In a quiet neighbourhood in Kozhikode, Kerala, a young boy turned his balcony into a makeshift theatre. At that time (2013), Ashin P Krishna was in Class 6, but this innovation planted a seed that would one day grow into something far more remarkable.

Now 23, Ashin is the founder of Altersage Innovations and the creator of Coco-bot, a semi-automatic coconut-harvesting robot that makes the dangerous and difficult job of climbing tall trees to pick coconuts safer and easier. His journey from curious schoolboy to tech entrepreneur is a story of grit, regret, reinvention, and a drive to make a tangible social impact.

Creating for purpose and impact

Ashin’s love for building things began early, inspired by the animated creations he watched on TV channels like POGO and Max TV. “Till Class 8, creating and building projects that were already in existence was my hobby,” he recalls.

His enthusiasm for replicating what he saw eventually led to a turning point — a casual conversation with his parents that would shift his perspective entirely. “They said, ‘Why can’t you innovate something new instead of copying?’ That struck me deeply,” he says. From that moment, Ashin decided to move away from imitating and instead focused on creating something truly original.

The first fruit of this new mindset came in Class 9, when Ashin built a mini smart portable Android projector — without referring to any tutorials or guides. “That project made me believe I could actually innovate,” he says. The young innovator decided then that everything he created henceforth must be unique, purposeful and have social impact.

‘The biggest regret of my life’

By the time Ashin completed school in 2019, he had already built a smart portable air conditioner which used minimal energy. The invention earned him a spot at the prestigious 46th Jawaharlal Nehru National Science, Mathematics and Environment Exhibition (JNNSMEE) by NCERT and won third place at the state level. Naturally, expectations soared, and he was urged to participate in the Indian Science Congress (a national event where young innovators present their best projects), India’s most prestigious science platform.

But fate had other plans. That year’s theme was agriculture, and Ashin’s air conditioner project wasn’t selected.

“I was just 17. I........

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