It is IIA's endeavour to promote all innovations and innovators esp at the grassroot level. Mansukhbhai Prajapati of Gujarat by inventing 'poor people's refrigerator' has endeared himself to masses while attracting world wide attention but he still requires support for sufficient exposure to the market, thereby making his products accessible to the target audience. By highlighting his achievements through this news magazine, we hope to garner the desired support for Mansukhbhai from the Govt and nation wide retail stores.
To be called a 'true scientist' by APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, is no mean feat in itself and that is the honour bestowed upon an unassuming craftsman based in Gujarat.
Shri Mansukhbhai Prajapati with his invention Mitticool, a clay refrigerator that works without electricity has turned heads all over the world. Scientists and journalists from across the globe have visited his unit to get a glimpse of his low-cost eco-friendly products.
Presenting the national award to Mansukhbhai in 2009, President Pratibha Patil appreciated his work and asked him for a Mitticool.
Mansukhbhai is not keen on money. His ambition is to make more low-cost and eco-friendly products for the masses.
"A good majority of Indians cannot buy a fridge as it is expensive. Besides this, electricity bills and maintenance cost is also high. Mitticool is an eco-friendly product which has no maintenance costs. It also retains the original taste of vegetables, says Mansukhbhai who has sold 1500 units so far.
"I failed in the tenth standard. But I was not disappointed as I knew that I was capable of making something new," says Mansukhbhai who holds a patent for Mitticool.
People who considered him as incapable, now look up to him. They say, "you are the pride of our community!" He has been popularizing earthen products since 1988. The only drawback for him is the lack of stores to sell them.
The products are mostly available in Gujarat and in some stores in Mumbai and Pune only. Besides, the low-cost fridge, he has developed a water filter, non-stick tava and a pressure cooker all made of clay. And he has many more innovative ideas.
The Turning Point
Pottery has been the Prajapati family's traditional business. Mansukhbhai's family belonged to Morbi in Rajkot district.
His father gave up the profession as it was not getting them any money. It was all hard work without much gain. "I was fed up. I wanted to start my own factory. But there was no way I could do it without resources. I joined a tile factory. I worked there for sometime. This was a turning point for me," he says.
However, Mansukhbhai knew he needed to think differently and make innovative products. He took a loan of Rs 30,000 and started a small factory.
Mitticool concept takes Shape
During the great earthquake of 2001, people used to tell me that poor people's refrigerators are broken. They referred to the 'matkas'(pots) as refrigerators. It struck me then that I must try to make a low cost fridge for those who cannot afford to buy a fridge. Hence, the patent winning Mitticool came about !
However, it was not a bed of roses rather sheer hard work, lot of experimenting and the most challenging product for him. He started work on it in 2001, the product was finally ready by 2004.
It took him an investment of about Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million). An engineer who saw the fridge asked him to make 100 units. This was a great morale booster.
It takes 10 people to make a fridge in one day. Made from clay, the refrigerator can store water, fruits, vegetables for 8 days and milk for one day.
The upper part of the refrigerator stores water, while the bottom unit has space for fruits, vegetables and milk.
At present, he sells the clay fridges at Rs 2,500, at his unit. Most of the sales outside Gujarat are done during exhibitions. In Mumbai and Pune, some of his products are available. Every year he takes part at the international trade fair in New Delhi in a bid to popularize the products.
"I have also been getting lot of calls from the US. It is amazing to see so much interest from abroad," he says happily.
Mitticool was showcased at a conference organised by the Centre for India and Global Business, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, UK in May 2009. Bosch and Siemens Hausger te (BSH), Germany, has also showed interest in Mitticool.
About 20 units of Mitticool have been exported to the UK, Africa and Nairobi. He has now been invited to Africa to set up a unit there. "I have not committed anything but the most important thing is the soil. Gujarat has the best soil for pottery," he points out.
