BackTinkering tools for self-development
Kavita Arora says the hobby has opened her eyes and given her more confidence in taking on new responsibilities and understanding complex technical tasks
PremiumIt was while studying computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in the US in 1999 that Kavita Arora learnt the value of hands-on learning. “We were encouraged to use our imagination. From participating in robotics competitions to presenting our findings to companies, it was a nurturing environment," says Arora, 39.
Currently working as a product manager with a multinational, Bengaluru-based Arora has carried forward her love for tinkering with electronic and digital fabrication. More importantly, she has created a forum for other hobbyists, like herself, to convene and grow their skill sets.
Creating a collective
During a 2012 work trip, Arora came across London Hackspace, a non-profit community-run makerspace, and was bowled over by the concept.
The following year she created a Facebook community, Bangalore Makespace and Open Source Creativity, which has over 20,000 followers today.
Initially, after organizing a couple of meet-ups, she started charging a minimal fee for hobby workshops. “There were a lot of discussions on the Facebook page and I could see that people wanted to meet, exchange knowledge and learn. So, we started inviting guest speakers who are experts in their respective fields," says Arora. So far they have conducted over 70 workshops in the field of electronics, drones, 3D printing, furniture design, creative coding and IoT.
She, too, conducts a workshop at least once a month on Arduino, creative coding and electronics. Charging between ₹500 to ₹2,500 per workshop, Arora gives half the fee collected to the guest speakers and uses the rest to buy tools or equipment required for the sessions.
“We don’t accept more than 15-20 people for a workshop as it’s difficult to give individual attention then. We once had 50 people during a drone workshops and it was quite challenging," she adds.
With a full-time job, Arora reserves her weekends for planning, curating and conducting these workshops. “This hobby has opened my eyes and given me more confidence in taking on new responsibilities and understanding complex technical tasks. At times, it does get hectic in terms of organizing, but that’s why I pace myself," she says. Her biggest challenge is finding a meeting space. “The lack of an affordable physical space where we can meet is really tough," she says. From cafés to co-working offices and other makerspace outlets in the city, Arora relies on her network of geeks and hobbyists to find a space to convene. Her most recent workshop, held in an office in Diamond District, was organized after a gap of five months because they couldn’t find a place to hold it.
When she’s not planning workshops, Arora likes brushing up on her digital skills. Typically, whatever she creates ends up being used as teaching aids. For instance, she used CAD (computer-aided design) to design prototypes of two stools and a chair that she went on to fabricate at a CNC (computer numerical control) centre in the city’s industrial area, Peenya. Basically, these units have machines that can cut furniture based on the design produced on CAD. Similarly, for a metal fabrication workshop, Arora and her team designed keychains using the Makerspace logo on CAD, which was then manufactured at a unit in Peenya. “We organized a field trip for the group to Peenya where we got to see the process firsthand," Arora says. It cost them ₹2,000 to manufacture one keychain. Arora, who owns two 3D printers, has used them to create prototypes for larger projects, like the furniture she designed on CAD, and tools like a giant Arduino board that she uses for demos and replacement parts for broken equipment.
Over the years, she has amassed quite a collection of equipment—breadboards, integrated circuits, soldering irons—for the workshops. Calling it her mobile lab, Arora carts it around for her workshops. “Initially, I think I must have spent about ₹20,000 to buy some basic equipment. Some of it is more expensive starting at ₹10,000. Over the years, however, the workshops have become self-sustainable," she says.
Arora doesn’t regret trading a more conventional social life for one centered on hobby workshops. “I have chosen to spend my time learning and exploring," she reiterates. Among other things, she believes this keeps her at the top of her game. “A lot of IT people become redundant very fast as they are not hands-on or up-to-date with what’s happening. I am trying to avoid that by tinkering." The Makers follows professionals who spend weekends working on their hobbies.Write to us at businessoflife@livemint.com
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