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Frugal Innovation – India’s Edge
How Jugaad Innovation Can Drive Sustainable Economic Growth
Speakers
India stands at a critical juncture, balancing remarkable economic progress with persistent challenges. As the world’s fifth-largest economy, India boasts impressive growth rates and has lifted millions out of poverty. However, it still grapples with low per capita income, inadequate human development, and a large informal sector.
The nation faces resource constraints, including energy dependence, land scarcity, and skilled labour shortages. These limitations pose significant hurdles to improving living standards for over half a billion people while maintaining ecological balance.
The key to India’s future lies in “frugal innovation” or “jugaad innovation” – doing more and better with less, at scale. For decades, Indian businesses and consumers have excelled in transforming limited resources into affordable solutions across various sectors. However, much of this innovation has relied on adapting Western technology rather than developing original solutions.
This event explores how India can leverage its innate frugal ingenuity to create sustainable, scalable solutions that address its unique challenges. We will discuss strategies for fostering indigenous technological innovation, promoting inclusive growth, and balancing development with environmental preservation. Join us to envision India’s path towards becoming a global leader in frugal innovation and sustainable development.
A talk by author Jaideep Prabhu will be followed by a conversation with Mekin Maheshwari, Founder & CEO, Udhyam Learning Foundation and a Q&A session with the audience.
Speakers
Jaideep Prabhu
Jaideep Prabhu is Professor of Marketing and Jawaharlal Nehru Professor of Indian Business at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He has a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and a BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He has published in leading academic journals and his work has been profiled by the BBC, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Economist, The Financial Times, Le Monde, The New York Times, and The Times.
He is the co-author of Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth, described by The Economist as “the most comprehensive book yet” on the subject of frugal innovation. His 2015 book Frugal Innovation: How to do Better with Less with Navi Radjou won the CMI’s Management Book of the Year Award 2016. His most recent book How Should a Government Be: The New Levers of State Power was published in February 2021. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2023.
Mekin Maheshwari
Mekin Maheshwari is the Founder and CEO of Udhyam Learning Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in India. He is driven by a strong belief in human capability and a profound commitment to drive equitable growth in India by giving every individual the means and agency to unlock their untapped potential. Mekin’s journey as a leader at Udhyam is marked by his determination to foster entrepreneurial mindsets among Indian students and nano-entrepreneurs. By March 2024, Udhyam’s work has reached over 29 lakh students from government school and ITIs across 12 Indian states; and has led to an annual income uplift of Rs. 29 crore for 6,600+ Nano-entrepreneurs.
Mekin’s passions lie in secondary education, skilling, job creation, and entrepreneurship. As a technologist, he is driven to guide people in using technology for impact at scale. Beyond his role at Udhyam Learning Foundation, Mekin is also a Co-Founder of the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (G.A.M.E) and an active contributor to Social Change at ACT Grants. He wears various hats as a philanthropist and changemaker. He serves as a board member for TeamLease and multiple non-profit organisations such as Khan Academy India. He is also an angel investor in over 70+ startups and a diverse range of social enterprises, tech companies, and educational initiatives including Urban Company, Quizizz, Leverage Edu, etc. A philanthropist, Mekin is part of SVP, Giving Pi, Act Grants & has also individually contributed to over 35+ Non profits like ReapBenefit, AlohoMora, Inqui-Lab, and The Nudge Foundation.
He is deeply involved in education reform and was a part of the Delhi board’s committee responsible for drafting a revised curriculum framework. An Engineer by education, Mekin’s strong association with technology remains a key part of his identity, and he continues to apply his engineering mindset to diverse domains. His career began at Yahoo!, and he embraced entrepreneurial roles throughout his professional journey. He played an instrumental role in Flipkart’s growth story, starting from its humble beginnings in a two-room house to eventually serving as President of Engineering and then Chief People Officer for a 35,000-strong team, spearheading the formation and leadership of one of the most impactful technology teams in the country. Mekin Maheshwari’s leadership is defined by his deep-seated belief in human potential, his tireless efforts to empower people, and his commitment to creating a positive impact at scale through education, technology, and entrepreneurship.
