Indians are known to be masters of Jugaad. Just in case you didn’t know, Jugaad is also known as (or explained to non-Indians) as Frugal Innovation. That is, simple low-cost fixes. Please note that Jugaad is a concept and can be used in the case of a mechanical contraption as well as a political solution – just that jugaad has to be a quick fix, with little of no cost. There is a certain school of thought which believes that jugaad is always a short-term fix.
Outside of business schools and self-help books, the word jugaad is used to signify imagination or creativity to make existing things work (or work better) or to create new things with limited resources.
Jugaad is not a concept limited to India. The American version of a jugaad is a “hack.” Though “hack” as a concept has existed for a long time awareness for jugaad has seen a sudden rise in recent times in India. So much so that the jugaad mindset is being associated with the Indians.
Some believe that jugaad is a curse brought on the Indians, thanks to our huge population but bad infrastructural support and income distribution. They believe that the Indian “Jugaad” spirit is not something to be proud of because our ability to go for the jugaad will never allow us to build globally scalable products of high quality.
These non-believers say that for a small time entrepreneur living in a village with limited financial & physical resources jugaad makes sense but not for the country as a whole.
Checkout Best examples of Indian Jugaad below:
A clock is alive for as long as it ticks…all it needs is a few numbers where its hands can point. This is an amazing Indian jugaad using the wall on which the clock is hung.
Who doesn’t need a nice hot tea? Especially when you are a student and going through huge books for your 9 am exam tomorrow morning? Here in this jugaad a student makes the best use of the resources he has to make tea.
This van owner seems to have broken down his door’s company-fitted lock and then realized he may need one anyway. Check out how this guy has resorted to a jugged and used padlock instead. Same amount of security, achieved through jugaad
Electricity is never guaranteed in India which is a big issue for farmers. This is why the entrepreneurial one resorts to a jugaad like this for irrigating his land. Instead of electricity, he is using petrol.
Why go for a re-plumbing in your washroom or go for a mixer when you can resort to a jugaad like this and get the issue sorted. Costs nothing 😉
This south Indian wearing a lungi seems to be frying fish (or chicken). He seems to have everything going in his life except maybe a wifi-enabled headset (or a old-fashioned walkman). Thats why this jugged to listen to music.
Why invest in containers for your washroom when you can tear your old jeans and have a more fashionable washroom. Jugaad at this very cheapest.
Is your exhaust pipe about to fall down? No problem if you are an Indian. Just pick up a hanger from the closet and make sure it holds the exhaust in place. Jugaad at the most unlikeliest of place.
This is one of the most mainstream jugaads in place – a fork holding the belt in place. Right, in your face…just unavoidable.
Want a cool looking cycle but don’t have money to buy one? Just do a jugaad and get some bike parts and mix-and-match them. It sure looks different!
Two friends only managed to pool in enough money to buy a single cooler. What do they do? They go the jugaad way…use a old, used pyjama to direct the flow of cold air. Juggad at its best!
What if the car is old and it is not worth investing in a new car seat. Just pick up a chair from your home and place it in front of the steering wheel. Once again, jugaad at its best.
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Excellent collection and will be useful for my presentation