160 kg!; Krishnan's rubber band ball has 32 years of history to tell

KOCHI: The face of P Krishnan, a resident of Aluva Muppathadam, lights up whenever he sees a rubber band anywhere. The 66-year-old is happy to put it in his pocket. The ball, made by former Hindustan Latex employee by tying together these rubber bands collected out of curiosity, now weighs 160 kg! 32 years of effort.

Krishnan started collecting rubber bands and making the ball in 1992 when he got a job at Hindustan Latex and came to Thiruvananthapuram. When the weight of the ball reached 15 kg, it was moved from the office to the house. Collected rubber bands were brought home. Krishnan continued this habit till his retirement in 2018.

Krishnan also has the full support of his wife Indulekha, son Yadukrishnan, daughter Krishnaendu and son-in-law Vishnu. Krishnan had put the ball in an exhibition when it weighed 90 kg.

How ball building works

Rubber bands are first washed and sterilized. It is dried in the sun and tied together like a chain. This is then tied with the rubber band on the ball and rolled together.