Changemakers 2024: Komal Panda is Not Okay with Jugaad

It is an invention that will not only benefit Komal Panda’s father but millions of others. The 22-year-old National Institute of Design Haryana student has designed Novocarry—a portable cooling carrier for medicines. This will come as huge relief for those who rely on medicines—such as insulin, certain antibiotics and vaccines—that require refrigeration.

Panda’s design has won global accolade. She was given the James Dyson Award 2024 award, which carries a prize money of £5,000. It is an international student award in the fields of product design and engineering.

The size of a power pack, Novocarry can carry two vials at a time. The cooling system is powered by two batteries. The device can store insulin vials at around 5°C for at least eight hours—perfect for an overnight trip.

Learning Through Stories

The inspiration for this cool box is from her father and her experience of seeing patients struggling to cope with faulty design of medical equipment.

Panda’s father, who works in a steel factory, is diabetic. Every afternoon, he comes home during his lunch break just to take his insulin shots as the factory does not have a refrigerator. And, carrying ice packs on a daily basis is not practical. It’s a problem millions face daily. Many fall back on jugaad to survive.

In 2023, a study published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology said that over 11% of India’s population has diabetes. That translates to over 101mn people.

“There was this student who had Type 1 diabetes. She stayed in a hostel and kept her insulin vial in the refrigerator. One night, she noticed her insulin pack was damaged, and she couldn’t take her shot. She had to be hospitalised,” Panda says.

The young innovator also recalls a story of a girl from Uttar Pradesh who lived in Bengaluru. Her diabetes forced her to either carry a thermos or frequently replace ice packs after every few stations just to keep her insulin cool while travelling.

Insulin is ideally stored between 2°C and 8°C to remain effective. For people with Type 1 diabetes, managing blood glucose levels often requires up to 4–5 insulin shots daily. Without it, blood sugar levels can spike to life-threatening levels. But finding affordable ways to store insulin is not an easy task. Equipment costs can be as high as Rs 20,000–Rs 25,000. Not many can afford it, pushing them to look for cheaper quick-fix solutions.

Plus, jugaad solutions are rarely high on user comfort. “Imagine carrying a big six-container lunch bag or a picnic basket daily to work, just to keep your insulin vial cool,” says Panda.

Fighting Quick-Fix

She says that while researching she spoke to a range of people suffering from diabetes. “None of them told me that there was a problem. They focussed on their jugaad solutions which, for them, had pretty much become a part of their lives.”

Building Novocarry began as a simple school project. While some people were able to get through the disease with ease, for others the struggle was far more intense. If you have the resources, it is not too difficult, she says.

It is not that there aren’t devices available to store insulin in controlled temperatures. But they are cumbersome and often are not suited for Indian weather, be it gel packs, thermoses or those big six-tiffin-sized insulin coolers.

“Coolers are definitely present but they are costly and not everyone can afford them. And my focus was to make Novocarry a personal accessory rather than design it as a medical device,” says the fourth-year student of industrial design.

Novocarry is sleek and easy to carry. It is user friendly and is not just limited to storing insulin but also medicines that require to be stored in controlled temperatures.

Panda has seen ill-health from close quarters. She lost her mother a few years back; her father’s struggle with diabetes and related illnesses had played out in front of her for years. Her LinkedIn bio says: An aspiring researcher in user experience design, with a focus on increasing accessibility and sustainability. Inspired and driven by history and culture, I care about stories and the ‘humane’ behind the ‘humanitarian’.

Novocarry has humane and humanitarian stamped all over it.

The patent process for the device is currently underway. It’ll be a while for the device to hit the mass market. And when it does millions will pray for the lady from Rourkela who weaned them away from jugaad and gave them a reliable and cheap alternative.