Arunachalam Muruganantham of Coimbatore, known for creating a low-cost sanitary napkin manufacturing machine, has reportedly been nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
Muruganantham’s innovation aimed to make menstrual hygiene products affordable and accessible for women from low-income backgrounds. His work drew global attention and inspired the Bollywood film Pad Man, starring Akshay Kumar.
He has previously been honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India. According to the report, the Nobel Peace Prize nominations this year include 208 individuals and 79 organisations, totalling 287 nominees.
Speaking about the nomination, Muruganantham said he has been engaged in this work for around four decades. He noted that the low-cost technology has reached about 40 countries, including parts of Africa such as Zimbabwe, and is also used in smaller island nations like Trinidad and Tobago.
He added that awareness on the issue remains limited even in developed countries, and said training and awareness programmes are being conducted across India, from Ladakh to Kanyakumari. Calling the nomination a matter of pride, he described it as a significant global recognition following India’s national honour.
