Deepika Jayaram –
COVID pandemic struck the entire world last year, with its clutches stretching gradually over the State of Kerala. And in no time, the new normal in this era, which was unheard of or unforeseen by humanity, was that of wearing masks, using disinfectants and having sanitizers handy. Then on, the average citizen’s life has been laden with apprehensions and each visible human presence used to leave him or her with an intimidating gaze and fears galore. Intermittently rubbing one’s hands off sanitizers seemed to be the only respite, which was at the same time a hassle, not knowing how resistant or long it might last.
This prompted a group of biomedical scientists actively involved in research to come together in March 2020. Titled a new brand, Thanmatra Life, this biomedical startup had a novel idea- a sanitizer when used that lasts a day. The sanitizer ‘Herba Nuriel’ was the first product that the team of experts ventured on with marketing, following which they firmly headed towards making seven infection-resistant products in total. Unlike other sanitizers, their product lasts from 8 to 12 hours, as it forms an invisible protective layer on the hands. The presence of this transparent protective layer will not be felt by the user and the same contains herbal ingredients to keep the skin moisturised, helping the hands to remain soft and sterile at the same time. Hands can be washed with water in case of taking food. Given that people were flooded with sanitizers, after the pandemic drastically affected lives, umpteen questions about the issue of quality and efficacy arose. Problems such as allergies and the like were also noticed among people. It is during times like this that Herba Nuriel’s use becomes more relevant than ever.
The first funding that came across to them was for another unique product named Liquid M Sanitiser, which was recognized by Shri Shakthi Challenge, an award for COVID-19 fighting innovative products, conducted jointly by UN Women and My Gov, Govt of India. This product is designed to sterilize the face mask with a single spray and offer prolonged protection. There has been serious concern about fungal infection in COVID19 patients and the unhygienic use of face-mask is one of the potential sources of fungus. Thus, a product that can effectively sterilize face masks with a single spray is a unique innovation. The other product they brought forth in line was Kitchen Shine, which is a 100% organic disinfectant derived from Coconut-cane sugar extracts and a turmeric-based vegetable and fruit wash. They are selling a gadget disinfectant solution high-quality surface disinfectants also.
Thanmatra was primarily inducted for carrying research on medicines against cancer, which was quite daunting when it comes to the time and effort it demanded. That was when the pandemic struck the world, and this bunch of young researchers felt the zeal to give something substantial to society. Recently, the team had bagged an Innovation grant award from Kerala Startup Mission meant for supporting the scale-up activities of such innovations. The core founding team has members, which includes doctors and engineers, well versed in biomedical research. Dr. Girish C M, who was previously a DST INSPIRE Faculty with experience in nanomedical research, is the CEO of the startup.
Their products have been well received since it was unveiled, and it has great demand in a few States in North India, and the team proudly says that they have been getting orders from Assam, Sikkim and UP as well, with sales predominantly coming from Kerala through e-commerce platforms like Amazon. The products are also available on their exclusive online store at www.thanmatralife.com
