This IIT graduate turns trash into toys

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This post graduate from IIT Delhi could have comfortably worked in a lucrative architecture firm, earning good money. Instead, he chose to listen to his heart and make toys out of trash for a living.Subith K S, the 37-year-old designer, a native of Malappuram, was the centre of attraction among the children at a summer camp in Lenin Balavady as he made toys out of ordinary material and they all wanted to try a hand at making toys.This nature lover was invited by the MBS Youth Choir to conduct a workshop on toy making from throw away stuff as part of the second edition of three-day summer camp titled Sangeetha Chola held at Lenin Balavady.Subith admits that he never thought that he would have graduated in Masters in Product Design from IIT Delhi and then finally make toys from trash."But, somewhere in my life I realized that being eco-friendly would definitely help the generations to come," he said.Subith says the recent earthquake across North India and Nepal is more or less a reminder for the humanity to be aware of the fact that they should co-exist with other beings as tenants rather than trying to be landlords of earth.He recalls the day he came across Aravind Gupta, who makes toys from trash, on the internet. Unlike Gupta, who makes toys to revolutionize the way children learn, Subith says he also hopes to educate the present generation on how to make toys using plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, newspapers, pen cases, CDs and straws so that they learn how to use resources effectively."It is the most cost-effective way of producing toys. I call them Ahimsa toys though they have already been given fancy names by Gupta and his crew," says Subith. He was graduated from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kottayam and later went on to do post-graduation from IIT Delhi. His toys cost less than Rs 50 per piece.Asked if he was satisfied with the earning from the venture, he said that he makes enough for himself but if he comes across something interesting and way meaningful than what he is doing now then he would probably switch and move on.