Machal Lalung --who spent 54 years in an Indian jail without facing trial.

       Seventy-seven year old Machang Lalung was arrested in 1951 from his native village of Silsang, 64km (40 miles) from the state's main city of Guwahati.Police said that Mr Lalung, who is from the Lalung tribe, was booked for "causing grievous hurt".The offence normally results in 10 years imprisonment.

       But police said there was no evidence to support the allegation, so within a year of his arrest, he was transferred to a psychiatric institution."It seems the police just forgot about him thereafter," says Assamese human rights activist Sanjay Borbora.

       In 1967, the authorities at the institution certified Mr Lalung as "fully fit" and said that they intended to release him.But instead of being freed, police transferred him to another jail."Even at this point, the police did not send him to court to face trial, they just kept him in prison," Mr Borbora said.Strangely, even his relatives and family members forgot about Machang Lalung.

       Lalung died on December 25, 2007. Freedom at the Edge is a short film by Aneisha Sharma, based on Lalung's story.

Tooth made out of bamboo, Bamboo bicycle made by Mr. Dodhi Pathak from Assam

Mr. Dodhi Pathak is an unique innovator of articles made out of bamboo. He was discovered in a mela (rural fair). He is around 48 years of age. He firmly believes in the adage “ necessity is the mother of invention”. Having suffered a poverty stricken childhood, he faced many difficulties in life which reinforced his faith in his ability to innovate. The seeds of the innovations were laid when Mr. Pathak had to buy a second hand cycle for himself. He was not able to buy one as it was very costly. So he thought of constructing a cycle with a locally available raw material i.e., bamboo. With this idea in his mind Mr. Pathak was able to make his dream come true. He is a very good singer of folk tunes.

Teeth made from bamboo:

He has designed artificial teeth from bamboo. The innovator has made it for own use. His two incisors on the upper jaw are the proof of the utility and feasibility of this innovation. He can chew anything and eat all types of food including mutton and fish with the bamboo teeth

Bicycle made from bamboo:

Designed and made a complete bicycle by using bamboo for all parts except the tyre and tube. Initially when he rode it through the lanes in his village, many people stared at this new bamboo bicycle.

Hand pump made from bamboo:

He has developed a working model of a hand pump, which is suitable to lift both underground water and pond water. This pump is totally made out of bamboo, even the piston, valve, barrel, handle and all the other parts.