India's "Jugaad Crown" At Risk? Anand Mahindra On Viral Car Hack

Industrialist Anand Mahindra, known for his engaging and witty presence on social media, has shared a video, leaving his followers amused and reflective. The clip, originally posted on X (formerly Twitter), shows a hack involving a car seat and a zip-lock bag – something designed to keep kids entertained during car rides.

In the video, a person transforms a plastic zip-lock bag into a makeshift tablet holder by threading the bag through the metal rods of a car headrest. The tablet, secured in a transparent bag, offers a DIY entertainment system without the need for expensive accessories.

Mahindra reacted to this creative parenting hack with a touch of humour, he questioned whether India's famed title for makeshift innovations – “jugaad” – was under threat.

“Hey, hang on! Is another country trying to take away the ‘Jugaad' crown from us??” Mahindra captioned the post.

Hey, hang on!

Is another country trying to take away the ‘Jugaad' crown from us??

???? pic.twitter.com/EKmsleqhev

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) January 8, 2025

The post garnered attention on social media, with many praising the simplicity of the hack and sharing their own jugaad experiences.

“Yea I have an iPad holder in my car too. It's not rocket science,” said a person.

Yea I have an iPad holder in my car too .It's not rocket science .

— Anoop zombie (@anoopzombie) January 8, 2025

Another user admired the simplicity of the hack but couldn't resist pointing out the practicality. “Yup, that's Jugaad! And I have no idea how the touchscreen effectively worked through the weight-bearing (thick) plastic - even though it's capacitive,” read the comment.

Yup, that's Jugaad! And I have no idea how the touchscreen effectively worked through the weight-bearing (thick) plastic - even though it's capacitive...

— QuillVoice (@wwwPoet) January 8, 2025

While many appreciated the ingenuity, others reflected on the overuse of jugaad in India. One user shared a lengthy comment, part of which read, “Hi sir, with all due respect, don't you think we do a little too much jugaad? Jugaad is would be good if in certain circumstances, we use it as a band-aid.”

Hi sir, with all due respect, don't you think we do a little too much jugaad? Jugaad is would be good if in certain circumstances, we use it as a band-aid.

However, I feel everything in India is a jugaad. There is no inclination anywhere to do high-quality work with attention…

— Sreeram (@shadesUffGrey) January 8, 2025

A user wrote, “We are inspiring people all over the world. Thanks to social media, everyone knows our secrets.”

We are inspiring people all over the world. Thanks to Social Media, everyone knows our secrets.

— sangeeta nagi (@nagi_sangeeta) January 8, 2025

However, not everyone was convinced of the hack's practicality. A sceptical user questioned the design's stability, commenting, “Doesn't it flap around every time the car stops and starts, or swings right or left? The iPad should be fastened to something beneath.”

Doesn't it flap around every time the car stops and starts, or swings right or left? The iPad should be fastened to something beneath

— Anant Sundaram (@sundaram_anant) January 8, 2025

Anand Mahindra's social media posts often spark conversations. A few months ago, he lauded the ingenuity of four IIT graduates who designed a compact, multi-functional home gym that can transform even the smallest spaces into fitness zones.

In another post, the Mahindra Group chairman highlighted the importance of water conservation by sharing a video showing a clever method to repurpose water drained from air conditioners.