Mansukhbhai Patel developed a cotton stripping machine in 1994 that eliminated child labor in dryland Gujarat by automating the cotton stripping process that was previously done manually by women and children. He worked tirelessly with colleagues after hours to develop the machine, and despite early machines having technical errors that caused financial losses, he persevered to become a perfectionist and never stopped improving the machine.

1. Mansukhbhai Patel
Cotton Stripping Machine eliminated child labour completely in dryland Gujarat

10. ‘In the initial years of his struggle, many of Mansukhbhai’s colleagues and coworkers volunteered
after duty hours to help develop the machine’

11. ‘At one point in time, he had many
machines which were returned with
complaints from customers. It was found
that there was a trivial technical error in
the machines. However, this caused him to
incur heavy losses. Instead of giving
up, Mansukhbhai became even more of a
perfectionist.’

12. ‘ The first prototype was developed in 1994 and
Mansukhbhai has never stopped improving the
machine. In fact, his entire life seems to be an
endless pursuit of perfection.’

13. ‘Before Mansukhbhai’s machine, all the cotton stripping was done by women and
children.’