Class 10 student builds speedboat for the poor

ALAPPUZHA: While studying in class 6, Ranju made miniatures of jeeps, boats, cars, and buses. Later, he made small boats with empty oil barrels. When he reached class 10, he built a speedboat. Mankombu native Ranju Ratheesh, who is about to join Class 11, has built a speedboat so that the poor people of Kuttanad can make use of it during emergencies.

Various models of speedboats priced between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 10 lakh are currently in use in Kuttanad. Considering the special situation of Kuttanad, a speed boat is required for emergency needs, including hospital cases. However, such speedboats are inaccessible to ordinary people. As a solution to this, Ranju built a speedboat for Rs 75,000. A 6 hp second-hand engine is used in this boat. He made the boat using iron square pipe, marine plywood, and fiber. The boat can carry up to 8 people. The boat is currently used by Ranju and other locals. He will build a new one if anyone demands a new boat. It will take about four months to build one speedboat.

So far, Ranju has sold six small boats made of empty oil barrels. The price is only Rs 4,500 for one. Although more orders are coming in from Alappuzha and Kottayam, he is refusing to take up several orders as he wants to give priority to his studies.

Ranju receives constant support from his father Ratheesh and brother Rahul. He learned the art of making boats by watching videos on YouTube. His goal is to become a mechanical engineer.