Bhavishya Yaan – The Lotus Effect Sustainability Session
Bhavishya Yaan students of NMJ School recently participated in an engaging and insightful session on sustainability titled “The Lotus Effect”, conducted by Prathamesh Mishra from the Steam Academy, who is also a curator at the Nehru Science Centre.
The same programme is also being held for Bhavishya Yaan students of Prabhadevi and Byculla schools.
The session began with a short video that helped students identify key elements such as the lotus flower, its stem, its leaf and the activities demonstrated by children in the film. This formed the foundation for understanding the fascinating scientific principle known as the Lotus effect, nature’s own waterproofing masterclass. Lotus leaves possess nano-scale bumps coated with waxy molecules, causing water to bead and roll off effortlessly—like tiny janitors sweeping away dirt.
This natural mechanism has inspired biomimicry, leading to the creation of ultrahydrophobic paints and coatings for cars, buildings and textiles. Surfaces designed using lotus logic require fewer washes, less detergent and significantly less water. As explained, a vehicle painted with lotus inspired material benefits from an efficiency upgrade, courtesy of a plant that never needed a pressure washer. In essence, the biomimicry of lotus design reduces resource consumption while keeping surfaces clean with zero fuss.
Mr. Mishra further demonstrated the hydrophobicity of the lotus leaf through a hands-on activity, giving students a memorable experience of the science behind it. He also explained simple yet powerful principles of sustainability, including keeping oneself and one’s surroundings clean, saving paper through digital alternatives, caring for nature, avoiding waste, maintaining clean environments at home and school, and embracing green innovations. He encouraged students to view nature as their laboratory and to keep exploring.
Overall, the session was highly informative and thoroughly enjoyed by the students. The hands-on experiments kept them completely engaged and inspired to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives.