'Salt from Coconut Palm Petiole

Rashmi Parvathi K, a girl from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district, is all set to fly to the US with her innovative science project which could even lead to a breakthrough in medicine.

The 17-year-old daughter of farmer Ravishankar K from Nekkila village, about 60km from here, developed technology to produce salt with medicinal properties from coconut palm petiole (the stalk which attaches the leaf to the stem). The organic salt with antimicrobial properties can be used as a medicine for various skin ailments. Her project was selected for the prestigious International Science Project Competition of International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project Olympiad ( ISWEEP) in Houston, Texas from May 8. She's among four students selected from India and the only one from Karnataka.

Ravishankar told STOI the project titled 'Salt from Coconut Palm Petiole — a remedy for skin ailments' by his daughter under the guidance of her mentor Shankara Bhat Badanaje had secured the gold medal and first grand award at the Indian Science and Engineering Fair - Puttur micro fair recently. "The project was selected for a national competition and then she qualified for the international event," he added.

Rashmi Parvathi, who bagged the second rank in SSLC, had earlier won national accolades by producing antidandruff shampoo using herbs. She presented five science projects at the IRIS national competitions in the past three years. She has attended several science camps and bagged nearly a dozen national and state awards, he said.

Rashmi Parvathi, who didn't want to disclose details of the project, said, "My ambition is to become a scientist." She's II PU Science student of Vivekananda PU College, Puttur and also a classical singer. She has passed the junior examination in Carnatic music with distinction. Her mother Durgarathna is the head of the department of Hindi where Rashmi is a student.