Dr. Saji Varghese on going beyond teaching to make a social impact

The Hindu

25-05-2025

The next in the monthly series by WWF-India that highlights niche and unconventional green careers through the stories of well-known personalities from the field of environment and conservation
I never imagined that a casual walk across my university campus would lead to a global eco-innovation. I've been an Associate Professor of English at Christ University, Bengaluru, for over two decades. But, along the way, my passion for sustainable change nudged me beyond the classroom; into a world of agri-waste, biodegradable straws, and circular innovation.
Born and raised in Maharashtra, I studied at Mt. Carmel Convent School in Chandrapur and completed my higher education at Dr Ambedkar College, Nagpur. I earned my PhD in English from Nagpur University. Teaching was something I was always drawn to, but I also carried within me a constant urge to 'do more.' While teaching at a college in a remote village in Maharashtra, I saw the stark realities of farmer suicides and poverty. I kept thinking about the children in slums who deserved a better future. That experience pushed me to ask, 'I might teach English for another 15 years, but how will I make a tangible impact on the life of at least one such child?'
Turning point
The spark came unexpectedly. One day, a visitor from the Netherlands mentioned how disturbing it was to see so many single-use plastic straws and how it has become a scourge to our environment. The next morning, I noticed coconut leaves littered across campus and, almost like an epiphany, it struck me. I picked one up, steamed it in my kitchen, and it clicked! The natural wax coating on the coconut leaf was perfect; it didn't need a polymer lining. That moment became the birth of Sunbird Straws, the world's first biodegradable drinking straw made from dead coconut leaves.
With no lab, no funding, and just a desire to make a difference, our straws are today not only reducing plastic pollution but also supporting the livelihoods of over 200 women across India's coastal states. Sunbird is a small idea that continues to grow.
Now, my mornings start at 3:30 a.m. and my 'lab' is still my kitchen. Whether it's exploring the use of pineapple leaf cuticle or pandanus leaves, I keep experimenting. At Christ University, I prepare for classes and lead the Centre for Design and Innovation for Social Entrepreneurship, where I mentor students to turn their ideas into scalable solutions. I spend my evenings at the Sunbird office, interacting and planning with our team.
What excites me most is the ability to close loops: to turn waste into something of value. Discoveries that I make during my experiments promote waste to wealth, circularity, and biodiversity are helping both the environment and the lives of women in rural areas.
One challenge we face is pricing. Sustainable products often cost more because they're labour-intensive. We've had to find a balance between improving efficiency and protecting the livelihoods our work supports. Every decision we make — whether it's adding a new machine or changing a material — is weighed against its social impact.
To students and young innovators, my message is this: look around you. There are problems waiting for creative solutions. There's no 'right' time. You just need a critical eye and the tenacity to come up with sustainable alternatives. Innovation doesn't require a lot; sometimes, it just needs a critical mind, a coconut leaf, and a question worth chasing.