote, “Local ideas with global opportunities!”

Though Varghese holds a PhD in English, it was his commitment to sustainability that earned him recognition both in India and abroad. His breakthrough came unexpectedly on October 3, 2017, during a routine walk home after his classes. While walking, he spotted a dry coconut leaf on the ground and noticed that a part of it had naturally curled into the shape of a straw. Intrigued by its form, he carried it to a laboratory and subjected it to steam under high pressure.

“The heat brought out a shiny surface on the leaf,” Varghese said, describing the moment that sparked his idea to explore the leaf as a potential eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws.

He began experimenting with food-grade adhesives and different crafting techniques. After several months of trials, he succeeded in creating a multi-layered straw in early 2018. The final product was durable, anti-fungal, and capable of remaining firm in water for over six hours. Moreover, the straws had a shelf life exceeding 12 months, making them commercially viable.

Refusing to stop at product development, Varghese took the innovation a step further by establishing production units in rural areas, including Madurai, Tuticorin, and Kasargod. These micro-units not only produced the straws but also created employment opportunities for local women. The straws were launched under the brand name SunBird, and local food businesses began placing orders soon after.