Vizianagaram: Dr A Ramarao, additional project coordinator for Samagra Shiksha, has been awarded a 20-year patent by Government of India for his research on the ‘Polymer Pulley-Driven Centrifugal Pump’. The patent was awarded to Dr Ramarao and his team on March 4, 2025.

Dr Ramarao, currently serving as an assistant professor at the College of Horticulture, Parvathipuram (Dr YSR Horticulture University), began this research in 2014 as part of his PhD at Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, which he completed in 2017. His team filed the patent application in 2018, which underwent scrutiny before its approval this year. The innovation replaces traditional cast iron pump components with engineering plastics, resulting in a 75 per cent reduction in weight, 60 per cent lower manufacturing costs, and corrosion resistance.

The pump, tested for 310 hours at multiple agricultural labs, demonstrated performance equivalent to metal pumps while consuming less power. Developed with support from CIPET and the Central Institute of Tool Design, Hyderabad, the pump is set for large-scale production with backing from the Government of India, Acharya NG Ranga University, and Dr YSR Horticulture University.

Dr Ramarao said that the pump would be helpful for farmers for its ultimate performance at lesser expenditure.

District collector Dr B R Ambedkar appreciated Dr Ramarao for his experiments and research for their groundbreaking contribution to agriculture and industry.