The Economist this month talks of Jugaad, a term which Indian often use. It defines the term as "an inspired kind of duct-taped ingenuity that employs only the tools at hand."
The term is used in context with Santosh Ostwal's invention - a mobile-phone adaptation that triggers irrigation pumps remotely - which has made the lives of Indian farmers much easier.
Santosh Ostwal, an engineer, observed for several years, the difficulties his family (all farmers) faced because of erratic water and electric supply. With the help of his wife, Mr. Ostwal spent many years trying to solve the problem by making use of simple gadgets. Finally, on the Ganesh Chatuthi morning in 2003, he hit upon his present solution. His ingenious method is now used not only in India, but in Egypt and Australia as well.
You can read the full story here: Questions for Santosh Ostwal
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