Monetising a jugaad

They say that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’. This story holds true to that saying. With rising temperature turning the city into an inferno, people have come up with an innovative alternative to keep themselves cool. It’s as simple as taking an ordinary umbrella and fixing it over a two-wheeler. Well, perhaps a little more complicated than that.

Owner of ‘SS 2 Wheeler Umbrella’, Vinod is the man who put brains behind monetising this genius ‘jugaad’. “These smart umbrellas are made of aerodynamic designs. The material which is used for making them is the same which that is used in parachute making. It can be easily fitted in any two-wheeler and can withstand a speed up to 60-70kmph for gearless vehicles and 100kmph for gear vehicles,” he explains.

These umbrellas cost about Rs 1,800 each and are available in three colours. “It comes with an instruction manual that explains its functioning,” says Vinod. “These are mostly imported from China as they are widely used in countries like China and Indonesia to withstand the heat,” he adds and shares that he is planning to bring in more stock as there are almost five to eight new fittings every day in only his shop.

A customer Sarat Chandra shares, “At first I was hesitant to fix these umbrellas on my two-wheeler. But, the benefits of getting fixed are amazing. I started using this from January and even when the days are getting hotter now I don’t feel those hot waves affecting me” “I am forced to wear arm-length cotton gloves and masks to prevent direct exposure to the sun. I think this is the best saviour for two-wheeler users,” says another customer Priyanka.

By Bhagyashree Kottoori