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IIT Delhi makes hand sanitiser after facing shortage amid coronavirus outbreak
“That is the ‘spirit’ needed to fight Corona,” says an IIT Delhi professor on Facebook.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a shortage of essentials across the world as people have turned to panic buying basics. In India too, several people have reported a shortage of face masks and hand sanitisers. However, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi found a genius way to tackle the shortage. They turned to their lab and created hand sanitisers of their own. Now, a Facebook post about this is going all kinds of viral.
The director of IIT Delhi, Professor Ramgopal Rao, has explained in his Facebook post how the institute was finding it difficult to procure hand sanitisers in large quantities. “Even when they were available, vendors were charging exorbitant amounts and quality was suspect,” he says in his post.
Frustrated with the situation, Rao asked one of the chemistry professors if he could prepare some for the college. “He replied, for such a small thing, you don’t need an IIT Professor, it can be done by our technical staff,” he says in the post.
“Lo and behold, in flat two days, we have 50 litres of hand sanitisers meeting WHO standard (certified by IIT Profs). All at a negligible price,” he adds.
They subsequently sent out an email to other departments asking them to take some in case they needed it. “That is the ‘spirit’ needed to fight Corona,’ he says, expressing gratitude to those involved in the feat.
Rao’s post, since being shared on March 20, has collected over 11,000 reactions and more than 3,200 shares. People are extremely impressed and saying so in the comments section.
“I salute you for this commendable action by IIT Delhi in these days of crisis,” says a Facebook user. “Real heroes,” says another. “This is incredible. Can IIT Delhi donate sanitisers to relief camps?” wonders a third.
IIT Delhi’s website has also shared details about the sanitisers.
“The formulation contains three chemicals along with Aloe Vera and the major component is isopropyl alcohol (around 75%),” it says on the website, adding, “The advantage of hand sanitisers is that when soap and water are not readily available, it comes for ready use.”
