Can You Solve India’s Waste Management Problem At The Great Indian Jugaad Challenge?

‘Jugaad’ – the unique Indian word is Hindi for arrangement but is essentially used to define any work done by using non-standard methods and tools, such as building a water dispenser to coin sorter from cardboard. The West calls this kind of work ‘Do It Yourself’ or DIY.

Entrenched in the Indian system, ‘jugaad’ is what helps people find a solution to their everyday problems in the absence of facilities that one might find in developed economies. It is especially common in developing countries such as India because people do not trust the systematic process to function the way they should.

Jugaad is, therefore, the solution to the everyday problems of an unusually high number of Indians.

Yet in spite of its omnipresence and its place in every nook-and-corner of India, Jugaad fails to find a mainstream popularity.

This is why a group of young entrepreneurs and students from across the country have come together with a unique concept called The Great Indian Jugaad Challenge 2018-19.

According to the organisers The Great Indian Jugaad Challenge is a hackathon which is open to Indian students between 18 and 25 years of age.

The theme for the first Jugaad Challenge (2018-19) is Waste Management and Upcycling – a very crucial civic issue of our time in a country struggling with tonnes of waste on a regular basis with almost no proper solution in sight.

The organisers aim to include young people from all economic and social backgrounds. Though waste management and upscaling is a technical subject, there is no restriction on students from non-technical backgrounds such as art and psychology from participating in the event.

Entries will be judged by a five-member team of eminent personalities from various fields.

The team comprises Bill Thies, Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, Jaideep Prabhu, author of Jugaad Innovation, Minakshi Pandey of Waste Warriors Corbett, scientist Sreedhar Ramamurthi, and Pawan Gupta, director of Society for Integrated Development of Himalayas.

All the jugaad solutions will be evaluated on lateral approach, medial applicability and frugal utilitarianism. Winners will be rewarded with a cash prize of Rs 50,000.

Hurry up and sign up now.

Read every details about the event here.