Frugal innovation, also known by ‘Gandhian’ or ‘Jugaad’, promotes for goods or materials reaching the public cost efficiently without any compromise with the quality of the product. Frugal innovation has its own new essence emerging as an amalgamation in various aspects and fields. 

Dr. P. K Sethi who gave a completely different face to Frugal innovation concept, designing rubber based prosthetic leg for people with amputation below the knee, and soon receiving Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership and Padma Shri by the Indian Government in 1981.

MittiCool was the name given when a traditional craftsman identified the cooling properties of clay, and designed it into a refrigerator, which being cost effective also turned out to be biodegradable, this craftsman named Mansukhbhai Prajapati is now a well-recognized and established Entrepreneur. 

Young Remya Jose never enjoyed washing clothes, but she dint fall grudging over her destiny, instead thought out of the box, and created her own washing-cum-exercise machine which used pedaling for the clothes to wash rather than electricity. 

Mr. Jagani, a farmer turned his motorbike as a tractor, which consumed lesser fuel and could plough an acre of land within 30 minutes. 

These innovative inventions did not stop at an individual level, and this was definitely proved when Tata Group launched a car worth just $2000, reducing non-essential components like the amount of steel used for construction hence coming down to this cost, so what this car was named? I am sure everyone has heard of Nano. 

Frugal innovation not only is a growing trend but also a symbol of simplicity. It is an outgrowing design which needs better outsources as it can be sustainable by those who are not well off financially too. It could be a complete innovative revolution with not doing the previously done customs and just believing in ideas that pops up randomly in the mind.

Manika Jaiswal

Content Writer Intern, Budding Dentist