Most engineering students dream of getting a good job after graduation. Vimal Govind MK, Rashid K, Arun George and Nikhil NP were no different. They studied together at MES College of Engineering in Kerala, graduated with plans to build successful careers and entered the corporate world like countless young engineers across India. But a tragic incident changed everything and ultimately changed their lives as well.Today, the four founders are recognized on the Forbes Asia Under 30 list in the Industry, Manufacturing and Energy category. His startup, Genrobotics, has built Bandicoot, India’s pioneering robotic fence-cleaning machine that is helping to eliminate the need for humans to enter toxic sewers. Their journey from engineering students to award-winning innovators didn’t begin in a lab, but with heartbreaking news they simply couldn’t ignore.
The tragedy they could not forget
In 2015, three people lost their lives inside a fence in Kozhikode, Kerala. Two council workers had entered a drain to clear a blockage when they became trapped inside. A bus driver stopped to help, climbed the fence, and never came out either.The incident deeply affected the four students.
The four engineering students – Vimal Govind MK, Rashid K, Arun George and Nikhil NP – from MES College of Engineering in Kerala. (Photo: X post)
Rashid K later recalled that until then they barely knew what a fence system was because his village had none. But as they learned more about the crash, they realized it wasn’t an isolated incident. In India, manual scavenging had continued despite being banned since 1993. Workers still entered sewers filled with toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide, methane and ammonia, often without protective equipment or safety measures.Many belonged to marginalized communities and generations of families remained trapped in the same dangerous occupation. The four students came to a simple but powerful conclusion: If technology could send machines into factories, space, and deep oceans, why were humans still being sent into toxic sewers?Instead of moving on from history, they decided to build a solution.
From steady jobs to building a life-saving robot
After graduation, the four founders accepted corporate jobs. But the problem never left their minds.When the Kerala government invited innovators to develop a robotic alternative to manual scavenging in 2017, they made a bold decision. They quit their jobs, returned to Kerala and dedicated themselves to solving one of India’s oldest and most forgotten challenges.The result was Bandicoot, a 50-kilogram robotic machine designed to clear fences without requiring human input.The spider-like robot lowers itself into its mouth, is stabilized by expandable legs, and uses a 360-degree robotic arm to remove mud and solid debris. Tasks that used to take multiple workers nearly two hours can now be completed in about 45 minutes.But perhaps the biggest hit isn’t the machine itself.Many sanitation workers who once risked their lives climbing into log fences are now trained to operate Bandicoot safely from the ground. The same people who once worked in life-threatening conditions now control advanced robotic technology, marking a shift not only in engineering but also in dignity, safety and opportunity.
Changing cities and changing mentalities
Bandicoot’s impact has grown steadily over the years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Bandicoot 2.0, and the robots are now deployed in 22 Indian states and four other countries.Cities are increasingly adopting robotic sewer cleaning technologies. Bengaluru, for example, has introduced robotic systems with artificial intelligence through the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to inspect, monitor and clean sewer networks without exposing workers to hazardous environments. High-resolution cameras, sensors and robotic inspection systems help civic agencies detect blockages and maintain underground infrastructure more safely and efficiently.The change has also become symbolic. The Indian government has officially replaced the term “mouth” with “machine hole”, reflecting a broader view that the dangerous work of cleaning sewers should be done by machines, not people.For Vimal Govind MK, Rashid K, Arun George and Nikhil NP, the biggest reward is not just being recognized by Forbes Asia Under 30 or seeing their innovation adopted in India. It’s knowing that an accident that claimed three lives inspired a solution that could help prevent many more such tragedies in the future.His story is a reminder that some of the world’s most significant innovations don’t start with billion-dollar ideas or cutting-edge labs. Sometimes they start with four engineering students who simply refuse to accept that an avoidable tragedy will never happen again.Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available reports and statements about the founders of Genrobotics, the development of Bandicoot and the deployment of robotic sewer cleaning technologies in India. Deployment, adoption and operations details may vary by city and government agency. Readers are advised to consult official sources for the latest information.