Frugal Innovation takes over Jugaad for winning Noble Prize

Long ago Gonu Jha, a rural native from Mithilanchal area of Bihar, did a Jugaad to safely participate in a dairy development program launched by the then British government. He made a cat to learn not to drink milk by repeatedly feeding her hot milk. This way he conditioned the cat to learn that milk is always hot and hence ran away at the very sight of milk being brought for her. This Jugaad had four variables – a cow, a cat, milk and its boiling. The outcome was that the cat learnt not to drink milk even after cold milk being brought for her. This Jugaad led Gonu Jha to save his head from the British Authorities for playing cheat with their instructions and won him a prize at the conclusion of the said dairy development program.

 

Long after a similar experiment was done by Prof. Steven Pavlov. This frugal innovation also had four variables – a dog (in place of act), meet (in place of milk), bell and light (in place of hot and cold milk). The outcome was that the dog learnt to salivate even after there was no meat offered to him. This frugal innovation led Prof. Pavlov earn the Noble Prize for developing “Conditioning Theory of Learning”.

Poor Gonu Jha!

What wins – a Jugaad or a Frugal Innovation?

DR. Hari Mohan Jha “Bidyarthi” (Shegaon)